“We work with every promoter out there,” De La Hoya told Fighthype. “Even if it has to be Dana White and Zuffa, as much as I hate it, let’s go. Why not? Because the fighters want this fight.
“Ryan wants this fight. He wants to fight Conor Benn. Well, yeah. Hey, let’s make it happen. That’s what boxing is all about. You have to work with the promoters to make these fights happen.
“So, I’m not going to stand in the way of that. If that’s what Ryan wants, that’s what he’s going to get. It’s a matter of details. It’s a matter of making sure all parties are happy.”
Ryan remains under contract with Golden Boy Promotions, meaning De La Hoya’s involvement will be necessary for any deal to move forward. Benn, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the early faces linked to Zuffa’s planned entry into boxing.
Although De La Hoya has been openly critical of Dana White’s boxing ambitions in the past, he admitted that talks between the two sides would eventually become inevitable as the fight progressed.
“Absolutely,” De La Hoya said when asked if there would eventually have to be discussions with White’s team. “Ultimately, there has to be a conversation, and whether they like it or not, we might be a few steps away together on stage.
“Who knows what could happen? Maybe the press conference will be more exciting than the actual fight because Dana White and I are going at it. Who knows? But I’m ready. You know me.”
The potential matchup would represent one of the biggest fights available in the welterweight division and another example of rival promoters working together to produce big events. For De La Hoya, personal differences seem secondary if it means giving Garcia the opportunity he’s been looking for.
De La Hoya maintains the focus remains on making the fight itself a reality, regardless of who is involved behind the scenes.
