Golden Boy Is Getting Sued By One Of His Top Fighters

Ortiz Targets Career-Defining Ennis Fight

At the center of the dispute is Ortiz’s pursuit of a long-awaited showdown with junior middleweight rival Jaron Ennis. A fight widely regarded as one of the most anticipated matchups in boxing.

Ortiz’s camp believes that remaining tied to Golden Boy has become a roadblock rather than a pathway. His manager, Rick Mirigian, and De La Hoya have engaged in public sparring on social media over how negotiations with Ennis should proceed, with De La Hoya even threatening legal action against Mirigian for allegedly involving other promoters.

The lawsuit describes De La Hoya as “a controversial and divisive figure in boxing,” arguing that strained relationships with rival promoters have stalled Ortiz’s earning potential and delayed the Ennis fight.

DAZN and Boxing Power Brokers in the Crosshairs

The lawsuit further alleges that Golden Boy’s deteriorating relationships within the sport including with Saudi boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh have directly harmed Ortiz’s career trajectory. Alalshikh serves as chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and owns The Ring.

Ennis is promoted by Matchroom Boxing, led by Eddie Hearn. Hearn has repeatedly stated that a verbal agreement was reached last summer between Matchroom, Golden Boy, and DAZN to make Ortiz–Ennis contingent on both fighters winning interim bouts they later finished by knockout.

Expired DAZN Deal Becomes Legal Fault Line

A key pillar of Ortiz’s lawsuit centers on Golden Boy’s exclusive content partnership with DAZN, which officially expired on December 31. Ortiz’s legal team argues that the expiration gives him the contractual right to void his promotional deal.

Golden Boy disputes that interpretation. Maintaining that it is negotiating a new DAZN agreement for 2026 and 2027 and therefore retains promotional rights to Ortiz for the duration of the three-year contract.

According to the lawsuit, DAZN executives informed Ortiz’s team they would not approve another opponent for him unless it was Ennis highlighting just how central the fight is to the streamer’s long-term strategy.

Another Golden Boy Legal Flashpoint

Ortiz’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of high-profile legal disputes involving Golden Boy and its top fighters. His attorney, Gregory M. Smith, previously represented Canelo Alvarez. When boxing’s biggest star successfully exited his contracts with Golden Boy and DAZN in late 2020 after a promised $365 million, 11-fight deal fell apart.

Now, Ortiz is hoping history repeats itself. If successful, the lawsuit could finally clear the path to one of boxing’s most demanded fights and determine whether Ortiz’s prime years are spent chasing opportunity or cashing in on it.

Robert LaMar is a writer  for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26