Golden Boy secures legal victory, putting Ortiz-Ennis bout in uncertainty
The possibility of a matchup between undefeated junior middleweights Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron “Boots” Ennis faced a significant setback when a Nevada judge ruled in favor of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, granting the company’s request to compel arbitration with Ortiz.
The decision by Nevada District Judge Cristina Silva on Monday restricts Ortiz and his manager, Rick Mirigian, from engaging in negotiations with third parties for a bout with Ennis or any other fighter until the arbitration is concluded.
Silva requested that the arbitrator resolve the issue by September, although Ortiz expressed his desire to have the situation settled sooner so he can participate in fights.
“Justice prevails,” De La Hoya stated on social media on Monday following the ruling.
Golden Boy and Ortiz have experienced conflicts over recent months. When an agreement to face Ennis could not be reached, Ortiz sought to terminate his promotional contract with Golden Boy and filed a lawsuit for breach of contract and “interference with [prospective] economic advantage.”
In response, Golden Boy issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in February to prevent Ortiz from seeking a fight outside of the promotional company until further court directives.
On Monday, Ortiz submitted an emergency motion to dismiss the TRO imposed by Golden Boy, but Silva denied the motion. Consequently, both parties will proceed to arbitration to resolve the issue, leaving the eagerly awaited bout between Ortiz and Ennis in uncertainty.
Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) holds the title of WBC interim champion, while Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) is the WBA interim champion.
