Eddie Hearn fires back at rival Oscar De La Hoya as their feud rages on
Matchroom Boxing Promoter Eddie Hearn has continued his war of words with founder of rival outfit, Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes for Golden Boy Promotions, following on from Ryan Garcia’s shock win over Devin Haney last weekend.
Garcia upset the odds to score a majority-decision win over the previously undefeated champion, dropping ‘The Dream’ for the first, second and third time of his career during the contest on his way to a career-best victory.
Ever since, Oscar De La Hoya has been gloating and basking in the glory of his man’s win, taking numerous digs at Eddie Hearn on social media on commenting under various posts that he was tagged in, stating how the Brit should stick to promoting in his own country and slating how his rival has wasted hundreds of millions of pounds during his bid to conquer boxing in the United States.
In an interview with Boxing Social, Hearn laughed off the criticism and nicknamed De La Hoya as ‘Stan’, after admitting his interest in filing a restraining order against the six-division world champion.
“[There is all of this drama] and Oscar won! Imagine if he would have lost! It is weird with Oscar because he is right up my a**e in public.
“We did a head-to-head around the table, we couldn’t have been nicer. He loves me, he wants to work with me and then it’s like [the opposite online]. He wasn’t just commenting on my picture, it was like any picture that I was in! There was one on with Vadim Kornilov about [Israil] Madrimov and he [De La Hoya] was going ‘why is Eddie Hearn involved with this fight?’ and he is my fighter!
“It’s flattering, it really is – because if he didn’t think that I was a threat, why would you even talk about me? I don’t know what it is about me that he particularly dislikes but I really don’t have any emotion towards Oscar De La Hoya. He is one of the greatest fighters of all-time, he is just a little bit obsessed and like I said before, I don’t know about restraining orders in America and how they work, but you have to start becoming concerned.”
“I was actually driving up here tonight and this song came on ‘Stan by Eminem’ and the forced thing that came into my mind was Oscar De La Hoya. I’m just hoping that when I get into the office on Monday, I haven’t got a letter from Stan, A.K.A. Oscar De La Hoya.”
Hearn may get his chance to exact revenge over De La Hoya as Garcia plans to move up to welterweight and take on IBF world champion and newly-signed Matchroom fighter, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.