By Robert Morales
Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, on Tuesday played host to a news conference promoting Thursday's card at Club Nokia at L.A. Live featuring Victor Ortiz against Hector Alatorre in the welterweight main event.
Prior to the proceedings, De La Hoya was asked what he thought about Paulie Malignaggi's recent comments regarding Amir Khan, recently signed by Golden Boy.
Malignaggi said that since Khan is a Wild Card Gym fighter trained by Freddie Roach, he is a little suspicious of Khan's cleanliness regarding performance-enhancing drugs.
Malignaggi never accused Khan of being dirty, but he admitted wondering about him since Roach trains Manny Pacquiao - about whom Malignaggi previously voiced suspicion. Roach, Malignaggi noted, also trained James Toney when Toney tested dirty.
"Paulie likes to talk, he likes to talk," said a smiling De La Hoya to BoxingScene.com. "Who knows what comes out of Paulie's mouth."
De La Hoya said, "I hadn't even heard about it," but he chuckled when told of Roach's reply to Malignaggi's comments, that Roach might smack Malignaggi when he sees him.
De La Hoya said a deal for the proposed May 15 Khan-Malignaggi fight at Madison Square Garden is getting there.
"It's very close," De La Hoya said. "But I don't want to say it's a done deal until it is signed."
De La Hoya said the plan is to have a tripleheader that night, with all three fights being televised by HBO.
The semi-main event would feature Ortiz - assuming he does not get upset Thursday by journeyman Alatorre (16-8, 5 KOs) - against Nate Campbell.
"I would say that's 90 percent done," De La Hoya said. "Victor against Campbell is a hell of a fight. Campbell wants that fight and Victor wants that fight."
De La Hoya said he is hopeful the opening act will pit middleweight prospect Daniel Jacobs of Brooklyn against Peter Manfredo Jr.
"It's time that we showcase Daniel Jacobs on the East Coast," De La Hoya said. "I think it's going to be a fun night of fighting."
