Boxing
Ortiz fight blocked, Garcia signals exit in crucial week before Golden Boy
Published
7 months agoon
Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya face a decisive challenge as pressure mounts on two of the company’s biggest names in the same week.
Recommended by Vergil Ortiz Jr. his April 18 bout with Jaron “Boots” Ennis was effectively put on hold after a Nevada judge issued a ephemeral restraining order against Golden Boy, halting the fight until the contract dispute was resolved in court.
An emergency hearing is scheduled for Friday to determine whether Matchroom can continue operating without Golden Boy’s involvement. A ruling is expected Friday or early next week if the case is not resolved sooner.
Behind the scenes, the stakes are higher than a single fight in Las Vegas.
Fight for Ortiz’s leverage
Ortiz filed a lawsuit in January seeking to terminate the promotional contract, arguing that Golden Boy’s contract requires the company to always maintain an busy broadcasting contract. Golden Boy’s longtime partner DAZN has reportedly linked contract renewal discussions to the finalization of the Ortiz-Ennis fight.
Golden Boy responds that he signed Ortiz to a three-year contract in August 2024 after he won the interim WBC junior middleweight title, securing the exclusive right to negotiate his fights.
In a separate lawsuit, the company is also seeking damages of more than $10 million from Ortiz’s manager, accusing him of interference with contractual and economic interests.
Sources indicate there is still hope that the Ortiz-Ennis situation can be resolved before trial. However, it is also expected that Golden Boy will ultimately have no involvement in organizing the fight, regardless of its outcome.
This ability immediately changes leverage.
Garcia signals the exit
As Ortiz’s case heads toward a courtroom decision, Ryan Garcia has publicly suggested that his upcoming WBC title fight against Mario Barrios could be his last fight under the Golden Boy banner.
Garcia said there would be “kind of a free agent” after that, again raising questions about the stability of one of boxing’s most high-profile promotional partnerships.
The relationship between Garcia and De La Hoya was already strained. As previously reported by World Boxing News, Garcia went public with the blocked Jake Paul fight, accusing Golden Boy of obstructing a fight he believed made commercial sense.
The episode revealed deeper tensions over control over career direction, and recent commentary suggests these issues are still close to the surface.
Structural oppression
Golden Boy’s power has long rested on controlling three levers: contract rights, television coverage and star assets.
All three will be tested this week, years after Canelo Alvarez forced a withdrawal in a similar public rift with De La Hoya.
Ortiz’s future now depends on contract language and broadcasting responsibilities. Discussions about contract renewal on DAZN are reportedly linked to the fight, which was stopped by the referee. Meanwhile, Garcia publicly signals independence after fulfilling his immediate obligations.
None of this guarantees division. Contracts are enforceable instruments, and emergency hearings do not alone determine the long-term future.
But boxing does not wait for changes in documents before a change of government. It responds to momentum.
De La Hoya doesn’t just defend the contract in court. It’s trying to stay relevant in a market that’s becoming more aggressive, more consolidated and less patient with aged ways of doing business.
Regardless of the referee’s decision in the coming days, Golden Boy finds itself at a point where control over its two main stars is being openly tested at the same time.
If both situations get out of Golden Boy’s control, it won’t make for a challenging week. This will be read as a turning point.
About the authorPhil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN), boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has interviewed world champions, participated in international exclusive appearances and reported on in-ring performances. Read the full biography.
You may like
Boxing
Davies vs Collins & Heaney vs Warburton II Results: Full Fight Recap
Published
9 hours agoon
September 26, 2026
World Boxing News provides results and updates as Liam Davies faces Nathaniel Collins in the main event at bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham.
Davies and Collins collide over 12 rounds for the EBU European featherweight title at the top of the Queensberry Promotions card.
Luke McCormack faces Kay Prospere for the vacant British super lightweight title, while Bradley Goldsmith takes on Amir Abubaker for the IBF International middleweight title.
WBN provides results and updates from every bout as they happen.
Results
All times are local BST.
23:11
Gerome Warburton defeated Nathan Heaney for the second time running as the middleweight put an exclamation mark on his first victory.
Heaney walks away from the sport having been an entertainer through a long carer, without reaching the heights of a world title.
22:04
Liam Davies improved to 19-1 after Nathaniel Collins retired at the end of the seventh round due to a cut over his right eye. Collins had also been dropped in the opening round as Davies successfully defended the European featherweight title.
21:22
Bradley Goldsmith improved to 17-1 with a seventh-round stoppage of Amir Abubaker to retain his IBF International middleweight title. Abubaker went down in the fourth and three times in the seventh before the finish at 2:42.
20:10
Lewis Richardson improved to 3-0 with a shutout six-round points victory over Ivan Trofimovich, earning a 60-54 decision.
19:56
Luke McCormack moved to 6-0 and claimed the vacant British super lightweight title with a tenth-round knockout of Kay Prospere, who was counted out after a right uppercut at 1:28.
18:55
Michael Hussain moved to 5-0 with a four-round points victory over Nabil Ahmed, earning a 39-38 decision.
18:11
Nelson Birchall moved to 12-0 with a third-round stoppage of Lewis Morris, who went down before the finish came at 1:12. Lasha Guruli also remained unbeaten at 5-0 after edging Hughie Wilson 77-75 over eight rounds.
17:22
Early action saw John Tom Varey and Reese Lynch claim four-round victories to move to 3-0 and 5-0 respectively.
TV Coverage
DAZN provides full worldwide coverage.
Follow WBN’s live boxing coverage throughout the event.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.
Boxing
Janibek Alimkhanuly Shifts Perspective on Hamzah Sheeraz: A New Dynamic in Boxing
Published
12 hours agoon
September 26, 2026
Janibek Alimkhanuly spent months trying to get Hamzah Sheeraz into the ring. Now that Sheeraz has vacated his WBO super middleweight title, Janibek is asking fans to stop saying the former champion ran from him. That is generous. It also leaves Janibek with less to say about a fight he wanted badly.
He’s not afraid of me. He didn’t run from me. He made his decision based on his own plans. He has his own goals! He’s my brother, and I ask everyone to stop saying he ran from me. He’s a great fighter, and I have nothing but respect for him! @sheeraz_hamzah 🫂 pic.twitter.com/uxZlegqSmH
— Janibek Alimkhanuly (@qazaqstyle) September 26, 2026
Janibek’s tone has changed since the purse bid. He was eager to fight, said money was not his priority, and publicly pushed Sheeraz to accept. Queensberry then bid $1,001,809 to stage the ordered defense, beating Top Rank’s $820,000 offer. Sheeraz’s 75 percent share would have been roughly $751,000. Days later, he gave up the belt.
That sequence deserves a closer look. Queensberry put a serious number on the fight, so the bid itself cannot be dismissed as proof that nobody valued it. But winning the right to promote a title defense means little to fans when the champion vacates before it happens.
Sheeraz has objected to Janibek receiving a mandatory shot after his failed drug test. He is entitled to explain that position. Fans are equally entitled to ask why the issue reached a purse bid before he surrendered the title. Janibek’s post supplies no answer.
Perhaps Janibek sees no benefit in branding Sheeraz a coward. Doing so would also make the opponent he chased sound less valuable. Calling Sheeraz a great fighter preserves the idea that this was an important contest, even after the belt and the fight slipped away.
The respect between them may be sincere. Janibek still gets no Sheeraz fight, and Sheeraz no longer has to defend his title against Janibek. A friendly photo does not change either result.
About the author
Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
Boxing
Virginia Confirms Decision to Erase Prichard Colón Loss from Records
Published
12 hours agoon
September 26, 2026
Virginia has given World Boxing News its final answer on whether Prichard Colón’s last professional defeat can still be challenged, bringing an end to WBN’s long fight to have the result annulled and removed from his record.
WBN has pursued the possibility of changing the controversial disqualification defeat to Terrel Williams, with those efforts continuing following Colón’s death at age 33.
Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation previously explained that a decision can only be overturned if there is proven collusion, a scorecard error, or a regulatory violation that affected the result.
WBN pressed Eric Beidel, Communications & Digital Media Manager for the Department of Professional & Occupational Regulation, on whether any avenue remained to challenge the decision.
“And on that final question … as mentioned before, a decision can only be overturned if there is proven collusion, a scorecard error, or a regulatory violation that affected the results,” Beidel graciously responded after providing WBN with transparent answers throughout the investigation.
“In addition, a complaint about a regulatory violation must be filed within three years of the alleged violation.”
The Colón-Williams fight took place on October 17, 2015, meaning that deadline expired years ago.
Virginia Closes Appeal Route
Virginia’s response also addressed whether the result could instead be challenged through an appeal.
“The Administrative Process Act (APA) does create appeal rights to case decisions, but because DPOR never received a complaint in this instance, there was no case or decision that could be appealed under the APA.”
The deadline for filing a complaint about a regulatory violation has expired, while the absence of an original complaint means there is no case decision available to appeal under the APA.
For WBN, Virginia’s response ends a long fight to have the defeat annulled and removed from Colón’s professional record.

WBN’s Fight for Prichard Colón
It is no secret that WBN and Prichard were close before the most tragic night of his career ended all contact and left us on the outside for the years leading up to his death.
That never stopped WBN from reporting on Prichard, campaigning for change and hoping lessons from what happened to him could help prevent another fighter and family from enduring the same tragedy.
Virginia’s final response may end WBN’s attempts to have the result changed, but it does not end our commitment to Prichard.
Prichard Colón will not be forgotten.
WBN will continue to keep his name alive whenever and wherever possible with the WBN Boxer Pageand push to ensure his fight for life and everything that happened in its aftermath are never allowed to simply disappear from boxing’s memory.
This investigation ends here, but Prichard’s story does not.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.
Tina Black seeks history, says TUF trophy could ‘soon’ lead to UFC title win
Should MMA ban oblique kicks? A fighter who had his knee torn in a UFC title fight weighs in
Davies vs Collins & Heaney vs Warburton II Results: Full Fight Recap
Trending
-
MMA2 days agoTyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua finally confirmed for Dec. 11 in Cardiff
-
MMA2 days agoUFC pulls Mickey Gall from long-awaited return for medical reasons
-
MMA2 days agoEddie Hearn says Netflix ‘didn’t get the memo’ on Dana White, Fury-Joshua
-
MMA2 days agoJustin Gaethje believes Ilia Topuria is undersized for lightweight division
-
MMA2 days agoUsman Nurmagomedov questions Gable Steveson's lack of MMA experience
-
Boxing1 day agoTim Bradleys Bold Free Money Verdict on Shakur Stevenson vs. Pacquiao Fight
-
Boxing22 hours agoTerence Crawford Dismisses Ryan Garcias Fight Claims with a Laughter
-
Boxing1 day agoTeddy Atlas Predicts Winner of Ryan Garcia vs Isaac Cruz: Key Opportunities for Success


