Oscar De La Hoya’s weekly segment, “Thursday Clap-Back,” has rapidly turned into must-watch content for boxing fans, providing a blend of praise, candid critique, and controversy that’s invigorating the boxing world.
Known for both championing his fighters and delivering blunt criticism, De La Hoya’s recent episode brought insights on Golden Boy’s standout talent while addressing issues with boxing rival Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and reigniting a long-standing feud with former protégé Canelo Alvarez.
De La Hoya spotlighted his up-and-coming fighters, especially Vergil Ortiz Jr., who claimed an interim light middleweight title after a thrilling fight against Serhii Bohachuk.
He also highlighted Gilberto Ramirez’s upcoming title unification bout on November 16 and noted that William Zepeda, an undefeated fighter in Golden Boy’s stable, would also be competing on the same card, aiming to extend his streak.
Amid this celebration of talent, De La Hoya turned his attention to recent controversies, namely Tim Tszyu’s unexpected defeat. Fighting Bakhram Murtazaliev at Orlando’s Caribe Royale, Tszyu suffered a hard loss, being knocked down four times before his corner threw in the towel.
According to De La Hoya, this defeat wasn’t just a fluke but an example of poor matchmaking by PBC. He argued that this pattern of poor matchups doesn’t just harm fighters but also diminishes fans’ experience of the sport.
Reflecting on his own promotional experience, De La Hoya recalled how Golden Boy Promotions had built many of PBC’s stars, including Errol Spence, Deontay Wilder, and the Charlo brothers. However, as contracts expired, many joined PBC, which De La Hoya claims has struggled to deliver the same career opportunities.
Canelo Alvarez and De La Hoya’s ongoing tension
Echoing a recent tweet from veteran matchmaker Rick Glaser, De La Hoya even suggested that PBC’s partnership with Amazon Prime might be in jeopardy due to financial pressures.
True to form, De La Hoya couldn’t resist a final comment on his relationship with former protégé Canelo Alvarez. In a clip, Alvarez was seen dismissing De La Hoya, to which De La Hoya responded that Alvarez’s criticism stemmed from jealousy.
He hinted that Alvarez’s avoidance of a potential matchup with David Benavidez might contrast with De La Hoya’s own history of taking on all challengers in his prime.
“Canelo just can’t help himself when it comes to being an ungrateful jealous a**h*le,” De La Hoya declared.
As De La Hoya continues to blend entertainment with boxing insights, his “Thursday Clap-Back” remains a powerful, candid commentary on the sport-one that boxing fans won’t want to miss.
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