“There won’t be many laughs this week because I never think it’s funny when a fighter tries to f*** me over,” De La Hoya said. “But the verdict is in and Virgil Ortiz’s master plan to break his contract with Golden Boy Promotions was shot down by a federal judge in Nevada.”
The promoter said the breakdown surprised him after what he described as a positive working relationship that had continued through Ortiz’s last fight in November.
“I hadn’t heard from Virgil Ortiz since his fight back in November where he openly praised me for being a great guy and a great promoter,” De La Hoya said.
In the video, De La Hoya also replayed a previous interview clip where Ortiz had spoken favorably about their partnership.
“He is probably one of the most successful promoters in the history of the sport. And he has always been done right by me. I have nothing bad to say about him,” Ortiz said in the earlier recording.
De La Hoya said the situation changed suddenly when Ortiz filed a lawsuit in January seeking release from his promotional agreement.
“So, everything was terrific, right? And his father even sent me this message over the holidays,” De La Hoya said. “Then, out of nowhere, Virgil served us with a lawsuit in January to get out of his contract.”
The Golden Boy founder directed most of his criticism at Ortiz’s manager, Rick Merigian, whom he blamed for pushing the legal action.
“So, who was behind this lawsuit? The worst manager in boxing, Rick Merigian,” De La Hoya said.
De La Hoya claimed Merigian pushed for higher compensation for a potential fight involving Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
“Rick demanded that Virgil get paid triple what we’re contractually obligated to pay Virgil for the Boots fight,” De La Hoya said. “We were ready to make the fight and I was lobbying to get him the most money possible.”
He argued the dispute has now stalled Ortiz’s career while the case continues through legal channels.
“And now, thanks to his poor advice, Virgil’s sidelined, and he’s headed to waste more money and time in mediation, and that could last years,” De La Hoya said.
Despite the criticism, De La Hoya said he still believes Ortiz could repair the relationship if he changes the people around him.
“Virgil, I still want to believe you’re a good guy, and you received the worst advice on the planet,” De La Hoya said.
The promoter also referenced previous situations where Golden Boy continued to support Ortiz despite disruptions surrounding scheduled fights.
“Remember when we were in Texas and I sent President Eric Gomez to sit with you while you and your father cried about pulling out of the fight the week of and this was the second time this happened,” De La Hoya said. “And still we believed in you.”
He said Golden Boy even provided financial assistance during that period.
“I generously gave you $200,000. Did you forget about that? These are the facts, folks.”
De La Hoya also criticized Ortiz’s father, describing a confrontation that allegedly occurred before Ortiz’s November fight.
“Here’s a clip of the night before Virgil’s last fight in November 2025, where his father got into a fist fight with a heckler, and my Golden Boy employees had to break it up while he was rolling around the floor of the hotel lobby shirtless,” De La Hoya said.
The dispute now moves toward mediation, though De La Hoya warned that the legal process could leave Ortiz inactive if the situation drags on.
“You’re going to keep racking up the legal bills and burning money,” De La Hoya said. “What Rick didn’t tell you is that you could potentially stay on the shelf for years just like Mikey Garcia did.”
Even after the conflict, De La Hoya closed by saying he still wants the fighter’s career to succeed.
“Even though you tried to screw me over, I still want what’s best for all my fighters, and I always will,” he said.
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