Newly revealed documents have shed light on the breakdown in the relationship between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and promoter Oscar De La Hoya, a dispute that has now moved to arbitration and derailed plans for a high-profile fight with Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
The tension began shortly after Ortiz stopped Erickson Lubin in the second round in November. At the time, De La Hoya praised the fighter’s rising profile, and Ortiz publicly expressed loyalty to his promoter. However, less than a month later, discussions between Ortiz’s manager Rick Mirigian and Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez reportedly sparked a chain of events that ultimately fractured the partnership.
According to information reviewed by BoxingScene, Golden Boy offered Ortiz $3 million for a bout against Ennis, along with a revenue split tied to pay-per-view performance. Mirigian rejected the proposal and requested a guaranteed $7 million purse without revenue splits. The two sides failed to reach an agreement, and the dispute escalated as Ortiz’s team argued that Golden Boy had not fulfilled contractual obligations regarding opponent options and negotiations.
The contract requires the promoter to guarantee two fights per year and to present at least three opponent options at least 60 days before a proposed bout. Ortiz’s team claims those conditions were not met and also alleges Golden Boy did not work in good faith to maximize the fighter’s earning opportunities.
Golden Boy, however, disputes those claims. De La Hoya has publicly criticized Mirigian, accusing him of demanding far more than the contract required for the proposed Ennis fight. The promoter also celebrated a Nevada judge’s recent decision that denied Ortiz’s attempt to exit the contract, instead sending the dispute to arbitration.
Judge Cristina Silva’s ruling relied in part on a clause tied to Golden Boy’s distribution relationship with DAZN. While Ortiz’s team believed the expiration of the existing agreement allowed the fighter to terminate his contract, the court determined that ongoing negotiations for a new broadcasting deal meant the clause did not apply.
Image Credit: DAZN