Heavyweight Mihai Nistor has discussed his parting of ways with Oscar De La Hoya after leaving Golden Boy Promotions last year.
Nistor, an amateur star with victories over Anthony Joshua, Otto Wallin, Guido Vianello, Frazer Clarke, signed with De La Hoya in 2019.
The move came on the back of over sixty bouts in the unpaid code and late in the day as he approached his thirties.
Nonetheless, Nistor hit the ground running. The Romanian scored two stoppages in his first two contests and took up column inches as a possible title contender.
But then came an infamous fight with Colby Madison in July 2021.
Down twice and cut badly due to what the referee described as ‘legal blows,’ the aura around Nistor threatened to diminish.
Digging deep, Nistor somehow ground out a victory against an opponent he expected to defeat without too much trouble.
After the contest, Nistor knew something was wrong.
His representatives contacted WBN late last year to reveal Nistor’s reaction to the three-round win.
They said at the time: “I can tell you this, that directly after the bout, Nistor approached Laurentiu Popa, his advisor, at ringside.
“He told Popa that he had fought hundreds of fights, many against who were well-experienced boxers, much more than Madison.
“But something was very abnormal about this fighter,” they added.
Soon after the debacle, Madison got the news that his test sample taken in the wake of the encounter was positive. Nistor had already decided to move on from his American dream by then.
Asked why he left in an exclusive with WBN this week, Nistor said he wanted to take a step back to re-evaluate his future with Oscar De La Hoya and his team.
“Leaving Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya was a business decision. I took the decision together with my advisor,” Nistor exclusively told World Boxing News.
“There wasn’t any plan in place to be promoted at the fast rate. I left on very good terms. I am looking forward to a better future.”
On what his relationship was like with Oscar De La Hoya, Nistor added: “I just saw him only one time at my last fight.
“Oscar De La Hoya didn’t know anything about me. We took a picture [together] and nothing else.”
FUTURE WITHOUT OSCAR DE LA HOYA
WBN questioned how he felt regarding the Colby Madison situation after his opponent successfully lobbied to lessen a one-year ban.
Madison will serve just six months despite the adverse finding.
“I am very disappointed about the California Commission decision on the Colby Madison appeal,” pointed out the 31-year-old.
“But it is okay, now, and there is nothing to worry about anymore.
“We are prospecting a great opportunity [to move forward with my career], but when the right time we will come to make this public,” Nistor concluded.
Colby Madison will now fight on February 19th. Seven months and ten days after his positive test.
Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News.
