Oscar De La Hoya grapples with a war on two fronts. While staring at an uncertain future with DAZN, he faces a coup in his camp. As negotiations for the Vergil Ortiz Jr.-Jaron Ennis fight hit a roadblock, De La Hoya’s relationship with the streaming giant that witnessed a multi-year, multi-fight renewal three years ago became the first casualty. Closer to home, reported attempts of Ortiz’s manager to initiate a separate set of talks, meanwhile, stuck out like a sore thumb. Visibly irked, De La Hoya decided to issue a public rebuke.

His latest move follows the deadline he gave Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing to finalize the Boots-Ortiz fight. The bout between the two light middleweight stars has fallen into doldrums as both sides stick to their version of the purse split. But no sooner had Oscar De La Hoya called out Hearn and Boots’ management, giving them an ultimatum to close the deal, than cracks appeared when Ortiz’s manager raised questions over De La Hoya’s offer.

Tensions flare between De La Hoya and Garcia’s manager

“As our lawyers have made clear, you don’t negotiate for Vergil’s fights; I do. @promoter559 (Rick Mirigian, Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s manager),” read De La Hoya’s message on social media. “While you run your mouth, I’m the one actually fighting for Vergil to be the A side and get the MAXIMUM possible for this fight.”

He’s already speaking with Eddie Hearn and DAZN to finalize the Boots-Ortiz fight. As the promoter, he will ensure that the interim champion’s interests are well served, De La Hoya emphasized. All the same, he doesn’t expect any interference from the manager.

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Yet, Mirigian is not the only challenge facing De La Hoya. According to Dan Rafael, his contractual deal with DAZN seems to have hit a snag. “Golden Boy’s contract with DAZN is expiring and has not officially been renewed. To reach a new agreement, DAZN was putting pressure on De La Hoya with the demand to make the Ennis–Ortiz fight,” Rafael reportedly stated.

De La Hoya has already made it clear – he will not settle for anything less than 60/40 for Ortiz, with 5% additional for the winner of the fight.

Ortiz’s manager pushes for the driver’s seat

Later, Hearn countered his claim, saying De La Hoya had previously agreed to a different split altogether. Amid their tussle, news about DAZN pushing for the fight, even reportedly making it a condition for renewing its deal with Golden Boy, emerged.

De La Hoya’s deadline to Matchroom expired earlier this week. Still, Rick Mirigian claimed he could negotiate on behalf of Ortiz. “I have the right to negotiate with anyone. They (Golden Boy) don’t have the authorization to say [the deal must be] 60% to 40% [in Ortiz’s favor]—60-40 of what? You can’t ‘move on’ when no one has spoken to us, and we have the right to negotiate,” Mirigian told BoxingScene, stressing, “We do want this fight.”

De La Hoya faces the same problem he highlighted earlier while speaking about Boot’s management team. He threatened them with legal action for breaching the Muhammad Ali Act. Now he confronts a similar predicament. De La Hoya managed to piece together the Ryan Garcia-Mario Barrios fight. But the muddle surrounding the Boots–Ortiz bout adds another blot to a promotional career often marred by clashes with fighters and their teams.