Oscar De La Hoya Slams Dana White: “Boxing Will Be Better Off Without Him”

Legendary boxer and Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya has sharply criticized Dana White over his ambitions in professional boxing. According to the former world champion, attempts to introduce the UFC business model into boxing could threaten fighters’ independence, the championship title system, and the financial interests of athletes.

“First of all, he has no business being in this sport. They’re trying to monopolize boxing the same way they did with the UFC. But that’s not going to work here,” De La Hoya stated.

The promoter’s main concern is the potential concentration of power in the hands of a single organization. Unlike the UFC, professional boxing has operated for decades through competition between promoters, independent sanctioning bodies, and the ability of fighters to negotiate their own contractual terms.

“You cannot erase boxing’s history. You cannot destroy the world titles that fighters dream of competing for. And you cannot take away the money that boxers deserve, the way you do with UFC fighters,” he emphasized.

De La Hoya believes that White’s entry into boxing could change not only the sport’s commercial structure but also its fundamental philosophy. Meanwhile, supporters of a centralized model argue that it could simplify the organization of major fights and address some of the longstanding problems within the traditional promotional system.

However, De La Hoya himself sees no need for such intervention.

“Dana White should stick to what he does best — the UFC. And those of us promoters who know what we’re doing should be allowed to do our jobs,” he stated.

De La Hoya concluded his remarks with an even stronger statement:

“Everyone should stay in their own lane. Boxing will be better off without Dana White.”

The confrontation between these two influential figures goes beyond a personal dispute. At stake is the future of professional boxing, control over the sport’s biggest fights, and the right of athletes to determine the direction of their own careers.

As Dana White seeks to establish himself in a new industry, Oscar De La Hoya is making one thing clear: the traditional power players in professional boxing have no intention of surrendering their positions without a fight.

Global Networker | Sports