Oscar De La Hoya is seemingly on the same page as World Boxing News when it comes to the ongoing Millenial YouTube Boxing fad.
Strong detractors to these bedroom presenters being involved at the top end of the sport, especially in a professional capacity, WBN has written several strong-worded articles on the subject.
Now, De La Hoya has spoken out about the craze sweeping his own TV network at streamers DAZN.
Rival promoter Eddie Hearn has taken on handing these people a platform by ensuring Commissions give the influencers licenses.
On top of that, they get the same treatment around fight week as a full-on fighter.
Talentless pretenders with millions of followers are simply taking boxing for a ride.
It’s left a bad taste in the mouth of the real fans.
A ten-time world champion in his own right, De La Hoya has now aired his views.
“I’m from the old school breed. Boxing is so dangerous and real that a lot of these YouTube guys are thinking that it’s a joke,” De La Hoya told FightHubTV.
“It’s not a joke. This is real stuff. I mean this is life or death inside that ring.
“To become world champion is not easy. People put their lives on the line sometimes. So to make it kind of like a circus act is not pretty cool at all. It’s entertainment but it’s serious.
Asked if the money-grabs degrade boxing, De La Hoya replied: “It really does.
“I put all my life into this for somebody to come (into boxing) because he wants to fight. It just really makes no sense to me.”
Currently overseeing negotiations for the return of Canelo Alvarez, De La Hoya is once again back in the spotlight after taking some time away.
Canelo is scheduled to return on May 2 in Las Vegas after drawing up a shortlist of contenders.
As for YouTube Boxing, which is at the very bottom of the lowest point boxing could get, it’s feared it won’t go away until someone gets badly hurt.
