As quickly as Golden Boy Promotions has shifted its summer plans has come an official starting point.
On the heels of declaring that unbeaten welterweight Vergil Ortiz will headline the company’s first post-pandemic show, a working date has now been attached to the event.
“Golden Boy is back July 24th with Vergil Ortiz,” Oscar de la Hoya, founder and chairman of Golden Boy Promotions announced through his verified social media platforms on Wednesday. “[M]ore details to come!”
Neither an opponent for Ortiz nor a venue has yet to be revealed, although BoxingScene.com has been able to confirm through two sources that the likely destination will be Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. The Athletic’s Lance Pugmire revealed via social media that the California-based promotional company is in the process of placing a hold on the venue, which has served as among its favorite locations. Golden Boy has held 11 shows at the popular casino site in each of the past two years, though just once so far in 2020 as the sport has been slowed to a crawl due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Ortiz (15-0, 15KOs) has played the venue five times in his young career, including his July 2016 pro debut. The site also hosted his most recent bout, a 5th round stoppage of Brad Solomon last December to conclude a four-win campaign—all by knockout—in sewing up 2019 Prospect of the Year honors.
Original plans for the start of his 2020 campaign called for the 22-year old Ortiz to face Canada’s Samuel Vargas on March 28, live on DAZN from The Forum in Inglewood, California. The show instead became one of several Golden Boy cards to get erased from the spring schedule due to COVID-19.
It has yet to be established whether Vargas (31-5-2, 14KOs) will be rescheduled as the opponent, or even if DAZN will carry the event. The over-the-top (OTT) media service has not hosted a live boxing card since February 29, nor has yet to announce when it will re-enter the fold.
What has been established is that the July 24 show will take place without fans in attendance, in accordance with current health and social distancing guidelines. California has seen all but five of its 58 counties enter Phase 3 of the state’s four-part plan to fully reopen its doors to the public, with the latest step allowing counties to permit non-essential businesses to reopen with certain modifications in place.
Indio resides in Riverside County, which is among the counties who have entered Phase 3. However, the casino land falls under the direction of The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians (CBMI), which carries its own COVID-19 protocol and is currently in Phase 1 of reopening plans.
"Like many businesses, the coronavirus pandemic forced us to reconsider every aspect of our operation, with the primary focus being the health and wellness of our valued guests and employees,” Doug Welmas, chairman of CBMI explained in a statement on June 2, when the State of Emergency order was first amended. “As a result, the Tribal Council decided to err on the side of caution in terms of the timing of our reopening.
“We will continue to act in the best possible interest of everyone involved during each phase of the process. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Fantasy Springs.”
Fantasy Springs plans to enter Phase 2 in the coming weeks, which will allow for sit-down dining, along expanding hotel capacity and live entertainment throughout the property.
Meanwhile, it all serves as the latest in a series of steps taken to bring boxing back to a state that has hosted more events than any other in the country for the past several years. A recently approved order by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) paved the way for boxing and other combat sports to resume in the state, contingent upon approval from the state’s Office of Administrative Law and in compliance with CDC health standards.
Those measures are being honored by Golden Boy Promotions, which has not hosted a live card since February 14. That event was headlined by unbeaten lightweight Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17KOs) who was initially earmarked to headline a July 4 show that was to serve as the company’s first summer event. Those plans quickly dissolved when the boxer went public with his displeasure over the offered fight purse for a crowdless event and against a stay-busy level opponent.
Garcia’s reaction wasn’t met favorably by de la Hoya, who–as previously reported by BoxingScene.com—announced on Monday of company plans to move forward with a new date and headliner. A brief online exchange between the two appears to have since thawed, with the 21-year old lending his support to the revealed event.
“Let’s get it,” Garcia (20-0, 17KOs) commented on de la Hoya’s Instagram post regarding the show. “[F]ight going to be fire.”
Calfornia—which hosted 101 pro boxing events in 2019—has seen just 13 in a COVID-riddled 2020 run. With this card now comes three shows scheduled for July. Currently set to be first out the gate is a July 10 show in Santa Ynez, a club show promoted by World Fighting Championships.
Two weeks after that will come Golden Boy’s show, followed one night later by the return of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox which will be topped by a welterweight interim title fight between Jamal James (26-1, 12KOs) and Thomas Dulorme (25-3-1, 16KOs) at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox