Oscar De La Hoya ‘will definitely sue’ Canelo Alvarez as he ‘demands boxer deny defamatory allegations’ after explosive press conference

Oscar De La Hoya 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 during 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 “put some respect” on his name, saying he had built the Mexican’s career.

De La Hoya’s assertion sparked an R-rated response from Alvarez, who rushed out of his seat, unleashed a tirade of expletives and accused the promoter of stealing money from his clients, namely Gennadiy Golovkin.

Oscar De La Hoya (R) said he’s ‘definitely going to pursue’ Canelo Alvarez (L)

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 following the explosive allegations.

“I will definitely sue for defamation,” De La Hoya said ESPN. “Imagine the damage this can do to my reputation. Imagine what this can do to my business if the fighters (who) are going to believe this. It’s terrible. We have paid (Golvkin) everything he is owed.

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

“I will stand up for myself when someone speaks negatively about me and that’s what I did,” he said.

“It was the perfect time to let him know how I feel. It was so good. Finally – I’ve been content to keep my mouth shut all these years – and finally I can tell him to his face, put some respect on my name.

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

“Yes, I’ve been to rehab several times,” De La Hoya said from the podium during the press conference.

“Yes, there have been some very low moments in my life. And yes, there were times when work wasn’t my priority due to my mental health, which I had neglected for so long. But that doesn’t change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo up during this period.

The two nearly came to blows after De La Hoya said he built Alvarez’s career

De La Hoya’s complaint triggered Alvarez, who accused him of stealing from his clients

He then goaded Alvarez by accusing the middleweight of failing two drug tests, leading to the fighter throwing himself from his chair towards the promoter, with security having to separate the two.

“This idiot, this guy here to my left, is trying not to forget that I was already ‘Canelo’ when I arrived in the United States and he only took advantage of my name,” Álvarez said, whose first name is Saul but is now usually called Canelo.

“He never lost a single penny, but instead made money. Have you ever paid Golovkin what you wanted to steal from him?

The seething Alvarez was referring to Golovkin’s 2022 lawsuit against Golden Boy seeking more than $3 million, the money owed for that rematch with Alvarez.

“When the pay-per-view numbers come in, the money comes from the cable companies and that takes time,” De La Hoya said via ESPN.

“And as the money came in, I paid Golovkin and that’s it. No discrepancies.