"Let them build whatever league they're trying to" - Oscar De La Hoya defends boxing’s future, brushes off Dana White’s new venture

Oscar De La Hoya (left) takes aim at Dana White (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]
Oscar De La Hoya (left) takes aim at Dana White (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]

Oscar De La Hoya recently shared his thoughts on the implications of Dana White's new boxing venture for other promoters who have been in the business for a long time. The former world champion showed no signs of worry, stating that boxing would be safe with him.

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For context, Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn, who initially supported the idea of White's Zuffa boxing with Turki Alalshikh, has now criticized the UFC CEO for using an MMA model for his new promotion. The 56-year-old also wants to make significant changes to the Muhammad Ali Act, which protects fighters from illegal business practices. That didn't sit well with the Brit, who slammed White, prompting a heated response from the latter as well.

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In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, De La Hoya discussed the new rivalry brewing up between White and Hearn. The Mexican-American promised that he, Hearn, and a few other long-time promoters would keep boxing alive:

''Eddie shouldn't worry about it, whatsoever...What [Zuffa] is doing is totally separate from what we're gonna do or what we've been doing...You're having precious contenders, who I know can become world champions... They're getting eliminated and beat; you're never gonna hear from them again. That's not fair to the fighter...You're having precious contenders, who I know can become world champions... They're getting eliminated and beat; you're never gonna hear from them again. That's not fair to the fighter.''
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He added:

''Let them build whatever league they're trying to. It's okay. Boxing here is safe with me, and Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren, the serious guys in the sport, the guys who respect and honor it."

Check out Oscar De La Hoya's comments below:

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When Oscar De La Hoya challenged Dana White to a boxing fight

In November 2018, Oscar De La Hoya hosted his first MMA event, headlined by a matchup between UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. However, Dana White opposed the idea, given the age and health risks. He thrashed De La Hoya in an ESPN interview.

In response, the former six-division world champion called out White during an appearance on The Luke Thomas Show on Sirius XM:

''Let’s get in the ring. Yeah, why not? Let’s get in the ring. Three rounds, let’s do this. Let’s do this under Canelo Cinco de Mayo. I’ll even give you five months so you can get off the juice and then we can, you know, get in great shape and then we go three rounds.''

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena
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