The highly anticipated showdown between undefeated welterweight stars Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron “Boots” Ennis has hit a major roadblock — and it's not inside the ring. A Nevada federal judge granted Golden Boy Promotions an emergency temporary restraining order against Ortiz on Friday, effectively blocking the fighter from signing any third-party contracts for the Ennis matchup until further court proceedings.

Judge Cristina D. Silva of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada issued the nine-page ruling, which prevents Ortiz from finalizing what was shaping up to be one of boxing's most compelling fights of 2026. A hearing is scheduled for February 20, where both sides will argue the merits of the ongoing contractual dispute.

The Contract Controversy

The legal drama stems from Ortiz's three-year promotional deal with Golden Boy, signed in May 2024. When Golden Boy's broadcasting agreement with DAZN expired on December 31, 2025, Ortiz invoked a clause allowing him to terminate his contract if the promoter failed to secure a new exclusive distribution deal. On January 8, Ortiz formally terminated the agreement, believing himself to be a free agent.

Golden Boy fired back, arguing that Ortiz remains under contract because negotiations with DAZN are ongoing despite the expired deal. The promoter maintains that Ortiz's termination is premature and unauthorized, setting the stage for the current legal standoff.

Behind-the-Scenes Fight Negotiations

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According to court filings, Golden Boy learned from multiple boxing industry sources over the weekend that Ortiz was nearing a deal with third parties for the Ennis bout. Tom Brown of TGB Promotions reportedly informed Golden Boy on February 11 that Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing was planning to stage Ortiz-Ennis on April 18 in Las Vegas.

These negotiations proceeded without Golden Boy's involvement or authorization — a direct violation of their promotional agreement, according to the promoter. Golden Boy immediately sought the emergency restraining order, arguing that allowing Ortiz to sign elsewhere would cause irreparable damage to their business relationships, broadcasting negotiations, and promotional prospects.

Beyond the immediate legal battle, Golden Boy claims their ongoing DAZN negotiations for a 2026-27 broadcasting deal have stalled due to the Ortiz dispute. The promoter argues that losing Ortiz to a rival promoter for the Ennis fight could cause DAZN to terminate discussions entirely, threatening Golden Boy's future as a major player in boxing.

For fight fans, the stakes are equally high. Both Ortiz and Ennis hold interim junior middleweight titles and represent two of the sport's brightest young talents. The clash would determine a clear divisional hierarchy and provide the kind of elite-level matchup boxing desperately needs.

With the February 20 hearing looming, the boxing world will have to wait to see whether this superfight can be salvaged—or if it becomes another casualty of promotional politics and legal warfare.