Vergil Ortiz will fight this year, Oscar De La Hoya says

Welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr will return to the ring this year under Golden Boy Promotions, according to Oscar De La Hoya.

Ortiz has been out of action since November 2025, when he stopped Erickson Lubin in two rounds. A contract dispute with Golden Boy scuttled plans for a fight with Jaron "Boots" Ennis and left the undefeated 154-pounder on the shelf. But De La Hoya told viewers during Saturday's DAZN broadcast that the two sides are close to settling their differences.

De La Hoya says Golden Boy has original Ortiz contract in place

"There's nothing that makes me happier than to see fighters get in the ring and perform," De La Hoya said, per Bad Left Hook. "Vergil Ortiz is one of the best fighters out there. I hate not seeing him fight." He added that Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez is in talks with Ortiz's adviser Rick Mirigian, calling the dispute a "misunderstanding" rather than a genuine breach.

De La Hoya claimed the promotion still holds the "original deal" it signed with Ortiz and dismissed outside interference. "We have the contracts, we have the relationships, we have Vergil Ortiz," he said. "We've had him since he was a baby, since he started boxing professionally. We feel that we're very close and Vergil Ortiz will fight this year."

Ortiz carries a 24-0 record with 22 knockouts. Whether his camp shares De La Hoya's optimism remains to be seen, but a resolution would clear the path for high-level matchups at junior middleweight.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — Vergil Ortiz will fight this year with Golden Boy, says De La Hoya