Oscar De La Hoya made a tight u-turn on his notion to call-out pound for pound king Canelo Alvarez and name-dropped Floyd Mayweather instead.
Backed into a corner in his first public workout since making a comeback to “professional boxing,” De La Hoya stated Canelo is no longer a target.
The Golden Boy Promotions Chairman had initially wanted Gennadiy Golovkin when Canelo remained under his wing. He dropped that wish soon after.
He had said: “I’m open to fighting GGG! I’m inspired by Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. when it comes to staying in shape, being healthy, and fighting again,” to Sirius XM.
“I’ll have a final decision when it comes to my comeback shortly. I’ll be fighting in the first quarter of 2021. Opponent to be named soon.”
Golovkin responded to AFP: “You know, Oscar, you know how dirty his mouth is. But everything involving Gennady Golovkin for him is a nightmare.
“He can say whatever. But let me put it this way – If I got an opportunity to kill a person in the ring legally, I might seize it.”
Thay fight soon died before De La Hoya, and Canelo then split due to unworkable differences. The 48-year-old then wanted a piece of his former pupil.
In his most infamous dismissal, De La Hoya commented on an innocent Instagram picture of Canelo teaching a youngster.
“Please, this guy does everything wrong. Head up when he throws hooks. On his heels, flat-footed. What else? – Yes, he avoids Charlo.”
This movement seemed to be part of De La Hoya’s plot to capture a big-money fight with Canelo. At his workout this week, he backtracked when speaking to Elie Seckbach.
Oscar De La Hoya Changes Mind On Canelo Fight Wants Mayweather Or Trinda… https://t.co/v0jWXXzssS via @YouTube
— Numbers (@Seckbach) August 25, 2021
OSCAR DE LA HOYA REMATCH
Instead, Floyd Mayweather and Felix Trinidad are on the agenda for rematches, should either be interested in taking up the offer.
De La Hoya must first come through MMA fighter Vitor Belfort, who began their preparations as the favorite to win. Odds have squeezed since then as eleven-time world champion De La Hoya whipped himself into better shape.
The headliner goes down on September 11 in a Pay Per View event produced by Triller. If De La Hoya wins, who knows when could happen in 2022.
