Boxing fans were surprised on Friday when they saw a report that Oscar De La Hoya had “challenged” UFC star Conor McGregor to a fight. He said that he could knock out McGregor in two rounds, and the Irishman responded. He accepted De La Hoya’s challenge and made fans believe organizers would facilitate another match between UFC and boxing stars.
The situation began when De La Hoya appeared on CBS Sports’ State of Combat podcast. He talked about McGregor’s achievements in the UFC, but he also spoke about switching sports. De La Hoya said that transitioning between the boxing ring and the octagon is not swift. He also predicted how long McGregor would last.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“Two rounds. Because one thing about me, one thing about me, I went for the kill always,” De La Hoya said. And look, Conor McGregor is — I love him in The Octagon. I respect him. I watch him all the time. But the boxing ring is a whole different story. It’s a whole different story.”
McGregor heard this statement, and he responded on Twitter. “I accept your challenge, Oscar de la Hoya,” he wrote. Fight fans saw the tweet and became excited about McGregor facing off with another boxer. He previously took on Floyd Mayweather during a highly-publicized match in 2017, but he lost in the 10th round by TKO.
De La Hoya did later clarify the situation and shut down any rumors of a pending fight. He tweeted out that he actually “never challenged” McGregor. He was just “speaking the truth.” This message seemed to end the rumors of a potential future matchup between the two.
Interestingly enough, this not the first time that De La Hoya has mentioned possibly fighting McGregor. He also discussed a match back in 2017 as excitement built for the Irishman and Mayweather’s bout. He even revealed that he had been secretly training and could defeat the UFC star in a short span of time.
“You know I still have it in me. I’ve been secretly training,” De La Hoya said in 2017. “Secretly training. I’m faster than ever and stronger than ever. I know I could take out Conor McGregor in two rounds. I’ll come back for that fight. Two rounds. Just one more. I’m calling him out. Two rounds. That’s all I need. That’s all I’m going to say.”
De La Hoya achieved a record of 39 wins and only six defeats before his retirement in 2008. He also knocked out 30 of his opponents. A battle between the boxer and the UFC star may not happen after the Twitter clarification, but De La Hoya believes that he would easily secure the victory.
Related Posts
-
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 9: Connor McGregor and Mascot Burnie of the Miami Heat perform during halftime against the Denver Nuggets during Game Four of the 2023 NBA Finals on June 9, 2023 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
