Nothing was off limits as promoter Oscar De La Hoya and his former fighter Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 60-2-2 (39) came face-to-face on stage at the final press conference to promote the bout against Jaime Munguia 43-0 (34) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.
De La Hoya labelled Alvarez a drug cheat. Alvarez called De La Hoya a thief. They had to be separated on the stage.
De La Hoya’s company Golden Boy Promotions was instrumental in developing the 33-year-old Mexican into the superstar he is today until simmering tensions finally boiled over in 2020 when Alvarez sued Golden Boy and DAZN for breach of their 11-fight, $365 million contract.
The parties eventually settled and Alvarez was released from his contract.
Fast forward to today. De La Hoya’s boxer Munguia, 27, is set for the biggest fight of his career in the all-Mexican showdown against undisputed super middleweight champion Alvarez this weekend. It will be the first boxing show De La Hoya has been involved in with Alvarez since he promoted the Sergey Kovalev fight in November 2019.
They say that time heals all wounds. In De La Hoya’s case, it only causes them to fester. Taking to the podium at today’s press conference, he wasted no time attacking Alvarez.
“Yes, I’ve been to rehab several times. Yes, there were some really low points in my life. And yes, there were times when work was not my priority thanks to my mental health, which I had neglected so long,” De La Hoya said.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo Alvarez, period. The company you fought under for decades has always had one name and it’s mine, so put some fucking respect on it.”
De La Hoya continued: “As for Jaime, he has always dared to be great, just as he is this Saturday night. And this serves as a bit of a full circle for him. Remember when Jaime was 21 years old, volunteered to step in against Triple G and Canelo failed two drug tests?
“Though Jaime wasn’t allowed to fulfill his dream in 2018, on Saturday night he will do just that, fulfill his dream and become world champion.”
Alvarez wasn’t about to take the criticism lying down. He spoke into the microphone in Spanish, then got out of his chair to approach De La Hoya before they were separated.
“He tried to steal money and he’s a fucking asshole, that’s what I said,” Alvarez confirmed later.
“He’s a fucking asshole. He’s trying to keep the attention for himself, not for Munguia. He’s a fucking asshole. He tries to steal from his fighters, that’s what he does. Fucking pussy. Motherfucker.”
It looks like Cinco de Mayo just got a little spicier.
