De La Hoya said he will work with Zuffa to make the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn fight happen despite criticizing Dana White
Oscar De La Hoya stopped short of officially confirming Ryan Garcia’s announced fight against Conor Benn but made clear he has no problem making the matchup. De La Hoya also took a public shot at Dana White while admitting he would still work with Zuffa if Garcia wants the Benn fight on September 12.
Broadcaster Chris Mannix asked De La Hoya about Ryan publicly naming Benn as his next opponent.
“I can’t confirm, but I never shy away from Ryan Garcia fighting the very best,” said De La Hoya to DAZN Boxing.
“If Conor Benn is who he wants, then that’s what we do. I work with every promoter out there. If I have to work with Zuffa, I have to work with Zuffa.”
De La Hoya then took a shot at Dana White while still leaving the door open for cooperation if it leads to the fight getting made.
“Dana White is a neanderthal, but I’ll still work with him to make the fights happen,” said De La Hoya. “But we’re never fighting for the Zuffa belt. That’s just a unicorn belt.”
Ryan captured the WBC welterweight title earlier this year and has repeatedly said he wants to remain active against major names. Benn has also spent the last year calling for marquee fights after rebuilding momentum with wins following his lengthy suspension saga.
“The WBC belt is what Ryan wants; it’s what he loves, and that’s what he’s going to defend,” said De La Hoya. “But if it’s Conor Benn, it’s Conor Benn.”
Garcia’s comments on Fallon were the first public indication that a Benn fight was already being lined up for September 12. De La Hoya’s reaction suggested the negotiations may not be finalized yet, but he gave no indication that Golden Boy would stand in the way if Ryan pushes for the fight.
Oscar De La Hoya on Garcia 🆚 Benn 👀#JonesGualtieri | Live NOW DAZN ▪️ pic.twitter.com/enKQY2JNtg
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 23, 2026