Vergil Ortiz, Golden Boy settle legal dispute

Vergil Ortiz and Golden Boy Promotions settled their monthslong legal dispute Friday, avoiding arbitration and resolving pending litigation between the junior middleweight contender and his longtime promoter.

The two sides reached an agreement days before a scheduled arbitration hearing set for Tuesday, The Ring reports. Ortiz filed suit in Nevada in January seeking to exit his promotional contract and face Jaron Ennis without Golden Boy's involvement, arguing the promotion's expired DAZN broadcast deal had freed him from the agreement. Golden Boy responded in February by securing a temporary restraining order that blocked Ortiz from making any fight without the company's participation.

What settlement means for Ennis fight

Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya praised the resolution in a statement Friday. "Our relationship with Vergil has spanned more than a decade, and we are proud to have played a role in his development into one of the sport's premier fighters," De La Hoya said, per The Ring. "We look forward to continuing our partnership and working together with Vergil Jr., Rick Mirigian, and the rest of Team Ortiz to deliver the biggest fights possible for boxing fans."

The settlement reopens the door for Ortiz to face Ennis, though the landscape has shifted since the legal dispute began. Ennis stopped Xander Zayas in seven rounds on June 27 to claim unified junior middleweight titles, adding belts to his résumé while Ortiz remained sidelined by the legal fight.

Ortiz, ranked second at 154 pounds by The Ring, expressed relief at the resolution. "I'm very grateful that Golden Boy and I were able to come to an understanding and resolve everything," he said. "I'm excited to move forward and make the biggest fights happen, including the Ennis fight."

The Grand Prairie, Texas native has not fought since November, when he stopped Erickson Lubin in two rounds. No date has been announced for his return.

Source: ringmagazine.com