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via Imago

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Oscar De La Hoya just fired a verbal jab at Devin Haney on Instagram, bluntly dismissing a rematch with Ryan Garcia. “Good luck with Eddie,” he quipped, while simultaneously hitting out at Haney’s promoter, Eddie Hearn. But why the hostility after working closely and peacefully with Hearn for their last event? De La Hoya’s disdain wasn’t just reserved for Hearn, but also for the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, HE Turki Alalshikh.

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has been making bold moves into the U.S. boxing scene as he is set to host the first overseas event of the Riyadh Season at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. At the August 3 event, as part of the main card, Terence Crawford will face Israil Madrimov for the WBA and WBO interim World Super-Welterweight title. This move in tow with Eddie Hearn has definitely ruffled the feathers of many US boxing promoters, including Oscar De La Hoya. As these titans clash, one wonders: What’s at stake for the fighters themselves? Are we witnessing a new “war” in boxing’s promotional landscape?

Oscar De La Hoya Drops the Gloves on Rematch

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Oscar De La Hoya is no stranger to drawing lines in the sand, especially when it comes to defending his turf in the boxing world. Recently, he took to Instagram with a clear message that left no room for interpretation. “Good luck with Eddie but there will not be a rematch,” Oscar commented directly on Devin Haney’s post, effectively shutting down any speculation about a sequel fight with Ryan Garcia. He further emphasized his point by adding, “Good luck in your career and good luck with Eddie, a European promoter trying to make it in the US.”

This isn’t the first time the former boxer has voiced his concerns about external forces entering his domain. Just a few days earlier, he declared a full-blown war against new entrants trying to stake a claim in a market he thinks is his. “No promoter is coming [into] my territory and think they can take over ‘my’ sport!! This is war!!!” he proclaimed, signaling fierce protection of his promotional stronghold against outsiders like Eddie Hearn along with HE Turki Alalshikh, who has managed to attract a lot of big names to his country.

Unrelenting in his pursuit, Oscar De La Hoya commented again on another social media post of Eddie Hearn where the British promoter was promoting the August 3.

Eddie Hearn counters; calls Oscar a “Crazed fan”

The verbal sparring between Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn has escalated, crossing continents and striking at the core of boxing promotions. He again sharpened his words on Instagram under Hearn’s post, suggesting, “Eddie for the sake of British Boxing just stay in the UK and promote, leave the real promoters to the US market where boxing matters.”

De La Hoya accused Hearn of squandering “hundreds of millions of dollars building nothing in the US.” Not one to stay on the ropes, Hearn quickly countered, “@oscardelahoya genuinely are you ok? You stalk me like a crazed fan. You had a great win on Saturday yet I consume your mind 24/7.” He defended his global credentials, boasting, “I am a global promoter with 18 World Champions (you have 4). I have big plans to work with everyone to grow the sport globally and have some fantastic talent in the US market.”

This ongoing feud highlights the intense rivalry shaping the future of international boxing promotions. What do you think? Can the sport benefit from these clashes, or will they only serve to divide it further?

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