Oscar De La Hoya has always appeared to be a fan of exhibition bouts. However, he has categorized it to be different from what he calls “real boxing”. The Golden Boy Promoter has a roster full of active boxers, and he doesn’t put them in a similar bracket with celebrity boxers or retired elites.
Hence, he didn’t bill Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul as an actual form of the sport. Although he didn’t evoke any dissent over his former rival, De La Hoya stated why he separates YouTube boxing from the actual fights.
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Speaking with ESNEWS, the former world champion said, “Yeah, look, it’s entertainment I guess. I think when [Mike] Tyson fought the exhibition, okay? I think it’s categorized as entertainment. There’s boxing here, real boxing, amazing fighters, and then you have entertainment. Look, people want to be entertained these days.”
Meanwhile, 48-year-old Oscar De La Hoya has planned to lace up the boxing gloves and return to the squared circle. He has already announced his comeback officially and is now waiting for a viable contender.
As exhibition bouts bring a lot of attention and lucrative paychecks, several former boxers like Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather have opted to enter the fray. And looking at the ongoing scenario, it seems right for them to do so.
Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and so many more on the list
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Tracing it back to 2017, Floyd Mayweather infused the idea of major crossovers by facing UFC star Conor McGregor. The idea saw several UFC-boxing crossovers happen in recent times. Meanwhile, former champions like Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr, Evander Holyfield, and many more pugilists have also come out of retirement. Furthermore, the concept of celebrity boxers has emerged.
So boxing has seen some radical changes in its structure. While many fans have hailed it, a major portion has demeaned this new wave of boxing events.
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Meanwhile, the exhibition bouts will only grow in the future as legends will continue to return. Mayweather vs Logan Paul will reportedly take place on June 5 and will clash with Teofimo Lopez vs George Kambosos Jr. matchup on Triller.
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