Oscar De La Hoya Fuels Floyd Mayweather and Gennady Golovkin Comeback Rumours
Oscar De La Hoya is "50-50" about returning to the boxing ring, but he admits the only way he would do so is to fight the "very best," such as Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Gennady Golovkin.
The 42-year-old hasn't fought since losing to Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in 2008, and he lost to Mayweather in 2007. He admits the "itch" to return has appeared alongside a fitness regime that has allowed him to "feel the best" he ever has.
This involves running eight miles, hitting the bag for 12 rounds and staying away from alcohol, his previous demon, according to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. However, the legendary boxer isn't willing to fight at anything higher than the 154-pound junior middleweight division and is keen on facing only Mayweather or Golovkin.
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"I want to fight one of them because they are the best and I always fought the best. That's what boxing is all about—fighting the best," De La Hoya said, per Rafael. The Golden Boy also suggested any previous injuries are now gone:
"I've gotten everything taken care of—my rotator cuffs, my left hand, everything. I'm pain free. I just feel good and when I walk the streets, everyone tells me, 'You have to fight Floyd again, you have to fight GGG. You can do it, you can do it.
I just feel great physically. I've been taking care of myself. I've been doing the Bernard Hopkins lifestyle. You can turn the clock back to a certain time.
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De La Hoya recently indicated he wants to face the victor of a potential Mayweather vs. Golovkin bout:
Kel Dansby of Black Sports Online provided a video of Mayweather throwing down the gauntlet to the retired pro:
It seems De La Hoya is becoming more excited by the prospect of battling again as time passes. However, waiting for Mayweather to take on GGG is as good as suggesting a bout against either will never happen.
Money has one fight left after beating Pacquiao on May 2. This is likely to be scheduled for September, and if Mayweather's recent comments are anything to go by, it could prove to be a huge anticlimax to his stunning career.
"There are two names out there that I'm going to fight," Mayweather said, per The Boxing Voice (h/t Sky Sports). "I'm either going to fight Karim Mayfield or Andre Berto in September."
Mayfield's record stands at 19-2-1 with 11 knockouts across his professional career. He has won just one of his last three fights, having beaten Michael Balasi in November 2014 after losing consecutive encounters against Thomas Dulorme and Emmanuel Taylor.
Andre Berto has racked up a 30-3 record, but all three of his losses have come in his last six fights. Victor Ortiz and Robert Guerrero beat the 31-year-old via unanimous decision before Jesus Soto Karass teed off on the Haitian-American in a TKO win, as highlighted below:
Neither man deserves the chance to help Mayweather lower the curtain on his career. Golovkin or perhaps Amir Khan would provide Pretty Boy with a better final bout; however, Rafael believes Mayweather is serious about welcoming a simple final challenge:
Even with his absence from the ring, De La Hoya would be more than confident about providing Mayweather with a tougher task than Mayfield or Berto. He could also represent an interesting stepping stone for Golovkin, who is ready to showcase his skills against the absolute best.
Beating the likes of Martin Murray and Willie Monroe Jr. has allowed him to establish a 33-0 unbeaten record, but it's time for the Kazakh brawler to take the next step. He's as dangerous as they come.
De La Hoya's return to the ring would be huge news, particularly with pay-per-view sales in mind. Like Mayweather, his career captured the imagination of fans across the globe. Many would question his fitness after such a prolonged absence from competitive boxing, but as a spectacle, his re-emergence would be an exciting development for the sport.
Circumstances suggest Golovkin is the more likely fighter to take De La Hoya on, a bout that would satisfy the former's need to face a huge name and the latter's desire to challenge the best once more.
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