De La Hoya Escalates Canelo Feud, Even Brings Dana White Into It

More and more, Oscar De La Hoya is taking on the look of a jilted lover as he takes every opportunity to bash former client and partner, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. It’s a look unbecoming of a Hall of Famer and, especially, of a promoter who is supposed to be focusing on his own stable of fighters.

But, as we’ve all seen in the post-fighting career of the former six-division world champ, being “unbecoming” is sort of Oscar’s thing.

In his latest nasty jab at the Mexican superstar, De La Hoya took aim at the generally poorly-received bout Canelo will be having this coming Saturday in Las Vegas with Edgar Berlanga. The pay-per-view event, which Oscar predicted would generate fewer than 100K buys, is scheduled to go head-to-head with Noche UFC (UFC 306) at The Sphere, also in Las Vegas.

“So, we’re a week away from the boxing match that nobody asked for and the UFC event that everybody will be watching,” De La Hoya said in his ‘Clap Back’ Thursday social media video feature, which has mostly become an anti-Canelo space. “Canelo is fighting [Edgar] Berlanga, another snoozefest! They’re trying to sell a PPV for 90 dollars and 500 dollars minimum in person? It’s just robbery at this point to pay for another lame Canelo fight that always goes the distance against a subpar opponent.”

Alvarez and De La Hoya split in 2020, ending a 10-year partnership, after some intense disagreements over the terms of their contract with streaming service DAZN. Two years prior, they had entered into the richest deal in boxing history, an 11-fight, $365 million contract which promised to make Canelo, Oscar, and DAZN partners for a very long time.

A breach of contract accusation over Canelo’s third bout with Gennadiy Golovkin, however, ended things legally and permanently. The two worked together this past May for Alvarez’s Jaime Munguia bout, but things did not go smoothly and security had to separate the two after some heated words at one of the event’s press conferences.

“I’ll actually be attending the UFC event at the Sphere instead,” De LA Hoya continued in his ‘Clap Back,’ mugging to the camera. “So now, I love the sport of boxing more than anything and I would be watching boxing matches, anywhere and at any time, even if it’s a simple sparring session or two bums fighting in the street so the idea of attending a UFC, and support Dana White instead of Canelo, tells you everything you need to know.”

De La Hoya and UFC president Dana White, by the way, have also been feuding for years.

“Dana! I can’t wait to see you next Saturday, buddy,” De La Hoya continued. “You got the same ab surgery that I got, I always knew you wanted to be like me, bro. It will be great to hang out with you face to face.”

The name drop from Oscar would get White’s attention and inspire a sharp counter.

“I don’t know where he’s getting his tickets from, he definitely isn’t getting it from me,” White told Grind City Media. “I don’t know if he’s coming with Sheik Turki or what his deal is… it’s him trying to sh*t on Canelo.”

De La Hoya recently entered into a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, who is sponsoring the UFC card opposite Canelo-Berlanga on the 14th. So for the figurehead of Golden Boy Promotions, dissing Canelo and helping Alalshikh would appear to be a win-win.

Really, though, is it wise for De La Hoya to try and bury a boxing show, no matter who’s in the main event?

But, just as he doesn’t shy away from being “unbecoming,” Oscar also has no qualms about embracing the unwise.