Golden Boy Promotions has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $10 million in damages from Rick Mirigian, the manager of unbeaten WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr., alleging interference with the promoter’s contract and economic interests.
The lawsuit, filed January 29 in California Superior Court in Los Angeles by lead attorney Ricardo P. Cestero, claims Mirigian has disrupted Golden Boy’s agreement with Ortiz while attempting to “ingratiate himself” with the newly launched Zuffa Boxing promotion headed by Dana White. In the complaint, Cestero wrote that Mirigian had embarked on “a campaign of self-promotion” and was acting “for himself only” in a “transparent effort to curry favor with Zuffa.”
The legal dispute unfolds as Ortiz is reportedly in advanced negotiations to face recent unified welterweight champion Jaron Ennis in a bout that could land April 25 on DAZN. Golden Boy alleges that while believing it was progressing in those talks, Mirigian was “working behind the scenes to interfere with these negotiations,” including communicating with Ennis’ promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom.
According to the filing, Golden Boy signed Ortiz to a three-year deal in August 2024 after he defeated Serhii Bohachuk to win the WBC interim belt, securing exclusive negotiating rights for his bouts. The promoter claims Mirigian shared private contractual details, including purse minimums and the significance of Golden Boy’s DAZN relationship, with rival promoters such as Zuffa, Canelo Promotions and Matchroom, allegedly weakening its position.
Ortiz, for his part, has filed a separate lawsuit contending that Golden Boy’s expiring partnership with DAZN frees him to leave the company. Golden Boy counters that the dispute threatens its 2026-2027 license fee from DAZN and is seeking injunctive relief to halt what it describes as ongoing interference. Both Mirigian and Golden Boy chairman Oscar De La Hoya declined comment when contacted.
Image Credit: DAZN