Vergil Ortiz Jr sues Golden Boy in dispute tied to stalled Jaron Ennis talks | Boxing

Vergil Ortiz Jr has filed a federal lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, seeking to end his relationship with Oscar De La Hoya’s company amid stalled negotiations for what he considers a career-defining fight against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.

Ortiz, the World Boxing Council’s interim junior middleweight champion, filed a lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Nevada, asking a judge to confirm that his promotional deal with Golden Boy was terminated and alleging that the promoter breached the contract and interfered with his earning potential.

Golden Boy has promoted the Texan since his professional debut in 2016 and signed him to a new three-year contract in May 2024. Ortiz’s lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by the Guardian, argues that the deal allowed him to walk away if Golden Boy’s broadcast partnership with Dazn ended — a condition he claims was triggered when the promoter’s deal with the streamer expired on Dec. 31.

According to the complaint, Ortiz formally exercised his right to terminate the agreement on January 8. Golden Boy acknowledged that its deal with Dazn was reached at the end of the year, but maintains that Ortiz remains under contract because the promoter actively negotiated a renewal with Dazn covering 2026 and 2027. Ortiz disputes this position, arguing that the ongoing negotiations and projects exchanged do not constitute a binding agreement and that the terms of the contract require a done deal, not “an agreement to agree.”

The lawsuit seeks declaratory relief to clarify the contractual status of Ortiz, 27, with his lawyers arguing that the uncertainty is harming the early years of his career as he seeks to secure high-profile fights.

Ortiz’s complaint goes beyond the termination clause, alleging that Golden Boy violated the agreement well before the split. At the heart of these claims are negotiations – or lack of negotiations – for a fight with Ennis, one of the most anticipated matchups in boxing. Both Ortiz and Ennis hold interim championships at 154 pounds, and the fight is widely seen as a natural step toward a unification bout for the undisputed title.

Ortiz alleges that he asked Golden Boy to work with Ennis’ promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, but that Golden Boy did not act in good faith. The complaint claims De La Hoya’s strained relationships with rival promoters and Saudi boxing broker Turki al-Sheikh jeopardized opportunities to stage the fight, particularly given Saudi Arabia’s recent role in financing marquee events.

The lawsuit also alleges that Golden Boy violated a contractual obligation to present Ortiz with at least three opponent options for each fight, instead offering only one proposition to Ennis and threatening to bench him if he refused. Ortiz further claims that Golden Boy failed to disclose written materials generated during meetings involving Golden Boy, Matchroom and Dazn and related to the Ennis fight.

Following Ortiz’s attempt to terminate the deal, the complaint alleges that Golden Boy continued to publicly assert control over his career, setting the terms and deadlines of negotiations without authorization. Ortiz claims these actions have caused confusion within the industry and harmed his ability to negotiate independently with other promoters.

Golden Boy disputed Ortiz’s claims in a statement, saying it intends to fight the lawsuit. “We are aware of the lawsuit,” a spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, Vergil is receiving poor advice from his lawyer and manager who have repeatedly violated the contract. We will aggressively defend this lawsuit and assert our rights. We are confident that a judge will agree that our contract is valid and that Vergil and his team are in violation.”

Ortiz is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, alleging that Golden Boy’s conduct cost him millions in fight purses, sponsorships and related revenue.

The lawsuit adds Ortiz to a growing list of elite fighters who have taken Golden Boy to court over contract disputes, including Canelo Álvarez, whom Ortiz’s attorney, Gregory Smith, previously represented in his successful bid to terminate a promotional deal with De La Hoya’s company.