Oscar De La Hoya rules out Canelo Alvarez fight and wants Floyd Mayweather rematch ahead of ring return aged 48
OSCAR DE LA HOYA says he is now targeting a rematch against Floyd Mayweather after ruling out fighting Canelo Alvarez.
De La Hoya, 48, makes his return to boxing later this month when he fights ex-UFC man Vitor Belfort.
It will be his first appearance in the ring for over a decade.
And De La Hoya previously stated he wanted a piece of Mexican superstar Canelo, who he used to train, afterwards.
However, De La Hoya has now backtracked on that decision.
And he instead fancies a rematch against Mayweather, who won their first bout in 2007.
De La Hoya said: “I changed my mind. Not because of anything or he’ll knock me out.
“It’s just I thought it over and I’d actually rather call out – after I do two [comeback bouts] – Floyd Mayweather or Felix Trinidad.”
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De La Hoya is certainly confident of advancing past Belfort, declaring: “This is not a game.
“We don’t play boxing. We don’t play UFC. We don’t play MMA.
“I literally said if we’re going to do this, let’s do it for real. Let’s not do this song and dance.
“Let’s not do these exhibitions that we’re tired of. This is the real thing.”
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But Belfort believes he can spring an upset, firing back: “When you step in the ring, you want the wars.
“I’m coming into the sport that Oscar has mastered, and I’ve learned in training boxing at a different level.
“My style is to come as a lion, and that’s what I’m going to do, no changes now.”