Oh no! It seems like Oscar De La Hoya’s favorite excuse “We’re in different sports. He does his thing, I do my thing,” is about to age like milk—because, guess what? Dana White is officially stepping into boxing. And Oscar? Well, let’s just say he’s not thrilled about it. Mr.White, the UFC mastermind, is finally making his long-hyped foray into the sweet science. And he’s not just dipping his toes. He’s diving headfirst with a model eerily similar to his MMA empire.

No sanctioning bodies, no outside promoters, no fighter leverage. If you want to fight in his boxing league, you play by his rules. Sound familiar? That’s because it is. UFC fighters have been stuck in that reality for years, and now, Dana White’s setting the stage for boxing to follow suit. That’s precisely what has ‘The Golden Boy’ all worked up. “Dana White doesn’t know boxing,” De La Hoya remarked calmly but pointedly while speaking to Fight Hub TV. “We’ve had interesting people come into the sport trying to promote, manage, this and that over the years, and try to do it the wrong way.”

And by “the wrong way,” he means Dana’s way. And his biggest gripe? Dana’s pay structure—one that notoriously keeps UFC fighters earning significantly less than their boxing counterparts. And this could soon become the new norm in boxing. “That’s the most important thing about boxing is that fighters are getting paid,” De La Hoya stressed. “Unlike the UFC, where… It’s going to be interesting how the UFC fighters are going to react. When fighters are getting so much money in boxing and then Dana doesn’t pay the UFC fighters. So it’s going to be very interesting to see how it all unfolds.”

So, De La Hoya’s biggest fear? That Dana White’s blueprint could actually work in boxing. And if White succeeds, boxing’s free-market system will be replaced. A UFC-style monopoly, where fighters have little say in their pay or matchups, will emerge.

And for Oscar De La Hoya, this isn’t just business, it’s personal. After years of bad blood with UFC boss, how is he handling all this? The fact that his biggest rival might just reshape the sport he dedicated his life to? That reality might be hitting a little too close to home.

Is Dana White creating more rivals than allies?

De La Hoya isn’t just annoyed, he’s offended. When asked about White’s new boxing league and its big-money Saudi backing, ‘The Golden Boy’ couldn’t hide his frustration. “I did hear that (Al-Sheikh) passed over the reigns of boxing to Dana White,” he said. “I felt a little offended, because I’ve been in boxing all my life and I’ve been promoting for 20-odd years.” In layman terms, ‘who does this guy think he is?’

And Oscar insisted he’ll “stay in his lane” with Golden Boy and DAZN. Continuing to promote in the “right” way. But how much longer will he be able to keep up? With Saudi money pouring into Dana’s project and UFC’s well-oiled marketing machine at work, the power balance could shift rapidly. And Oscar De La Hoya knows it. “Nobody’s going to touch me there because we are the best developers in the fight game,” he declared. But if White gets his way, there won’t be anywhere else to go. Just ask any UFC fighter who’s ever tried to negotiate for more money or switch promotions.

The rivalry between Dana and Oscar isn’t new. These two have traded barbs for years, with White famously calling him “Oscar De La C–ehead” and the latter dismissing White as being clueless about boxing. But now? This isn’t just trash talk. It’s a full-fledged takeover attempt. However, Dana White’s plan is simple—bring his iron-fisted control into a sport historically known for its chaotic, fighter-controlled landscape. And if UFC fighters are any indication, that means lower pay, fewer options, and zero leverage for boxers. That, right there, is Oscar De La Hoya’s smirking comments coming to life.

So, is Dana White about to prove Oscar De La Hoya wrong? If his new boxing league takes off, it could change the sport forever. And if boxers suddenly realize they don’t have many other choices, they might just have to take whatever deal the UFC CEO puts on the table—just like UFC fighters have been doing for years? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!