Vergil Ortiz Jr, the unbeaten WBC interim junior middleweight champion, has filed a federal lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, seeking to end his promotional agreement with Oscar De La Hoya’s company. The dispute centers on stalled negotiations for a highly anticipated fight against Jaron “Boots” Ennis. Ortiz’s complaint, filed in US district court in Nevada, argues that he has the right to terminate his contract after Golden Boy’s broadcast partnership with Dazn expired on 31 December 2025. Ortiz formally exercised this right on 8 January, but Golden Boy claims he remains under contract due to ongoing Dazn negotiations for 2026–27. Ortiz contends that draft negotiations do not constitute a binding deal. The lawsuit also alleges that Golden Boy breached the agreement before the split, particularly in failing to arrange the Ennis bout. Ortiz claims the promoter ignored his instructions to work with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and mismanaged potential opportunities in Saudi Arabia, where high-profile boxing events are increasingly staged. Ortiz further asserts that Golden Boy violated contractual obligations to provide at least three opponent options per fight, instead presenting only one Ennis proposal and threatening to sideline him if declined. He also claims Golden Boy withheld written documentation from meetings involving Matchroom, Dazn, and the promoter that related to the Ennis matchup. Following Ortiz’s attempted termination, Golden Boy allegedly continued to assert control over his career, issuing negotiation terms without authorization. Ortiz argues these actions disrupted his ability to independently pursue fights with other promoters, costing him millions in potential purses and sponsorships. Golden Boy disputed the claims, stating that Ortiz is acting on poor legal advice and has violated the contract. The promoter vowed to defend the lawsuit and enforce its contractual rights. Ortiz joins other elite fighters, including Canelo Álvarez, who have taken Golden Boy to court over disputes with the company. His attorneys are seeking declaratory relief, as well as unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.