Oscar De La Hoya vs. Vitor Belfort set for Triller exhibition boxing match
Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya will return to the ring when he takes on former UFC champion Vitor Belfort in an exhibition boxing match.
Mike Coppinger of The Athletic was the first to report that De La Hoya vs. Belfort is on tap for the Triller Fight Club event scheduled for September 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be an exhibition match and the fighters will wear 12-ounce gloves. As the scribe notes, the 48-year-old De La Hoya hasn’t fought since losing to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. The 44-year-old Belfort, meanwhile, hasn’t competed since losing to Lyoto Machida in the UFC in 2018, and his only pro boxing match came back in 2006, which he won by first-round KO.
Sources: Oscar De La Hoya and former UFC champion Vitor Belfort have agreed to a @triller exhibition boxing match on Sept. 18, likely in Las Vegas. 12-ounce gloves. De La Hoya hasn’t competed at since 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao. Belfort is tied for third-most finishes in UFC
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) June 17, 2021
Sources: Oscar De La Hoya and former UFC champion Vitor Belfort have agreed to a @triller exhibition boxing match on Sept. 18, likely in Las Vegas. 12-ounce gloves. De La Hoya hasn’t competed at since 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao. Belfort is tied for third-most finishes in UFC
Triller CEO Ryan Kavanaugh later confirmed the date for the fight is actually September 11.
De La Hoya (39-6 boxing) is known as one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of all time, having won 11 world titles in six different weight classes during his 15-plus years as a professional boxer. Since retiring over a decade ago, De La Hoya has worked as a boxing promoter, but he has made it known he wanted to box again. There were rumors that he would fight Georges St-Pierre, but it appears as though Belfort has won the sweepstakes.
Belfort (26-14, 1 NC MMA) is one of the most recognizable names in MMA history. The Brazilian was supposed to fight YouTube star “The Real Tarzann” at this Saturday’s Triller Fight Club event, but the card was canceled when headliner Teofimo Lopez tested positive for COVID-19. The fact that this fight with De La Hoya was agreed to so quickly seems to suggest that the fight with Tarzann was essentially a tune-up fight for Belfort. Instead, he’ll make his return to the ring against one of the greatest boxing legends ever in De La Hoya.
Who do you think wins this exhibition boxing match between Oscar De La Hoya and Vitor Belfort?
