Oscar De La Hoya is ‘definitely going to sue’ Canelo Alvarez as he ‘demands boxer detracts defamatory claims’ after explosive press conference

Oscar De La Hoya has reportedly sent a legal letter to Canelo Alvarez following the boxer’s explosive allegations during Wednesday’s press conference.

Alvarez, 33, came face to face with Jaime Munguia at Wednesday’s press conference ahead of their Cinco De Mayo fight this weekend.

However, it was Alvarez and his former promoter De La Hoya who almost came to blows in Las Vegas.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO De La Hoya, Munguia’s co-promoter, told Alvarez to give “some damn respect” to his name and claimed he had built the Mexican’s career.

De La Hoya’s claim prompted an R-rated response from Alvarez, who launched himself from his chair, unleashed a tirade of expletives and accused the promoter of stealing money from his clients, namely Gennadiy Golovkin.

Oscar De La Hoya (right) has said he will ‘definitely press charges’ against Canelo Alvarez (left)

The boxer and promoter clashed during Wednesday’s press conference in Las Vegas

Now De La Hoya has claimed he will take legal action against his former client over the explosive allegations.

“I’m definitely going to file a defamation lawsuit,” De La Hoya said ESPN. “Imagine the damage this could do to my reputation. Imagine what it could do to my business and fighters [who] are going to believe that. It’s terrible. We have paid [Golvkin] everything he owes.”

And De La Hoya appears to be following through on his threat by sending a legal letter to Alvarez on Thursday, demanding that the boxer withdraw his “defamatory allegations” and also stop making further such comments. ESPN reported.

“I’m going to defend myself when someone speaks negatively about me and that’s what I did,” he said.

‘This was my perfect moment to let him know how I feel. It felt so good. Finally – I’ve just kept my mouth shut all these years – and finally I can tell him to his face, and put some respect on my name.”

The tension that has been simmering between the two since their 10-year relationship between promoter and fighter ended in 2020 came to a boil on Wednesday when De La Hoya appeared to try to rile Alvarez up.

“Yes, I have been to rehab several times,” De La Hoya said on stage during the press conference.

‘Yes, there were some very low points in my life. And yes, there were times when work wasn’t my priority because of my mental health, which I had neglected for so long. But that doesn’t change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo during this period.”

The pair almost came to blows after De La Hoya said he built Alvarez’s career

De La Hoya’s claim prompted Alvarez, who accused him of stealing from his clients

He then further inflamed Alvarez by accusing the middleweight of failing two drug tests, which led to the fighter jumping out of his chair at the promoter as security had to separate the two.

“This idiot, this [guy] here on my left, try not to forget that I was already ‘Canelo’ when I came to the United States and he just took advantage of my name,” said Alvarez, whose given name is Saul but is now usually called Canelo.

‘He never lost a cent, but made money. Have you paid Golovkin yet what you wanted to steal from him?’

The seething Alvarez referenced Golovkin’s 2022 lawsuit against Golden Boy, in which he demanded $3 million, the money he was owed from that rematch with Alvarez.

“When pay-per-view numbers come in, there’s money coming in from the cable operators and that takes time,” De La Hoya said, via ESPN.

“And while the money was coming in, I paid Golovkin and that was it. There are no discrepancies whatsoever.’