The judge ruled the legal battle will now head to arbitration where Golden Boy and Ortiz will look to settle the matter. And with it, efforts to stage a spring fight between Ortiz and Jaron Ennis took a major blow.

"I hereby order that Ortiz may not negotiate or contract with third parties for future fights before the arbitrator addresses the parties' dispute set forth in this action," the judge ruled.

There’s no timetable for this situation to be resolved, throwing Ortiz's immediate future into doubt. The judge asked that the arbitrator helps settle the matter by Sept. 2. Ortiz surely hopes for a quicker resolution so he can continue his ascending career.

Ortiz seeks to become a promotional free agent; this all stems from a January lawsuit the boxer filed against Golden Boy.

"Justice prevails," De La Hoya posted on social media Monday evening. He tagged Matchroom Boxing, Ortiz, and the fighter’s manager, Rick Mirigian.

It’s just the latest legal battle between Golden Boy and one of its star boxers. In this lawsuit, Ortiz argued his contract with Golden Boy was in breach as the promoter no longer held a media rights deal. Ortiz then negotiated a multi-fight deal with Matchroom, kicking off with a spring showdown against Ennis.

Those plans were in motion until Golden Boy was granted a temporary restraining order against Ortiz that halted any talks with other promoters. The sides exchanged legal filings over the following weeks, while those involved hoped for resolution that would keep the Ennis fight on track.

The judger presiding heard arguments 10 days prior during a hearing in Nevada. Ortiz hoped for the TRO to be dismissed, so he could proceed with plans for an April fight with Ennis.

It’s among the most anticipated matchups in boxing today. Ortiz is The Ring’s No. 1 boxer at 154 pounds.