It’s long been no secret that Canelo Alvarez and former promoter Oscar De La Hoya aren’t exactly friendly, and on Wednesday, things got hot between the two at the press conference for Canelo’s Saturday fight with Jaime Munguia.
It’s the first time Canelo and De La Hoya have worked on the same promotion since Canelo’s bitter split from Golden Boy in 2020. Oscar started today’s renewed tension by addressing some of the criticisms Canelo has sent his way over the years.
“Yes, I’ve been to rehab several times. Yes, there were some really points in my life. And yes, there were times when work was not my priority thanks to my mental health, which I had neglected so long,” De La Hoya said.
“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—ing respect on it.”
As De La Hoya continued, Canelo, seated to his right, began to speak off-mic toward him in Spanish. Oscar then brought up the time in 2018 when Munguia, then an unknown, tried to step in to replace Canelo against Gennadiy Golovkin following Alvarez failing two drug tests.
Canelo then stood and approached De La Hoya, continuing to speak. De La Hoya stood his ground while others got between them, then took his seat, and nothing more happened, really.
All the while, Munguia just stayed in his seat and chilled, basically.
Canelo then spoke up and in English, and he didn’t mince words.
“He tried to steal money and he’s a f—ing a—hole, that’s what I said,” Canelo stated. “He’s a f—king a—hole. He’s trying to keep the attention for himself, not for Munguia. He’s a f—ing a—hole. He tries to steal from his fighters, that’s what he does. F—ing p—y. Motherf—er.”
If there’s an out-of-ring “narrative” for the marketing on Saturday, it’s definitely the still-raw feelings between Canelo and Oscar, because feelings between Canelo and Munguia, whom he’ll actually fight, seem entirely respectful, as Canelo has no beef with Munguia.