Oscar De La Hoya Discusses Tensions with Canelo Alvarez
Oscar De La Hoya, the head of Golden Boy Promotions, recently opened up about the ongoing tensions with his former protégé, Canelo Alvarez. During an appearance on the All The Smoke Fight podcast, De La Hoya expressed his confusion regarding the reasons behind their estrangement, stating that he has not been able to identify what specifically led to their falling out.
The Beginning of the Rift
The rift seemingly began following Alvarez’s bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013. De La Hoya admitted that he was unable to attend the fight due to his time in rehab, but he made a point to reach out to Alvarez beforehand.
“I actually called Canelo in rehab and apologized for not being there,”
De La Hoya recalled. Alvarez responded with support, saying he understood and was confident they would win. De La Hoya noted that after this exchange, everything seemed to be fine, which left him puzzled about where things went wrong.
Speculations on Jealousy
De La Hoya speculated that jealousy might be a factor in Alvarez’s feelings towards him, as he often drew attention whenever he entered a room where Alvarez was present.
“Every time I go into a room, all the attention turns to me. There’s a lot of love for me, so maybe there’s some jealousy involved,”
he suggested. Despite the turmoil, he emphasized his integrity during their professional relationship, denying that he ever misled the boxing star.
“I’ve been a promoter for over twenty years, and I’ve always been straightforward with everyone. I know the struggles fighters face with promoters and would never cheat them,”
he insisted. When asked if there could be other undisclosed issues affecting their relationship, De La Hoya affirmed that there were none at all.
Desire for Clarity
Moreover, De La Hoya has publicly stated that he wishes Alvarez would address the situation and provide his perspective.
“I hope he shares his side of the story because I need answers,”
he noted.
Previous Discussions and Concerns
In previous discussions with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay, De La Hoya claimed that Canelo has expressed animosity towards him, even saying that Alvarez was headstrong about fighting Mayweather at a young age despite his lack of experience. De La Hoya cautioned him, believing that the match would not go in Alvarez’s favor, which it ultimately did not.
Although De La Hoya believed he could potentially arrange another big fight for Alvarez, he acknowledged the rift, saying,
“Canelo hates me, but there’s money to be made, and that’s not his legacy.”
He voiced concern over Alvarez’s choice to avoid certain matchups, suggesting that such decisions might damage his reputation and legacy as a fighter.
Boxing Journalism Insights
In the realm of boxing journalism, Phil Jay stands out with over 15 years of experience, serving as Editor-in-Chief for World Boxing News since 2010. He has covered numerous world champions and major boxing events while sharing insights and reports with avid fight fans.
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