Vergil Ortiz Jr. fights Golden Boy after being blocked from Ennis deal

Federal filing seeks to lift restraining order preventing April 18 welterweight bout

Vergil Ortiz Jr. has filed in federal court to dissolve Golden Boy Promotions’ temporary restraining order. The ruling will determine whether he can move forward with a planned fight against Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

The filing challenges Golden Boy’s effort to block Ortiz from pursuing outside promotional agreements and seeks to remove the restriction preventing him from finalizing the Ennis bout.

Ortiz, unbeaten in 24 fights with 22 knockouts, submitted a 22-page opposition in U.S. District Court in Nevada, arguing that Golden Boy’s attempt to stop him from facing Ennis would not cause the company legitimate harm. His legal team stated that Ortiz has the right to pursue opportunities with other promoters following what they view as the termination of his promotional agreement.

“GBP now comes to Court seeking a Temporary Restraining Order to prevent VO from agreeing to participate in a highly anticipated boxing match against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to be promoted by a third party promoter,” Ortiz’s attorney Greg Smith said in the filing. “The harm to GBP – if any – has solely been caused by GBP itself.”

The dispute centers on Ortiz’s effort to move forward with a high-profile April 18 fight against Ennis, widely regarded as one of the most important matchups in the welterweight division. Ortiz’s team has argued that his contract allowed him to end the relationship after Golden Boy’s broadcast agreement with DAZN expired at the end of last year.

Ortiz’s legal action followed significant financial offers from rival promoters. Matchroom Boxing presented a three-fight deal guaranteeing at least $12 million, with projected earnings approaching $20 million. Another promoter offered a separate agreement worth $16 million guaranteed, plus additional income tied to ticket sales and pay-per-view performance.

Golden Boy secured the restraining order after learning Ortiz was attempting to finalize the Ennis fight without its involvement. The order currently prevents Ortiz from moving forward with the deal while the dispute continues.

Ortiz’s team is asking the court to dissolve the restriction and allow him to continue his career independently. A hearing is scheduled this week, where a judge will decide whether Ortiz can move forward with the Ennis fight and pursue agreements outside Golden Boy.

The outcome will determine whether Ortiz can proceed with one of the biggest fights available to him or remain tied to Golden Boy as the legal battle continues.