Oscar De La Hoya says Golden Boy Promotions is making progress toward resolving its contract dispute with Vergil Ortiz Jr. and the undefeated junior middleweight is expected to return to the ring before the end of the year.

Ortiz has been inactive since tardy 2025 after a disagreement with Golden Boy that derailed plans to fight Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

“Nothing makes me happier than seeing fighters step into the ring and perform. Vergil Ortiz is one of the best fighters in the world. I hate not seeing him fight,” De La Hoya said during Saturday’s DAZN broadcast on Golden Boy.

“Do I want to resolve this? Definitely a thousand percent. Did they make a mistake? Did we make a mistake? No. There was a misunderstanding, everything is fine. Eric Gomez is talking to Rick Mirigian and we’re making it happen.”

De La Hoya said Golden Boy expects the situation to be resolved under the terms of Ortiz’s existing contract with the company.

“We have the original agreement that was made. Let’s say outsiders are trying to disrupt everything, but we have the contracts, we have the relationships, we have Vergil Ortiz,” De La Hoya said.

“We’ve had him since he was a kid, since he started boxing professionally. We feel like we’re very close and Vergil Ortiz will be fighting this year.”

Ortiz last fought in November 2025, defeating Erickson Lubin in two rounds. After the fight, Ortiz and Ennis met face-to-face in the ring, and plans for a high-profile fight gained momentum before a contract dispute halted negotiations.

Ortiz is 24-0 with 22 knockouts and remains one of the top contenders in the junior middleweight division. De La Hoya’s comments indicate that discussions between Golden Boy president Eric Gomez and Ortiz advisor Rick Mirigian are ongoing and both sides are working to reach an agreement.

Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.

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Last updated: 21/06/2026 at 2:25

Terence Crawford seems tired of repeating the same conversation.

After years of chasing the biggest names in boxing, Crawford finally secured victories over Errol Spence Jr. and Canelo Alvarez, and his two victories were instrumental in bringing him into the great generational conversation about boxing.

However, both performances have since been embroiled in injury debates that continue to influence the way the victories are remembered.

Crawford made it clear he was feeling frustrated this week.

“I continue to wish Errol Spence all the best in his upcoming fight. I see what you are all trying to do, but it won’t work, not this time,” Crawford wrote.

A few hours earlier, Crawford had posted a more forceful warning.

“It’s better if I stay alone. Don’t make me show you why.”

Same debate, different opponent

The fresh debate began when Spence discussed his July 2023 fight ahead of his July 26 return in Australia.

At the time, Crawford was widely praised for one of the best performances of his career, becoming the undisputed welterweight champion.

However, the discussion gradually changed as Spence revealed details about his condition before entering the ring.

In an interview with Andre Ward on the Art of Ward podcast, Spence admitted that he had not sparred for six or seven weeks before the fight.

“Like I wasn’t sparring. Like the guys didn’t belong. I didn’t have any southpaws there to spar or anything.”

Spence also outlined deeper issues outside the gym.

“I basically lived a bad life, bro.”

He added: “The whole camp was just a messed up situation.”

These comments added to previous reports about Spence’s eye problems and his recovery from two earnest car crashes, creating the argument that Crawford was facing a compromised version of the former unified champion.

Below are some questions about Canelo

A remarkably similar discussion surrounds Crawford’s win over Canelo last September.

Trainer Eddy Reynoso revealed that Canelo was already struggling with an elbow problem that later required surgery before his match with Crawford.

The Mexican star has already undergone the procedure and is back to full fitness.

Whether or not the injury significantly impacted the fight is a matter of opinion.

What is beyond dispute is that Crawford’s next career-defining victory is now judged as much by the state of his opponent as by the winner’s performance.

For the second time in two of the most legacy-defining victories, attention focused on what was wrong with the man standing across the ring.

Crawford’s Battle

Crawford’s reaction is not surprising given the constant backlash against his resume during his tenure.

The debate does not focus on the collateral victories deeply rooted in his legacy. It focuses on Errol Spence and Canelo Alvarez, the two victories most often cited in Crawford’s elevation to pound-for-pound king.

If these victories remain intact, it will become almost impossible to argue against Crawford as an all-time champion. If they are constantly accompanied by discussions about injuries, indigent preparation or physical decline, achievements will inevitably come under greater scrutiny.

The reality is that Spence and Canelo are not just two names on Crawford’s resume. It was these two wins that did the most to elevate him into the all-time boxing conversation.

If you completely discount those wins, Crawford’s record suddenly becomes much thinner than the GOAT’s.

Crawford did everything asked of him, beating Spence and Canelo when the opportunity finally presented itself.

However, both victories continue to spark debate about the fitness of their opponents rather than the genius of the man who defeated them.

Regardless of which side fans argue, Crawford remains on track to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and veteran boxing reporter with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.

Roy Jones Jr assessed Rico Verhoeven’s chances of winning a major title, imagining a scenario where he faces Anthony Joshua in some version of the heavyweight championship.

The former long-reigning kickboxing champion was scheduled to collide with “AJ” earlier this year, but instead secured a world title shot against Oleksandr Usyk.

It was only his second professional boxing fight, and yet Verhoeven put on an incredible performance last month, somehow managing to take Usyk into the 11th round.

Then there was a controversial result when Verhoeven was stopped on his feet after a hefty knockdown and referee Mark Lyson waved him off after the signal.

At this point The Dutchman gained a slight advantage on one of the judges’ scorecardsmocking the betting odds before the fight while gaining 8th place in the WBC rankings.

Verhoeven may therefore soon find himself fighting for the heavyweight title again, but will he be as successful as he was against Usyk?

I’m talking to Betting showroomHall of Famer Jones suggested that a hard-hitting opponent like Joshua would likely pose more problems than Usyk.

“Can Rico win the world title? You have to remember that style makes fight. For me, Usyk has never been the most explosive boxer, but he is a brilliant boxer.

“Tyson Fury has never been the most explosive boxer, but he’s also a brilliant boxer. But guys like [Daniel] Dubois, Joshua, Moses [Itauma] – these guys can hit. So they’ll find out what [Verhoeven] can take.

“I’m not going to just guarantee that he can win the title because different styles make for different fights.”

Another point to consider is that while Verhoeven represented uncharted territory for Usyk, opponents can now utilize 11 rounds of footage to analyze his style.

Joshua may also get additional information from Usyk, considering he currently shares a gym with the 39-year-old Ukrainian.