Nevada District Judge Cristina Silva granted Golden Boy’s motion to compel arbitration, preventing Ortiz and his manager Rick Mirigian from negotiating with third parties for a fight with Ennis or any other opponent until the arbitration process is completed.
The ruling comes after tensions between Ortiz and Golden Boy escalated in recent months. When a deal for a fight with Ennis failed to materialize, Ortiz sought to terminate his promotional contract and filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and interference with prospective economic advantage.
Golden Boy responded by seeking a temporary restraining order to stop Ortiz from pursuing fights outside the company. Ortiz filed an emergency motion to dismiss the order, but Judge Silva rejected the request, sending both sides to arbitration to resolve the dispute.
Golden Boy chairman Oscar De La Hoya reacted quickly on social media, posting “Justice prevails” after the ruling. The arbitrator has been asked to settle the matter by September, though Ortiz has said he hopes the dispute can be resolved sooner so he can return to the ring.
The legal battle leaves the potential showdown between Ortiz, the WBC interim champion, and Ennis, the WBA interim champion, in limbo.
Image Credit: Golden Boy