May 7, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Former boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya attends a light heavyweight championship bout at T-Mobile Arena between Dimitry Bivol (not pictured) and Canelo Alvarez (not pictured). Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Oscar De La Hoya made a big prediction about a potential Ryan Garcia-Gervonta Davis fight.
Garcia and Davis are both undefeated and typically fight with 135 or 140 weight limits. There has been talk over the last several months about the two potentially squaring off in April. De La Hoya says such a fight is going to happen. Not only that, but Oscar thinks the fight will do huge numbers in terms of pay-per-view buys.
De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions represent Garcia, while Davis is now his own promoter after leaving Mayweather Promotions.
“We’re all working together to blow this one out of the water,” De La Hoya said on The MMA Hour. “We want to make sure that this event here, because it’s such a special fight, we want to make sure that this fight does 2, 2.5, 3 million homes. This is that type of event.
“Realistically, close to 2.5,” De La Hoya said of how many buys the fight could generate.
2.5 million buys would be a massive number. Only the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao (4.6 million) and Mayweather-Conor McGregor (4.3 million) have generated more than 2.5 million buys.
De La Hoya is a promoter, so it’s his job to hype up a fight.
Will such a fight approach those numbers? We will see, but De La Hoya is doing his best to make it happen.
The other thing he needs to work harder on is finalizing a deal. As of now, nothing has been finalized between the sides. Getting the two in the ring will be the biggest challenge of all.
May 7, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Former boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya attends a light heavyweight championship bout at T-Mobile Arena between Dimitry Bivol (not pictured) and Canelo Alvarez (not pictured). Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Oscar De La Hoya has finally filed for divorce from his wife several years after the two split apart.
TMZ Sports recently reported that De La Hoya filed for divorce on January 6, 2022 from his wife Millie Corretjer. De La Hoya cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce.
De La Hoya and Corretjer met in 2000 and got married a year later in Puerto Rico. They have three children together. The two separated in 2016, and only now have filed for divorce.
De La Hoya, 49, last boxed in 2008 and has since focused most of his career on business pursuits, such as his fight promotion company, Golden Boy Promotions.
Apr 17, 2016; Long Beach, CA, USA; Oscar De La Hoya poses during the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on the streets of Long Beach. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oscar De La Hoya has not boxed professionally since 2008, but he still can throw some punches.
De La Hoya took a jab at rival promoter Dana White over the UFC boss’ physical altercation that went viral.
White was captured on video slapping his wife at a club in Mexico over New Year’s. He said that alcohol was involved and influenced his behavior, which he described as “embarrassing.”
De La Hoya saw the story and tweeted a link to it. He added his commentary to it.
“My good friend @danawhite is so greedy he decided to steal fighter pay from his new league on TBS ‘Power Slap’ by getting fighter of the night against his WIFE. Those Boston aerobic instructors are real tough guys,” he said.
My good friend @danawhite is so greedy he decided to steal fighter pay from his new league on TBS ‘Power Slap’ by getting fighter of the night against his WIFE. Those Boston aerobic instructors are real tough guys. https://t.co/4YF4vHKIOG
De La Hoya was referencing the new “Power Slap League” White has been promoting. “Fighter of the Night” is an award the UFC hands out at the end of fight cards. And De La Hoya was jabbing White with the “Boston aerobic instructors” line; White was a boxing instructor in Boston prior to his involvement in the UFC.
White has said on the record in the past that you don’t come back from hitting a woman. Neither the UFC, parent company Endeavor, nor broadcast partner ESPN have commented on the video, though Oscar has.
Photo Credit: Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Manny Pacquiao will officially be back in the ring in 2023 … just in a slightly different capacity.
The eight-division world champion Pacquiao announced on Saturday at an event in Tokyo, Japan that he has agreed to a deal with Japanese promoter Rizin to compete next year, per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. Pacquiao added that he would face a Japanese fighter but did not provide further details.
Rizin mainly does MMA fights but also puts on boxing and kickboxing bouts. Raimondi reports that Pacquiao will likely compete in an exhibition boxing match in Japan. Pacquiao’s famous rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr., has already fought in the country under Rizin before, facing kickboxer Tenshin Nasukaw in 2018 and mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura. Both were exhibition boxing bouts that Mayweather won by early-round TKO.
As for Pacquiao, now 44, he retired as a professional boxer in 2021 after losing to Yordenis Urgas in August of that year. He ended his legendary career with a record of 62-8-2 and 39 knockouts. Pacquiao then went on to run for president in his native Philippines, where he has served as a senator. He ended up losing in the 2022 election, finishing in third place behind Leni Robredo and the eventual winner, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The Rizin deal is actually not Pacquiao’s first foray into exhibition bouts since retiring professionally. He already fought South Korean martial artist and YouTuber DK Yoo earlier this month, winning a six-round unanimous decision. Interestingly enough, Pacquiao once criticized Mayweather for taking on lesser-caliber opponents but is now following in Mayweather’s footsteps with this Rizin partnership.
Boxer Gervonta Davis has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, a week and a half ahead of his next bout.
Davis was arrested by Parkland police in Florida and booked into Broward County Jail on Tuesday night, according to online records.
Breaking News: Gervonta Davis 🇺🇸 was arrested in Broward County. Putting his fight with Hector Luis García 🇩🇴 at risk. The official charge is Battery Causing Bodily Harm with Domestic Violence #Boxingpic.twitter.com/3MQsAkdRg3
Davis was arrested for what is listed as battery causing bodily harm, which is a domestic violence offense.
Davis, 28, is 27-0 with 25 knockouts in his pro boxing career. He is scheduled to fight Hector Luis Garcia at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on January 7. Fans were excited to potentially see Davis and Ryan Garcia fight in 2023.
In February 2020, Davis was captured on video getting physical with his baby mama Andretta Smothers at a celebrity basketball event in Miami.
Boxer Errol Spence Jr. shared a video on Instagram Live on Saturday night after being involved in a car accident.
Spence, 32, claims that he was hit by someone who ran a red light. In his videos, he showed his car, which was all smashed up. The undefeated boxer claimed that his leg was “f—ed up,” but he otherwise appeared to be unharmed.
The 28-0 boxer was cursing throughout the video as he was pretty rattled to have his car completely destroyed.
“He ran the light. F—ed my s–t up. Always happens to me. Ran right into me. F—ed my leg up,” Spence said.
Spence’s video indicated the person who hit him was a 14-year-old without a driver’s license who had taken a parents’ car.
Spence was saying in the video that his car is all metal and bulletproof.
Spence last fought in April when he beat Yordenis Ugas via 10th-round TKO at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Photo Credit: Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Manny Pacquiao knows talent when he sees it, especially from one of his countrymen.
Utah Jazz shooting guard Jordan Clarkson was ejected from Wednesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors over an incident with Warriors big Jonathan Kuminga. Late in the fourth quarter, Kuminga blocked a Clarkson shot attempt and came down with the loose ball. Clarkson then hit Kuminga with a hard wrap-up foul, which Kuminga took exception to. Tempers flared, and Clarkson squared up his fists as if ready to fight. Take a look.
Clarkson was ultimately given a flagrant 2 foul for the wrap-up, resulting in an automatic ejection. The night was not a total wash for him though, as the Jazz scored the final five points of the game for an improbable 124-123 win over the Warriors.
Additionally, Clarkson earned the respect of the retired Filipino boxing great Pacquiao. Commenting on a video of the altercation on Instagram, Pacquiao left a funny comment, writing of Clarkson, “I see potential.”
Former boxing champ Manny Pacquiao thinks Clarkson has a future in the ring 😅🥊 pic.twitter.com/PuZRBYquGr
Clarkson, who is half-Filipino, definitely seemed to draw inspiration from Pacquiao with that fighting stance. Despite being a right-handed shooter, Clarkson instinctively got into a southpaw stance, just like the one that the lefty Pacquiao made famous during his many years of dominance in the ring.
Jun 19, 1992; Las Vegas, NV, USA: FILE PHOTO; Boxing referee Mills Lane prior to the flight between Evander Holyfield and Larry Holmes (not pictured) during the WBC – WBA -IBF heavy weight title flight at Caesars Palace. Holyfield defeated Holmes in a 12 round unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: MPS-USA TODAY Sports
Former professional boxing referee Mills Lane has died.
Lane’s brother, Tommy Lane, told Jim Krajewski of the Reno Gazette Journal that Mills died in Reno, Nev., on Tuesday morning at the age of 85. Lane had been in hospice for the past week and “took a significant decline in his overall situation,” Tommy said.
Lane also suffered a stroke 20 years ago.
Lane refereed his first boxing match in 1971. He became extremely well known in the sport when he worked the June 28, 1997 rematch between then-heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. Lane was brought in to ref that bout at the last minute after Tyson’s camp protested that Mitch Halpern was supposed to be the referee. Lane ended up disqualifying Tyson after he infamously bit Holyfield’s ear twice during the match.
Lane was a boxer before he became a referee. He won the NCAA welterweight title while at the University of Nevada in 1960. He began boxing when he joined the US Marine Corps in 1956. Lane had a record of 10-1 as a professional boxer.
Not long before he retired from refereeing in 1998, Lane gained popularity in pop culture when he was featured as a character on the MTV show “Celebrity Death Match.” His voice and famous “Let’s get it on!” catchphrase became the most recognizable thing about the show.
Lane was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
Canelo Alvarez trains ahead of his match with Caleb Plant. Photo Credit: Esther Lin / Showtime
Canelo Alvarez is not happy with Lionel Messi over what he perceived to be a disrespectful act from the Argentine soccer star.
Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 in Group C play at the World Cup in Qatar on Saturday. Messi is said to have swapped a shirt with a Mexican player after the match. Messi apparently had that Mexican jersey with him in the locker room after the match, which is when things went bad.
A video was shared that showed the scene in the Argentina locker room after the 2-0 win.
The scenes in the Argentina dressing room last night. That win over Mexico meant a lot! 👏🏻🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/04I5ec1gzI
🚨 Messi swapped shirt with a Mexico player after the game and then in the dressing room he was seen kicking the Mexican jersey he got from a mexican player. #mexico#messi#WorldCup2022pic.twitter.com/EPc3TKhSxk
“Just as I respect Argentina, you have to respect Mexico!! I’m not talking about the country (Argentina) I’m talking about Messi because of the stuff he did,” Alvarez said in one tweet (translated by LBS).
Canelo then said that Messi better pray to God that he doesn’t run into the boxer.
Que le pida a Dios que no me lo encuentre!! 👊🏻👊🏻🤬🔥
Is Alvarez taking things too far over something more incidental? Without a doubt. But you could argue Messi should have taken better care of the jersey.
Canelo was already extremely popular and is further endearing himself to his country with those comments.
Apr 17, 2016; Long Beach, CA, USA; Oscar De La Hoya poses during the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on the streets of Long Beach. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The boxing world was buzzing on Thursday after both Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis announced via Instagram that they had agreed to fight next year. However, Oscar De La Hoya has issued a small cautionary message.
De La Hoya promotes Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) and wrote a note on Twitter about the fight.
“The fans have been crystal clear that the fight they want is Ryan versus Tank. Golden Boy Promotions and I are proud to be leading the drive to get this fight signed and are excited to get a deal finalized ASAP. It’s high time that those outside the ring stop getting in the way of those who want nothing more than to get into the ring and fight. Our motto has always been that the fans come first, and this is just another example of how we’re leading by example,” De La Hoya said in a statement released through his Twitter account.
What you’ll notice in his statement is that De La Hoya said that the fight was not yet signed or finalized.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger said the fight was set to take place in April at a 136-pound catchweight.
Despite the announcements, there are a few hurdles.
One is that Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) is still scheduled to fight in January, so all has to go well there for him to be ready for a fight in April. The other is just what De La Hoya said: until the fighters have signed a contract, and finalize matters, nothing is definitive.
This is boxing, and far too often they fail to deliver on big fights. Just ask those who wanted to see Bud Crawford and Errol Spence fight.
