Last August, Oscar De La Hoya announced plans to end his retirement and face a “top guy” in his return. Now, the 47-year-old boxing promoter spoke about making his return bout against an elite champion in Gennadiy Golovkin. De La Hoya says he’d easily beat the middleweight champion despite being inactive for 12 years.
“You know how easy GGG would be for me? Oh, my gosh,” De La Hoya told Boxing Scene. “It would be a high-profile fight, that’s for sure.
“I always took a good shot and I always took apart fighters like him. In my mind it would be that easy. I would definitely consider it, that’s for sure.”
De La Hoya says he’d likely return as a middleweight, the division Golovkin currently reigns over. The six-division champion fought at 160 lbs just twice in his career, going 1-1 against Felix Sturm and Bernard Hopkins in 2004.
“Right now I came down to 170 (pounds),” De La Hoya said. “So I still am not sure if I can make 154. I’m sure I can make 160 comfortably.”
De La Hoya also says he will keep an eye on the Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr. bout this weekend, as it could sway his decision to return.
“I’m excited to watch and see how Tyson feels and how he looks because that’s going to be a huge determining factor (in if I come back),” De La Hoya said. “But it’s not going to be the only factor in the decision that I make.”
The boxer turned promoter last fought in 2008 when he was dominated and stopped by Manny Pacquiao. He has losses in four of his last seven bouts dating back to 2003.
Golovkin on the other hand, is 40-1-1 and is almost a decade younger than De La Hoya. He is currently on a two fight winning streak since the first loss of his career — a razor thin decision against Canelo Alvarez in 2018.
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