“There won’t be many laughs this week because I never think it’s funny when a fighter tries to f*** me,” said De La Hoya. “But the verdict is in and Virgil Ortiz’s master plan to break his contract with Golden Boy Promotions has been shot down by a federal judge in Nevada.”
The promoter said the collapse surprised him after what he described as a positive working relationship that continued through Ortiz’s last fight in November.
“I haven’t heard from Virgil Ortiz since his fight in November where he openly praised me for being a great guy and a great promoter,” said De La Hoya.
In the video, De La Hoya also replayed a previous interview clip where Ortiz spoke favorably of their partnership.
“He’s probably one of the most successful promoters in the history of the sport. And he’s always been done right by me. I have nothing bad to say about him,” Ortiz said in the previous taping.
De La Hoya said the situation suddenly changed when Ortiz filed a lawsuit in January seeking release from his promotional agreement.
“So, everything was great, right? And his dad even sent me this message over the holidays,” De La Hoya said. “Then, out of nowhere, Virgil served us 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, who he blamed for 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 possible fight involving Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
“Rick demanded that Virgil be paid triple what we are contractually obligated to pay Virgil for the Boots fight,” said De La Hoya. “We were ready to fight and I had a lobby to get him the most money possible.”
He argued the dispute has now put Ortiz’s career on hold while the case continues through legal channels.
“And now, thanks to his poor advice, Virgil has stepped aside and is on his way to wasting more money and time in mediation, and that could take years,” De La Hoya said.
Despite the criticism, De La Hoya said he still believes Ortiz can 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 past 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 the week of the fight from the fight and that was the second time that happened,” De La Hoya said. “And still we believed in you.”
He said Golden Boy provided financial assistance even 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 and described a confrontation that allegedly took place before Ortiz’s November fight.
“Here’s a clip from the night before Virgil’s last fight in November 2025, where his dad got into a fistfight with a heckler, and my Golden Boy employees had to break it up as he rolled around the hotel lobby floor shirtless,” De La Hoya said.
The dispute now moves to mediation, although De La Hoya warned that the legal process could leave Ortiz inactive if the situation continues.
“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 concluded by saying he still wants the fighter’s career to succeed.
“Even though you tried to screw me, I still want what’s best for all my fighters, and I always will,” he said.
