Although for many the fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford represents one of the most anticipated events of 2025, for Oscar de la Hoya it is simply a farce.
The former world champion and current president of Golden Boy Promotions has not only completely distanced himself from the event scheduled for September 13 in Las Vegas, but has also intensified his criticism of all involved.
During a new episode of his “Clapback Thursday” series, De La Hoya ridiculed both the press conference and the relationship between the protagonists of the fight.
Seeing a picture of Canelo and Crawford sharing a dinner, he threw out a provocative comparison: “Can you imagine Muhammad Ali having dinner with Joe Frazier? Or Tyson with Mitch Green?” For him, the public camaraderie between the boxers kills the tension and expectation that the public expects before a fight of this magnitude.
Between wrestling and old scandals: Canelo in the sights of De la Hoya
De La Hoya went further and questioned Canelo’s seriousness of approach, criticising his plans to dabble in WWE while, in his opinion, avoiding more demanding fights such as a duel with David Benavidez. “Before thinking about another show, he should resolve his pending issues in the ring,” he said bluntly.
He also accused the shove between Canelo and Crawford during the promotional tour of being staged, and did not miss the opportunity to revive the 2018 clenbuterol scandal. De la Hoya claimed that if Crawford really wanted to attack the Mexican, it would be enough to mention the issue of “contaminated meat” to ignite a real controversy.
Oscar de la Hoya throws darts at Canelo, Dana White and Turki Alalshikh in a bare-knuckle fight
But De La Hoya’s anger did not stop with the boxers. He also lashed out at Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi official behind many of the recent big events in boxing. He questioned the lack of clarity in the schedule and suggested that the event could clash with a UFC event, which would put Dana White, another of his regular targets, in a bind.
He took the opportunity to throw several darts at the UFC president, calling him “a human pain cartel” and “a figure with no real stars in his promotion”. He closed his diatribe with a mockery of his physique, leadership and supposed abandonment of the UFC while it accumulates debts. His message was clear: “Canelo, Dana… f*** you”.
Although many interpret De La Hoya’s comments as part of a personal vendetta following his professional breakup with Canelo and the strained relationship with the Saudi organisers, his words also serve as a warning about the current state of boxing: more spectacle than rivalry, more entertainment than genuine tension.
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