By Dan Ambrose: Oscar De La Hoya called out Floyd Mayweather Jr on Tuesday, letting Triller Fight Club boss Ryan Kavanaugh know that he intends on fighting ‘Money’ in a rematch in “real fight,” not an exhibition.
We’ll have to see if Mayweather takes the bait and accepts the challenge from De La Hoya. At this point, Oscar would be a huge upgrade from the woeful opposition Mayweather has been fighting since 2017.
A Mayweather vs. De La Hoya 2 rematch would likely bring in massive pay-per-view boys, easily outdoing Floyd’s Showtime PPV match against YouTuber Logan Paul last weekend. If Mayweather was willing to fight a YouTuber, it’s safe to say he’ll jump at the chance to face 47-year-old De La Hoya.
It’s hard to know what’s happened to De La Hoya because not only is calling out Mayweather, he also challenged his former flagship fighter in his Golden Boy Promotions stable Canelo Alvarez, saying that he’s “coming for you“ and that he’s going to “knock him out..”
De La Hoya wants Mayweather & Canelo
What happened to De La Hoya? That’s what boxing fans want to know. Has he lost his mind, or is he badly in need of income to pour into his promotional company to keep it viable?
De La Hoya, who retired in 2008, says he’ll be calling the 44-year-old Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) after two more comeback fights. Oscar will be headlining on Triller pay-per-view in September against a still to be determined opponent.
“I’ll tell you one thing, bro. Let me get two fights in, and then you watch, I can call out Mayweather,” said Oscar De La Hoya to Triller boss Ryan Kavanaugh. “In a f**** real fight, bro. It’s a non-exhibition. I’m going to call him out, you watch. It’s on. We’ll do it on Triller.
Last Sunday, Mayweather ruled out returning to the ring for real fights following his eight-round exhibition bout against YouTuber Logan Paul.
Mayweather also said that he “probably” won’t be fighting in any more exhibition matches. He wasn’t certain about it, and that obviously keeps the door open a crack for De La Hoya to convince the ‘Money’ man to face him again.
The 47-year-old De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs) still seems bitter about his 12 round split decision loss to Mayweather in May 2007.
It was a fight that De La Hoya could have won if he’d stayed disciplined and not gotten drawn into trying to slug.
Oscar training for September exhibition
“I start training again tomorrow,” De La Hoya continued. “I’m leaving to camp two months prior to my fight. And I’m a whole different beast, brother, you watch. I’m on it, bro. I’m 1000%, my man. I can’t wait for my fight in September.
“This time I won’t be loaded,” De La Hoya said when told by Kavanaugh that he wants him to commentate for the June 19th Triller pay-per-view event headlined by Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Jr. “But I’m in training now, so that’s it, I’m done.