"It was a bad idea" - Oscar De La Hoya reveals he told Canelo Alvarez to avoid 2013 Floyd Mayweather bout
Canelo Alvarez was apparently told by his promoter Oscar De La Hoya to turn down the fight against Floyd Mayweather in 2013.
The Mexican superstar faced off against 'Money' nearly a decade ago. While he was undefeated through 43 bouts, he was still seen as too young to take on the superstar. Alvarez was just 23 years old when he faced off against Mayweather in 2013.
The concerns from fans and pundits turned out to be correct. The young phenom was swinging at air all night against Mayweather and wound up losing via a majority decision. The loss is still Alvarez's only defeat to date, and it was one that could've been easily avoided.
Nearly a decade later, his promoter has revealed that he advised the Mexican against taking the bout.
Floyd had something to say about Canelo 👀 https://t.co/aEKXUp8tPP
Oscar De La Hoya discussed the fight in an interview with Bleacher Report. He noted that he advised Alvarez against taking the risky bout, but the champion was too stubborn.
"I told him he shouldn't take the fight. It was a bad idea. There was a chance that he could be embarrassed by a guy on Mayweather's level, and that's exactly what happened. But he's always going to do what he wants to do. He's a very stubborn person."
Is Canelo Alvarez still managed by Oscar De La Hoya?
Oscar De La Hoya's remarks about advising Canelo Alvarez against fighting Floyd Mayweather aren't a huge surprise. The two men have been on bad terms since the superstar left Golden Boy Promotions in November 2020.
De La Hoya managed Alvarez from early in his career and helped guide him to superstardom. However, their relationship quickly took a turn for the worse after Golden Boy Promotions helped guide the superstar into signing an 11-fight deal with DAZN.
The deal on paper looked tremendous. However, less than two years later, Alvarez sued not only DAZN, but also Golden Boy Promotions for the contract. Despite hoping that he'd get big fights out of the streaming service, the promotion apparently had issues securing bouts for the champion.
Following Alvarez's departure from the promotion, the Mexican and De La Hoya have been on bad terms. These latest comments from De La Hoya about the Mayweather loss certainly won't make the situation any better.