Vergil Ortiz Jr has filed a federal lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, seeking to end his relationship with Oscar De La Hoya’s company amid stalled negotiations for what he views as a career-defining fight against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.

Ortiz, the unbeaten World Boxing Council interim junior middleweight champion, filed the complaint on Thursday in US district court in Nevada, asking a judge to confirm that his promotional agreement with Golden Boy has been terminated and alleging that the promoter breached the contract and interfered with his earning potential.

Golden Boy has promoted the Texan since his professional debut in 2016 and signed him to a new three-year deal in May 2024. Ortiz’s lawsuit, a copy of which has been obtained by the Guardian, argues that the agreement allowed him to walk away if Golden Boy’s broadcast partnership with Dazn ended – a condition he says was triggered when the promoter’s deal with the streamer expired on 31 December.

According to the complaint, Ortiz formally exercised his right to terminate the agreement on 8 January. Golden Boy has acknowledged that its Dazn deal concluded at the end of the year but maintains that Ortiz remains under contract because the promoter has been actively negotiating a renewal with Dazn covering 2026 and 2027. Ortiz disputes that position, arguing that ongoing negotiations and exchanged drafts do not constitute a binding agreement and that the contract language requires a completed deal, not “an agreement to agree”.

The lawsuit seeks declaratory relief to clarify the 27-year-old Ortiz’s contractual status, with his attorneys arguing that uncertainty is harming the prime years of his career as he looks to secure high-profile fights.

Ortiz’s filing goes beyond the termination clause, alleging that Golden Boy breached the agreement well before the split. Central to those claims are negotiations – or lack thereof – for a bout with Ennis, one of the most hotly anticipated matchups in boxing. Ortiz and Ennis both hold interim championships at 154lb, and the fight is widely viewed as a natural step toward a unification bout for the undisputed title.

Ortiz alleges he instructed Golden Boy to work with Ennis’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, but that Golden Boy failed to act in good faith. The complaint claims De La Hoya’s strained relationships with rival promoters and Saudi boxing power broker Turki al-Sheikh undercut opportunities to stage the fight, particularly given Saudi Arabia’s recent role in financing marquee events.

The lawsuit also alleges Golden Boy violated a contractual requirement to present Ortiz with at least three opponent options for each bout, instead offering a single Ennis proposal and threatening to sideline him if he declined. Ortiz further claims Golden Boy failed to disclose written documents generated during meetings involving Golden Boy, Matchroom and Dazn that related to the Ennis fight.

Following Ortiz’s attempt to terminate the agreement, the complaint alleges Golden Boy continued to publicly assert control over his career, setting negotiation terms and deadlines without authorization. Ortiz argues that those actions wrought confusion within the industry and interfered with his ability to negotiate independently with other promoters.

Golden Boy disputed Ortiz’s claims in a statement, saying it intends to fight the lawsuit. “We are aware of the lawsuit,” a spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, Vergil is getting bad advice from his lawyer and manager who have repeatedly violated the contract. We will aggressively defend this lawsuit and enforce our rights. We are confident a judge will agree that our contract is valid and Vergil and his team are in breach.”

Ortiz is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, alleging that Golden Boy’s conduct cost him millions in fight purses, sponsorships and related earnings.

The lawsuit adds Ortiz to a growing list of elite fighters who have taken Golden Boy to court over contractual disputes, including Canelo Álvarez, whom Ortiz’s attorney Gregory Smith previously represented in his successful effort to exit a promotional deal with De La Hoya’s company.