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Oscar De La Hoya has expressed doubts about the likelihood of a boxing showdown between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jaime Munguia happening in May, citing complexities in the negotiation process.
De La Hoya, who was recently in New York City to promote a fight between WBC junior welterweight champion Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia, shared his skepticism in an interview with The MMA Hour. Despite Munguia being his fighter and Alvarez's recent split with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), De La Hoya acknowledged that Alvarez holds significant leverage in the decision-making process.
“Canelo holds all the cards here – that is the problem,” De La Hoya said. “It is creating all this mess that we are living now.”
The relationship between Alvarez, 33, and De La Hoya, his former longtime promoter, adds another layer of complexity. De La Hoya admitted to not having been in contact with Alvarez since the fighter left Golden Boy Promotions in 2020, highlighting the challenges in securing a matchup between Alvarez and Munguia for May 4, traditionally a date for a Cinco de Mayo fight.
“Everybody wants him on their platform, whether it is DAZN or whether it is Amazon, that PBC has,” De La Hoya said. “Somehow I have to get to Canelo. I don’t know how I am going to do it – but I am going to do it.”
Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) has shown promise, most recently defeating John Ryder in January. However, his lack of experience against top-tier competition may be a factor in negotiations. De La Hoya emphasized the unpredictability of boxing negotiations, cautioning against taking anything for granted until deals are finalized.
“In my 22 years of being in business, being around boxing forever, you just cannot believe anything you read, anything you see,” he said. “Until you see it on paper and it is signed and sealed, you just cannot believe it.”
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