Promoter says he would settle feud to discuss Ryan Garcia fight with Conor Benn
Oscar De La Hoya says he is willing to settle his dispute with Dana White to explore a Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn fight. The matchup remains possible despite promotional differences, with Garcia also considering Rolly Romero and a Devin Haney rematch.
“Then you have Connor Benn,” De La Hoya said to Fight Hub TV. “Connor Benn, who to me is like, is that even possible? Well, absolutely it’s possible.”
The issue is whether the two sides can work through Benn’s Zuffa connection and Garcia’s position in the traditional title picture. De La Hoya mocked Zuffa’s belt setup, but still invited White to make the call.
“Ryan Garcia is fighting for all the belts,” De La Hoya said. “He’s fighting for the WBC, WBA, IBF. Connor Benn’s with the Zuffa belt, the unicorn pink Zuffa belt. So who knows if we can make that fight, but look, if Dana White wants to call me, then we can start talking. That’s the bottom line.”
De La Hoya admitted there has been a personal rivalry with White, but said it would not stop him from doing business if the fight is there.
“This is all about the fighters,” De La Hoya said. “It’s not about me and Dana. Me and Dana have a beef going on, which is actually a lot of fun for me. But this is about the fighters. I can squash the beef easily just to make this fight happen.”
Benn’s next move remains unclear because of the Zuffa belt route, and De La Hoya again questioned whether that side wants to pursue the established titles.
“The fact that Connor Benn is fighting for the Rainbow Belt or the Unicorn Belt at Zuffa, I don’t know what their plans are,” De La Hoya said. “If they’re even wanting to fight for the WBC or the WBA, IBF, WBO. So whatever. Dana, call me. It’s all good.”
The Haney rematch still appears to be De La Hoya’s preferred business play for Ryan. But Benn remains alive if White is willing to pick up the phone.
