Oscar De La Hoya LA Tuesday Press Conference with Vitor Belfort
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Los Angeles, (July 27th, 2021)– After 13 years, Oscar De La Hoya is returning to the ring on September 11, 2021, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, for a pro boxing eight rounder against MMA legend Vitor Belfort at cruiserweight. The stranger scheduled eight round bout will have two minute rounds instead of three. As if the date of the planned comeback was not spooky enough, De la Hoya, 13 years removed, and who has never fought above 160 pounds, will attempt his comeback at a cruiserweight contracted catch weight of 180 pounds.
If is it were not bad enough Floyd Mayweather Jr., Mike Tyson, and soon Evander Holyfield are in the comeback exhibition business for profit. De La Hoya might go the way of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who lost an eight round split decision at cruiserweight at Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico, on July 19, 2021, to MMA fighter Anderson “Spider” Silva. Chavez, with 59 professional bouts, lost at age 35 to Silva, with only one previous professional boxing bout, age 46.
Look, if boxers want to come back, that’s their business. During the coronavirus period, entertainment starved sports junkies will go for everything, even the current Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan one year later. If De La Hoya is sincere about coming back, he should do it at 145 pounds, which is the weight he fought Manny Pacquiao at for eight rounds at MGM Grand’s Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in December 2008. Essentially put, De La Hoya, a six division world champion who failed against Bernard Hopkins and Floyd at the higher weight of middleweight, is stepping into the ring at an untrained walking weight of 180 pounds into a strange division where he has no business fighting against a fighter who has recorded more knockouts than anybody in UFC history.
Even cutting the rounds down to two minutes, even if the California Athletic Commission will allow it (and expect that they won’t) will not save the aging De La Hoya. Maybe De La Hoya wants to fight Mike Tyson next or maybe even rematch Floyd. Oscar fighting at a weight comparable to Rocky Marciano in his championship prime seems ridiculous. Oscar is no Rocky. Oscar is no Rocky Balboa either. Belfort, who retired from MMA in 2018, fought as high as heavyweight in MMA.
At the Tuesday press conference, De La Hoya trash talked his first bout in over a decade like he was preparing for a walk in the park. “You know the fact is that Belfort feels (looks) great. I mean look at him. I feel amazing! I feel literally better than ever. And the fact we both agree it’s gonna be a real fight (means) it’s gonna be a lot of fun. And I have no sh!t to talk about Belfort whatsoever. I respect you, brother, like there’s no tomorrow. But I’ll tell you one thing. We’re gonna kick the sh!t out of each other! That’s one thing for sure. And that’s what I’m actually looking forward to. Call me crazy, but I’m looking forward to it, you know. I miss getting hit. For some strange reason, I miss getting hit, so I mean come September 11th, (2021) yeah, it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Belfort, age 44, has a record of 26-14 with 18 knockouts and three submission wins during his 21 years MMA career. De La Hoya, 48, went 39-6 with 30 knockouts during his 16 years boxing career. The higher weight favors Belfort, as De La Hoya might find his comeback at cruiserweight five divisions higher than he should be. Personally, De La Hoya should remain De La Hoya retired. The ring claims many victims, and makes many a fool of those who return to the ring to seek redemption, pain, glory and self-searching at an age and weight beyond the point where the common senses reign supreme. It’s also foolish to believe returning to the ring in any situation, circumstance or scenario during the coronavirus time period in history makes any sense. Considering current trends, our country could close up again. If you are not sure returning to the ring is safe with 100 percent certainty, ex-fighters should not do it, and in the coronavirus time period of history, there remain no guarantees.
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