Not every UFC betting fan – or boxing for that matter – is down with Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather, but Dana White got flak from whom he least expected it. The self-proclaimed “Savior of Boxing” Oscar De La Hoya has called prospective fight a “farce” from which the sport of boxing would have an even harder and longer time recovering than from Mayweather versus Pacquiao. According to Golden Boy, “Floyd’s and Conor’s motivation is clear. It’s money.” And as fans who bet on UFC know, De La Hoya is practically a Franciscan monk. The former champion added that “they don’t even pretend it’s not” about money.
Well, at least they’re honest, which is more than White can say of De La Hoya. The UFC president rightly pointed out that the boxing promoter attempted to set up a fight between Mac and Canelo Alvarez four months ago. Well, everybody knows that was a terrible idea. Way too much ginger. It would have been like booking Ronald McDonald versus Wendy Thomas. But that’s not all White had to say. As a matter of fact he went on a profanity-laden, et-tu-Brute rant on TMZ. “I’m saying ‘what the [expletive deleted] Oscar?’ Oscar, what the [expletive deleted] is going on with you? Are you out of your mind? Have you lost your [expletive] mind? What’s going on?” And so on and so forth.
De La Hoya said that “2017 has started off as a banner year for boxing. Joshua vs. Klitschko; Thurman vs. Garcia; Golovkin vs. Jacobs; Canelo vs. Chavez.” Boxing and UFC betting fans can easily agree with him up to that point. He added that Mac vs. Money would be another “black eye for our sport” like Mayweather/Pacquiao. “I’m coming in as a savior of the sport by making Triple G vs. Canelo, by making all of these great fights,” Golden Boy told BoxingScene.com. “And you’ll have that. It’s a step backwards, not a step forward.” All things considered, De La Hoya might be in the right, here. I know, kids. I’m scared too.
According to De La Hoya pitting an fighter – who, as much as fans who bet on UFC love him, has no boxing experience – against “the best boxer of our generation” would result in a “twelve round snoozer.” Point taken but, aren’t all Mayweather fights twelve-round snoozers? And seems to be extremely well off. White has a different theory. “It makes it sound like he has no confidence in Triple G vs. Canelo,” White offered. Both men have stated that they have nothing against each other, have always gotten along well, and have – or used to have – a perfectly sound professional relationship. Which has to set UFC betting fans thinking, could all of this just be yet another marketing ploy? Could a Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez and GGG tag team match be in the offing? Culminating in a Dana White versus Oscar De La Hoya grudge match? If that turns out to be the case, it could be a fun little novelty match. Just don’t make it the main event, that’s all we ask.