Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya has given his two cents on the much-anticipated fight talk between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor McGregor.
Mayweather and McGregor have been trading insults through the media since speculation of a potential fight began over a year ago.
But De La Hoya said the ‘circus’ of the build-up as well as the personality traits of both fighters will keep the historic bout — of an undefeated 40-year-old retired champion taking on a UFC fighter in his professional boxing debut — from ever happening.
“It’s like a circus. Will we see that fight? I strongly feel we won’t,” told CBS Sports. “Both guys are characters, they’re flamboyant, they do all their talking outside the ring. I believe that both men have too big of egos to share the revenues among themselves. Plus, they have to share it with the UFC.”
De La Hoya is currently very busy in Las Vegas, promoting this Saturday's HBO Pay-Per-View Mexican grudge match between between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena.
The 1992 Olympic gold medallist also doubted the legitimacy of McGregor as a boxing prospect, as well as questioning his chances against a seasoned fighter like Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) - even with the five division champion being inactive since September of 2015.
“I see no chance of Conor beating Floyd,” De La Hoya said. “Floyd will outdance for 12 rounds. I don’t think McGregor understands how difficult it is to fight for 12 rounds.
“In the UFC, you fight three rounds or five rounds. Fighting 12 rounds is a whole different story.”
