As if the lines between legitimate combat sports and professional wrestling needed any more blurring
The war of words between UFC President Dana White and Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya has officially reached boiling point, with De La Hoya challenging White to a three-round boxing match.
The feud between White and De La Hoya has been escalating for years but moved to another level this week, when the UFC boss hit out De La Hoya’s comments about how UFC fighters are compensated financially.
White branded the former pound-for-pound great a liar and slammed De La Hoya for an alleged ignorance before the rivalry moved from promoters’ trash talk into legitimate threats.
Doubling down on his confidence in his ability to “beat his ass”, De La Hoya took to The Luke Thomas Show on Thursday evening to challenge White to an actual fight.
De La Hoya’s most high-profile fighter, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will move up in weight to fight Rocky Fielding this weekend and is expected to fight again next May. That’s when De La Hoya wants to settle the score with White in the ring.
“Let’s get in the ring. Three rounds. Let’s do this!” De La Hoya said.
“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 get in great shape and then we go three rounds.
“I’m going to give you a 50lbs advantage? It’s OK. I can take you on. Let’s do it.”