Oscar De La Hoya and Marcos Maidana reportedly are in talks for a fight between the former champions.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Marcos Maidana?
BoxingScene.com is reporting that representatives of the former champions have discussed the possibility of making a fight between them. Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy, and Grant Elvis Phillips, Maidana’s advisor, have spoken within the past two weeks, sources told the website.
No one is saying exactly when or where the bout would take place.
De La Hoya, 47, has said repeatedly that he’s serious about a comeback even though he hasn’t fought since he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Maidana, 37, also has spoken about a return to the ring. He hasn’t fought since he lost his rematch with Floyd Mayweather in 2014.
De La Hoya has indicated that he would fight at around 154 or 160 pounds, which would suit Maidana. He last fought at 147 but, at this stage of the game, would be more comfortable at a heavier weight.
Is Maidana the “top guy” De La Hoya recently said he planned to fight? No. At the same time, the Argentine isn’t ancient and has a name big enough to generate interest.
Of course, any fight in which De La Hoya takes part would be big because of his own celebrity status. And he could use an influx of cash right about now: He has lost his biggest attraction, Canelo Alvarez, with whom he agreed to part ways as of Friday.
Oscar De La Hoya and Marcos Maidana reportedly are in talks for a fight between the former champions.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Marcos Maidana?
BoxingScene.com is reporting that representatives of the former champions have discussed the possibility of making a fight between them. Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy, and Grant Elvis Phillips, Maidana’s advisor, have spoken within the past two weeks, sources told the website.
No one is saying exactly when or where the bout would take place.
De La Hoya, 47, has said repeatedly that he’s serious about a comeback even though he hasn’t fought since he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Maidana, 37, also has spoken about a return to the ring. He hasn’t fought since he lost his rematch with Floyd Mayweather in 2014.
De La Hoya has indicated that he would fight at around 154 or 160 pounds, which would suit Maidana. He last fought at 147 but, at this stage of the game, would be more comfortable at a heavier weight.
Is Maidana the “top guy” De La Hoya recently said he planned to fight? No. At the same time, the Argentine isn’t ancient and has a name big enough to generate interest.
Of course, any fight in which De La Hoya takes part would be big because of his own celebrity status. And he could use an influx of cash right about now: He has lost his biggest attraction, Canelo Alvarez, with whom he agreed to part ways as of Friday.
Julio Cesar Chavez has challenged his rival Oscar De La Hoya to meet him one more time in an exhibition.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez III? Could happen.
Chavez, the 58-year-old Mexican icon who lost two fights to De La Hoya in the 1990s, has challenged his rival to meet him one more time in an exhibition.
De La Hoya, who says he’s returning the ring at 47, specifically said he didn’t want to take part in an exhibition but anything is possible if the money is right.
Chavez is scheduled to face Jorge Arce in an exhibition on Sept. 25.
“It would be the last exhibition I would do,” Chavez said during an interview on the ESPN Deportes program Ahora o Nunca. “But I want to do it in front of fans, not without.
“I want everyone to see the [beating] I’m going to give him.”
The unbeaten De La Hoya bloodied and knocked out an aging Chavez in the fourth round in June 1996, only Chavez’s second loss. “The Golden Boy” stopped Chavez in eight rounds in September 1998.
Chavez last fought in a sanctioned bout in 2005, when he failed to come out for the sixth round against Grover Wiley.
De La Hoya retired after he was beaten up and stopped by Manny Pacquiao in eight rounds in December 2008.
Julio Cesar Chavez has challenged his rival Oscar De La Hoya to meet him one more time in an exhibition.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez III? Could happen.
Chavez, the 58-year-old Mexican icon who lost two fights to De La Hoya in the 1990s, has challenged his rival to meet him one more time in an exhibition.
De La Hoya, who says he’s returning the ring at 47, specifically said he didn’t want to take part in an exhibition but anything is possible if the money is right.
Chavez is scheduled to face Jorge Arce in an exhibition on Sept. 25.
“It would be the last exhibition I would do,” Chavez said during an interview on the ESPN Deportes program Ahora o Nunca. “But I want to do it in front of fans, not without.
“I want everyone to see the [beating] I’m going to give him.”
The unbeaten De La Hoya bloodied and knocked out an aging Chavez in the fourth round in June 1996, only Chavez’s second loss. “The Golden Boy” stopped Chavez in eight rounds in September 1998.
Chavez last fought in a sanctioned bout in 2005, when he failed to come out for the sixth round against Grover Wiley.
De La Hoya retired after he was beaten up and stopped by Manny Pacquiao in eight rounds in December 2008.
Oscar De La Hoya won’t take the risk of facing a top boxer at 47 but probably would be open to facing Conor McGregor.
Oscar De La Hoya was rarely a sincere person during his fighting days. I always thought he said what he believed others wanted to hear or simply followed his whims. The truth wasn’t always important.
For example, at the height of his popularity in the 1990s, dozens of cameramen would line up during media events and wait their turns to interview the superstar. He would go from one to the next to the next until, to his credit, all were satisfied.
One time I followed him, listening to each interview. And I was surprised discover that he often gave completely different answers to the exact same questions. Again, the truth didn’t matter.
That’s why I roll my eyes when I hear him say that he plans to return to the ring at 47 years old. I’ll believe it when I see it.
And he said his intention is to fight what he called “a top guy” at 154 or 160 pounds, not a fellow geezer in an exhibition, a la Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. A top guy? Can you imagine De La Hoya, out of the ring since Manny Pacquiao retired him in 2008, tangling with Jermell Charlo? Gennadiy Golovkin? Or (holding back laughter) Canelo Alvarez?
Can you imagine 47-year-old Oscar De La Hoya fighting Canelo Alvarez (right)? Didn’t think so. AP Photo / John Locher
I never thought of De La Hoya as a genius but he isn’t stupid. Trust me: He isn’t going to fight anyone near the ability of the champions mentioned above.
De La Hoya suffered a vicious beating to both his body and dignity against the smaller, but prime Pacquiao, who stopped him in eight rounds. He wouldn’t risk enduring that kind of humiliation again, which is one reason he “retired” shortly after that fight.
He recently seemed to blame drastic weight loss for the setback. However, he made it clear when he announced his retirement early in 2009 that he just didn’t have it any longer. He was right.
Fighters have ways of tricking themselves into believing that can do things they really can’t. Still, I find it hard to believe that De La Hoya, as knowledgeable about boxing as anyone, really thinks he can fight at the highest level as he approaches 50.
Maybe this is all about getting attention. He always liked that.
Maybe it’s a way of marketing himself and his company, Golden Boy Promotions.
Maybe he genuinely has the itch to fight again. He wouldn’t be the first retiree to contract that disease.
And maybe he will actually take part in some kind of fight. He has more or less committed himself to a comeback, although he can always claim he suffered an injury in training or something like that and reverse course.
If he goes through with it, the question is: With whom will he exchange punches?
We’ve ruled out the top 154- and 160-pounders. I think we can say the same for any of the contenders, who would eat him alive. He knows it. And it would make no sense to fight just any fringe contender because an obscure opponent wouldn’t stir the masses.
Conor McGregor (pictured in his loss to Floyd Mayweather) might be the perfect opponent for De La Hoya if he’s serious about his comeback. Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
That leaves someone who is nearing the end of his career or recently retired. Sergio Martinez? The 45-year-old Argentine recently returned after a six-year hiatus.
Or it could be a gimmicky opponent. The first one to come to mind? Conor McGregor.
The UFC star is the perfect foil for De La Hoya if he’s serious about boxing again. The “fight” would generate a fortune, which might really be what this is about. De La Hoya could be competitive. McGregor, 32 is a great mixed-martial artist but a mediocre boxer, as he demonstrated against Floyd Mayweather.
And the hype has already begun. De La Hoya was asked on a CBS podcast in May how a fight with McGregor might go. He responded: “Two rounds. Oh come on, brother. Two rounds. One thing about me is I went for the kill, always.
“Look, Conor McGregor … I love him in the Octagon, I respect him, I watch him all the time. But the boxing ring is a whole different story, it’s a whole different story.”
McGregor responded on Twitter: “I accept your challenge.”
Oscar De La Hoya won’t take the risk of facing a top boxer at 47 but probably would be open to facing Conor McGregor.
Oscar De La Hoya was rarely a sincere person during his fighting days. I always thought he said what he believed others wanted to hear or simply followed his whims. The truth wasn’t always important.
For example, at the height of his popularity in the 1990s, dozens of cameramen would line up during media events and wait their turns to interview the superstar. He would go from one to the next to the next until, to his credit, all were satisfied.
One time I followed him, listening to each interview. And I was surprised discover that he often gave completely different answers to the exact same questions. Again, the truth didn’t matter.
That’s why I roll my eyes when I hear him say that he plans to return to the ring at 47 years old. I’ll believe it when I see it.
And he said his intention is to fight what he called “a top guy” at 154 or 160 pounds, not a fellow geezer in an exhibition, a la Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. A top guy? Can you imagine De La Hoya, out of the ring since Manny Pacquiao retired him in 2008, tangling with Jermell Charlo? Gennadiy Golovkin? Or (holding back laughter) Canelo Alvarez?
Can you imagine 47-year-old Oscar De La Hoya fighting Canelo Alvarez (right)? Didn’t think so. AP Photo / John Locher
I never thought of De La Hoya as a genius but he isn’t stupid. Trust me: He isn’t going to fight anyone near the ability of the champions mentioned above.
De La Hoya suffered a vicious beating to both his body and dignity against the smaller, but prime Pacquiao, who stopped him in eight rounds. He wouldn’t risk enduring that kind of humiliation again, which is one reason he “retired” shortly after that fight.
He recently seemed to blame drastic weight loss for the setback. However, he made it clear when he announced his retirement early in 2009 that he just didn’t have it any longer. He was right.
Fighters have ways of tricking themselves into believing that can do things they really can’t. Still, I find it hard to believe that De La Hoya, as knowledgeable about boxing as anyone, really thinks he can fight at the highest level as he approaches 50.
Maybe this is all about getting attention. He always liked that.
Maybe it’s a way of marketing himself and his company, Golden Boy Promotions.
Maybe he genuinely has the itch to fight again. He wouldn’t be the first retiree to contract that disease.
And maybe he will actually take part in some kind of fight. He has more or less committed himself to a comeback, although he can always claim he suffered an injury in training or something like that and reverse course.
If he goes through with it, the question is: With whom will he exchange punches?
We’ve ruled out the top 154- and 160-pounders. I think we can say the same for any of the contenders, who would eat him alive. He knows it. And it would make no sense to fight just any fringe contender because an obscure opponent wouldn’t stir the masses.
Conor McGregor (pictured in his loss to Floyd Mayweather) might be the perfect opponent for De La Hoya if he’s serious about his comeback. Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
That leaves someone who is nearing the end of his career or recently retired. Sergio Martinez? The 45-year-old Argentine recently returned after a six-year hiatus.
Or it could be a gimmicky opponent. The first one to come to mind? Conor McGregor.
The UFC star is the perfect foil for De La Hoya if he’s serious about boxing again. The “fight” would generate a fortune, which might really be what this is about. De La Hoya could be competitive. McGregor, 32 is a great mixed-martial artist but a mediocre boxer, as he demonstrated against Floyd Mayweather.
And the hype has already begun. De La Hoya was asked on a CBS podcast in May how a fight with McGregor might go. He responded: “Two rounds. Oh come on, brother. Two rounds. One thing about me is I went for the kill, always.
“Look, Conor McGregor … I love him in the Octagon, I respect him, I watch him all the time. But the boxing ring is a whole different story, it’s a whole different story.”
McGregor responded on Twitter: “I accept your challenge.”
UFC president Dana White had a classic response to Oscar De La Hoya’s apparent plans to return to the boxing ring.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on MMA Junkie.
***
UFC president Dana White had a classic response to Oscar De La Hoya’s apparent plans to return to the boxing ring.
The 47-year-old De La Hoya, who hasn’t fought since a December 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao, recently announced he’s plotting a comeback to compete.
White, a longtime enemy of De La Hoya who’s never been hesitant to take verbal shots, didn’t miss out on the opportunity when asked for his thoughts during Saturday night’s UFC on ESPN 15 post-fight news conference.
“Cocaine isn’t cheap,” White said. “It’s expensive. You’ve got to make money.”
There have yet to be details about when or against whom De La Hoya could have his comeback fight. Clearly, though, it’s of little interest to the UFC boss.
UFC president Dana White had a classic response to Oscar De La Hoya’s apparent plans to return to the boxing ring.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on MMA Junkie.
***
UFC president Dana White had a classic response to Oscar De La Hoya’s apparent plans to return to the boxing ring.
The 47-year-old De La Hoya, who hasn’t fought since a December 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao, recently announced he’s plotting a comeback to compete.
White, a longtime enemy of De La Hoya who’s never been hesitant to take verbal shots, didn’t miss out on the opportunity when asked for his thoughts during Saturday night’s UFC on ESPN 15 post-fight news conference.
“Cocaine isn’t cheap,” White said. “It’s expensive. You’ve got to make money.”
There have yet to be details about when or against whom De La Hoya could have his comeback fight. Clearly, though, it’s of little interest to the UFC boss.
The Ak & Barak Show hosts Akin Reyes and Barak Bess discuss Oscar De La Hoya’s plan to return to the ring at 47.
Oscar De La Hoya recently announced his intention to return to the ring at 47 years old.
The Golden Boy hasn’t fought since he was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in 2008, a horrible beating that convinced him that he could no longer fight to his standards.
Twelve years later, inspired by Mike Tyson’s comeback, he has the itch to give it another try.
Good idea? Or is the once-great boxer courting disaster?
In this episode of The Ak & Barak Show, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Aken Reyes and Barak Bess give their thoughts on the fighter-turned-promoter-turned fighter-again.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
The Ak & Barak Show hosts Akin Reyes and Barak Bess discuss Oscar De La Hoya’s plan to return to the ring at 47.
Oscar De La Hoya recently announced his intention to return to the ring at 47 years old.
The Golden Boy hasn’t fought since he was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in 2008, a horrible beating that convinced him that he could no longer fight to his standards.
Twelve years later, inspired by Mike Tyson’s comeback, he has the itch to give it another try.
Good idea? Or is the once-great boxer courting disaster?
In this episode of The Ak & Barak Show, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Aken Reyes and Barak Bess give their thoughts on the fighter-turned-promoter-turned fighter-again.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
