Golden Boy Confirms Ortiz Jr. Remains Under Contract

Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya publicly disputed a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed Friday by Vergil Ortiz Jr., insisting the unbeaten fighter remains under contract and is not a free agent.

De La Hoya addressed the lawsuit in a video posted to social media hours after it was filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada. In that video, he said Golden Boy intends to defend its contractual position and warned against what he described as outside interference in Ortiz’s career.

The lawsuit challenges Ortiz’s promotional status and argues that Golden Boy’s relationship with DAZN expired at the end of 2025, freeing Ortiz to seek opportunities elsewhere. Golden Boy has maintained that negotiations to extend that agreement have continued and that Ortiz remains bound by his deal with the company.

De La Hoya said Golden Boy sent a letter to Ortiz’s manager, Rick Mirigian, on Thursday objecting to his involvement in negotiations for a potential fight with Jaron Ennis. The lawsuit was filed the following morning.

Ortiz last fought in November, stopping Erickson Lubin in the second round. Following that bout, which was streamed on DAZN, Ennis and his promoter Eddie Hearn were in attendance, and the fighters briefly met in the ring, fueling expectations of a future matchup.

In his video, De La Hoya also commented on the legal representation involved in the case, noting that Ortiz’s attorney has previously handled high-profile promotional disputes. The attorney, Gregory Smith, has worked with Ortiz since 2024 and was involved in drafting the current agreement between Ortiz and Golden Boy.

De La Hoya rejected suggestions that outside funding or competing boxing ventures have limited the financial upside of an Ortiz-Ennis fight, saying Golden Boy was attempting to secure favorable terms for Ortiz.

Representatives connected to Ortiz’s lawsuit have said they are confident in their legal position. The dispute is expected to proceed through the court system unless a resolution is reached.