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Oscar De La Hoya is glad that he didn't fight Vitor Belfort last September.
'The Golden Boy' was last in action against Manny Pacquiao in December 2008. De La Hoya was dominated and knocked out in the contest, and subsequently retired from the sport of boxing and decided to head into the world of promotion.
Against all odds, De La Hoya announced a return to the ring last year. He quickly signed with Triller Fight Club for his comeback and was matched up with former UFC champion Vitor Belfort. The bout was set for Staples Center and was supposed to be broadcast on pay-per-view.
However, two weeks before the bout, De La Hoya came down with COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw. He was replaced by former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, who was quickly knocked out in round one.
Oscar De La Hoya has now reflected on his failed booking with Vitor Belfort on The MMA Hour. The former champion admitted that he was happy the fight fell apart. Discussing the return, the 49-year-old stated:
“I’m glad I didn’t fight this monster of a fighter because he’s a big guy, and he knows what he’s doing. He’s talented. As old as we were, we can still throw punches. We saw it with Evander Holyfield where he knocked him out. I think I dodged a bullet there."
See Oscar De La Hoya's interview on The MMA Hour below:
Is Oscar De La Hoya retired?
While Oscar De La Hoya was set to return to the ring last year, he's not going to make another attempt.
Following De La Hoya's failed booking with Vitor Belfort, he announced that he was going to take some time off before preparing for a comeback. Now, almost a year later, 'The Golden Boy' has admitted that he's fully done inside the boxing ring.
During the same interview, De La Hoya stated that he was done fighting. The 49-year-old emphasized that he wants to continue with promotion and that it's time for him to stop competing as he's getting older.
“I’m glad that I got over [COVID-19] and I didn’t fight, and now I can just sit back and relax and grow some gray hairs promoting fighters. I’m done [as far as fighting]. Everything happens for a reason, and I’m glad that I didn’t come back.”
