Oscar De La Hoya, a six-division world champion, has not been shy about his ongoing rivalry with Canelo Alvarez. In recent years, the tension between the two has intensified, and now the legendary welterweight champion has taken the feud to a new level by declaring that he won’t even bother watching Canelo’s upcoming fight. This bold statement comes despite the fact that De La Hoya has previously expressed disdain for Alvarez’s boxing prowess and his career choices.
The animosity between De La Hoya and Canelo traces back to their split in 2020. Alvarez, who once fought under De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions banner, parted ways with the promotional company following a bitter contract dispute. This separation was marked by public acrimony and a series of online exchanges that deepened the rift. The disagreement was so severe that it not only affected their professional relationship but also fueled a personal vendetta.
The feud reached a new crescendo during a recent press conference for one of Canelo’s bouts, where the tensions were palpable. Canelo was facing Jaime Munguia, a rising star under the Golden Boy banner, and the atmosphere was charged with hostility. During the event, De La Hoya was accused by Canelo of financial misconduct, which further fueled the fire between the two. The confrontation was so intense that it required intervention from security to separate the two parties.
In light of these ongoing conflicts, De La Hoya’s decision to boycott Canelo’s fight is not surprising. He has consistently criticized Canelo’s career moves and questioned his commitment to the sport. The decision to ignore the bout altogether seems to be a statement of his disdain, reflecting the depth of their estrangement. This move is expected to keep the rivalry in the spotlight and continue to stir up discussion among boxing fans and analysts.
In the fight that followed, Canelo successfully outpointed his compatriot to retain the undisputed super-middleweight title but he has since been stripped of the IBF crown – leaving him as a unified champion ahead of next weekend’s clash with Edgar Berlanga.
On Instagram, De La Hoya slammed the fight and labelled Canelo-Berlanga as a ‘snooze fest’ before stating that he would instead be attending the UFC event taking place around the corner.
“So we are a week away from the boxing match that nobody asked for and the UFC event that everybody will be watching! Canelo is fighting Berlanga – another snoozefest! They are trying to sell a pay-per-view for $90 and $500 minimum in person? It is just robbery at this point to pay for another lame Canelo fight that always goes the distance against a sub-par opponent”.
Oscar De La Hoya
“I will actually be attending the UFC event at the sphere instead. I love the sport of boxing more than anything and I will be watching boxing matches anywhere at any time, even if it is a simple sparring session or two bums fighting in the street. So the idea that I am choosing to attend the UFC and support Dana White instead of Canelo tells you everything you need to know.”
Oscar De La Hoya
The UFC has taken a daring step by scheduling a major event to compete directly with a Canelo Alvarez pay-per-view, a move that could impact viewership. Despite Alvarez’s prominence in the sport, his recent streak of five consecutive fights going the distance has somewhat diminished the excitement around him. Nevertheless, Edgar Berlanga, who previously captivated audiences with 16 first-round knockouts from 2016 to 2021, is poised to bring a new level of excitement to the ring. Although Berlanga has also seen five of his last six fights go the distance, his history of explosive early finishes suggests he will do everything possible to deliver an entertaining and dynamic performance.
Canelo-Berlanga will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on September 14th, whilst UFC 305 will go ahead at the nearby Sphere and will be headlined by Sean O’Malley’s attempted defence of the UFC Bantamweight Title against Merab Dvalishvili.
