By TMZ Sports
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya wants to jump from the ring to the cage -- he's starting his own MMA promotion and he's gunning to sign Chuck Liddell as his first fighter, TMZ Sports has learned.
Oscar and Chuck were leaving the Golden Boy Promotions offices in Los Angeles when 48-year-old Chuck told us straight-up, "I'm making a comeback for sure."
When we pushed about signing with Oscar he told us, "We'll see" -- but they looked pretty chummy together.
"We're talking some business," De La Hoya added ... "It's no secret that I love what MMA fighters do. I want to get into the MMA business. I want to start Golden Boy MMA."
Both Oscar and Chuck strongly suggested that Chuck's comeback fight will be against Tito Ortiz -- a guy he's fought 2 times before.
"Tito's always my favorite ... One, he's easy. Two, I never get tired of hitting the guy," Liddell said.
No word on when they're looking to make the fight go down -- but it sounds like they're pushing for sooner rather than later.
Chuck is a UFC Hall of Famer -- and last fought at UFC 115 back in 2010.
De La Hoya's aspirations to enter MMA is certainly a twist - as UFC President Dana White has made it widely known in recent months that he intends to enter the sport of boxing - likely under the Zuffa Boxing banner. White has been holding talks with several boxers and promoters, with plans to stage numerous events per year. There have been rumors that White is actively trying to sign four division champion Mikey Garcia.
A few years ago, De La Hoya was very interested in signing Ronda Rousey to a boxing contract, but all of that went up in smoke when the former MMA star was knocked out by former boxing champion Holly Holm in a very unexpected upset.