The tension between boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez and his former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, has reached a boiling point. Following a series of sharp remarks from De La Hoya, Canelo has made it clear that he has no interest in rekindling any sort of professional or personal relationship with his former mentor.
The drama unfolded after Oscar De La Hoya, the boxing legend and head of Golden Boy Promotions, made some stinging comments about Canelo in a recent interview. De La Hoya not only claimed that he could defeat Canelo in the ring but also criticized his former protégé’s fighting style, calling it “boring” and describing Canelo as “heavy-footed.”
These remarks did not sit well with Canelo, who was quick to fire back in an interview with **BoxingScene**, where he held nothing back. “I don’t really care about Oscar,” Canelo bluntly stated. “He has s*** in his head. I don’t give a s*** what he says.”
Canelo, now 34 years old and one of the biggest names in boxing, didn’t just stop at dismissing De La Hoya’s opinions. He went on to emphasize that he has no desire to have De La Hoya in his life in any capacity. “I’m not interested in being a friend to him. I’m good where I am,” Canelo continued. “I have nothing to do with him. I wish all the best for him, and that’s it. But I don’t want him in my life. I don’t want him near me or close to me. I don’t want those kinds of vibes in my life.”
The relationship between Canelo and De La Hoya has been strained for several years now. Canelo was once Golden Boy Promotions’ prized fighter, and De La Hoya played a pivotal role in Canelo’s rise to global stardom. Together, they achieved great success, with Canelo headlining some of the biggest pay-per-view events in recent boxing history.
However, the partnership began to sour in 2020 when Canelo filed a lawsuit against De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions, seeking to break free from his contract. Canelo claimed that the company had failed to deliver on promised fights and financial agreements. The legal battle resulted in Canelo becoming a free agent, a move that allowed him to take full control of his career.
Since then, Canelo has gone on to secure lucrative deals with different promoters and has continued to dominate in the ring. However, the animosity between him and De La Hoya has only grown.
Oscar De La Hoya, known for his outspokenness, is no stranger to controversy. His recent comments about Canelo, though, have sparked widespread discussion in the boxing community. By claiming he could defeat Canelo in a hypothetical matchup and criticizing his fighting style, De La Hoya seemed to be looking to provoke a response. It’s not the first time he has taken jabs at Canelo since their split, but this time, the remarks hit a nerve.
De La Hoya, who himself was a six-division world champion, has been largely inactive in the ring since his retirement in 2008. While he has occasionally flirted with the idea of making a comeback, many believe his comments about being able to beat Canelo were more about stirring the pot than anything else. Nonetheless, it added fuel to the fire of an already heated rivalry.
Despite the war of words, Canelo remains focused on his career and future. After securing victories over some of the top names in the sport, including Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, and Caleb Plant, Canelo is still at the pinnacle of boxing.
His decision to distance himself from De La Hoya seems to be rooted in a desire to keep negativity and distractions away from his life, both personally and professionally. Canelo’s career trajectory continues to rise, and he appears determined to not let old feuds or bitter remarks interfere with his focus.
As Canelo said in his interview, “I’m good where I am.” His achievements in the sport of boxing have placed him among the elite, and his ability to remain unshaken by outside noise is a testament to his discipline and mental strength.
It seems unlikely that this will be the last we hear of the feud between Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya. With De La Hoya being as vocal as he is, and Canelo continuing to make headlines with each new fight, their rivalry is bound to make waves in the boxing world.
For now, though, Canelo has made his stance crystal clear—Oscar De La Hoya is no longer a part of his life, and he plans to keep it that way. Whether this leads to further public exchanges or De La Hoya continues to make provocative statements remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: the bad blood between the two former allies is far from over.
As the boxing world watches closely, Canelo will continue to focus on his career, undeterred by the noise around him. And with his dominance in the ring showing no signs of slowing down, it’s clear that Canelo’s legacy will be determined by his actions in the squared circle—not by the opinions of his former promoter.