Bitter boxing feud explodes in personal attack
There was plenty of venom at the Canelo Alvarez v Jamie Munguia press conference ahead of their fight on Sunday (AEST), but not between the two fighters.
The Mexican superstar and his former promoter Oscar De La Hoya took shots at each other at the final pre-bout press event on Thursday morning (AEST).
Before their ugly split, Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) spent most of his professional career under De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, but parted ways with the company in 2020 and joined rival promoters Matchroom Boxing and PBC.
Ever since their professional break up, both sides have expressed angst towards one another and it bubbled over in Las Vegas.
De La Hoya fuelled the fire in his opening address to the media, where he addressed Canelo personally.
“I have nothing but respect for Canelo Alvarez as a fighter; his record and abilities speak for themselves,” De La Hoya told the assembled media.
“But he has spent much of the last two months insulting me rather than promoting this fight.
“Yes, I’ve faced a lot of challenges in my life. Yes, I’ve been to rehab several times. And yes there were times when work was not my priority based on my mental health, which I neglected for so long.
“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 f—ng respect on it.”
De La Hoya continued to stir up his former fighter by bringing up a pair of drug tests that Canelo failed before the original 2018 date for the Gennadiy Golovkin rematch.
A furious Alvarez began to interrupt De La Hoya in Spanish during his address, and he didn’t take too kindly to the personal nature of the attack.
“Don’t you talk to me like that,” the champion said. “Don’t you f—in’ talk to me like that!”
Canelo in turn accused De La Hoya of stealing money from his fighters:
“He tried to steal money and he’s a f—ing asshole,” Canelo raged. “He tried to keep the attention for him, not for Munguia. F—ing pu—! Mother f—er!”
The working relationship between Canelo and De Le Hoya seemed to become irreparable after the Mexican’s 2019 decision win over Danny Jacobs.
It’s understood that sport streamer DAZN, had conversations with Golden Boy about an expected trilogy fight with Golovkin immediately after the Jacobs victory. Reported claims state De La Hoya told DAZN executives that he had secured a third fight with the Mexican star, however, Canelo did not agree and ended up fighting Sergey Kovalev.
Leading into the media gathering, boxing YouTube channel Seconds Out asked Álvarez’ current promoter, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, about the boxer’s relationship with De La Hoya.
“No, never. Not with the conversations I’ve heard,” said Hearn. “The way I see Canelo Álvarez, I don’t see him having grudges against people, but he doesn’t want to entertain any conversations about Oscar De La Hoya.”
De La Hoya spoke to FightHype about his relationship with Álvarez in April 2024.
“Let me give you exactly what happened, why he is so mad at me,” De La Hoya said. “So one day, a reporter asks me, you think Canelo needs another trainer?
“I had seven trainers in my career. I learned from every trainer. [They] taught me something new. You know, maybe Eddie Reynosa can use a little help.
“Well guess what, they called me, not being loyal. He said I wasn’t loyal. That, ‘how could you do this?’
Oscar De La Hoya speaks to the media during the Saul Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia final press conference at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on May 01, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
“Have I received a thank you, never. When I got him the biggest deal of his life, did I receive a thank you, never.”
Although Álvarez is one of boxing’s biggest draws, he has been criticised by some of the biggest stars in the sport for not fighting undefeated David Benavidez.
The 27-year-old Benavidez is a three-time WBC super middleweight champion. At age 20, the American became the youngest super middleweight title holder in the history of the sport.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., who dealt Álvarez his first defeat with a majority decision win in 2013, has also been critical of the Mexican boxer not fighting Benavidez.
“My personal opinion, he is ducking Benavidez,” Mayweather Jr. said to Fight Hub TV in 2022. “We want to see Benavidez, let’s make it happen.”
Álvarez was asked about the possibility of a future bout with Benavidez.
“No, never, not a possibility, because he brings nothing to the table for me,” Álvarez told CNN’s Spanish service.