Oscar De La Hoya Questions Ryan Garcia's Move to Dana White After Current Deal Ends
Oscar De La Hoya has openly sided with Eddie Hearn amid the ongoing dispute between him and Dana White. Speaking on Uncrowned’s The Ariel Helwani Show, De La Hoya said, "I am Team Eddie right now, because he’s cooking Dana." The back-and-forth between Hearn and White over White's involvement in the December 11 Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight has captivated boxing fans.
De La Hoya Plans His Own Response
While De La Hoya is currently enjoying watching the exchange, he hinted at launching his own response against White and Zuffa Boxing, calling it "the clap-back of the century." For now, he’s content watching the drama unfold. "It is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen," he said, describing Hearn as funny and harmless, which explains their good relationship despite past differences.
Criticism of Dana White and Zuffa Boxing
De La Hoya was blunt about White’s efforts in boxing. Despite White's claims that Zuffa Boxing would be judged on its full work by the end of 2026, De La Hoya believes they have failed so far. "If I were a teacher, they’d be getting an F," he remarked. He criticized the company for merely renting fighters instead of building champions from the ground up, saying White lacks emotional investment and personal connection with fighters.
"Dana doesn’t know s*** about fighters," De La Hoya said. "It’s all about numbers and shareholders for him. Boxing requires knowing the fighters personally, caring about their lives, and treating them right. You don’t just fire a fighter via email. That’s not how boxing works." This comment referred to Zuffa's decision to release former WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk by email after just one fight with the promotion.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk's Short Stint at Zuffa Boxing
- Fight Date: February 1, 2026
- Opponent: Radivoje Kalajdzic
- Performance: Dominated six rounds with two knockdowns before losing in the seventh
- Release: Notified via email in April
Though Gvozdyk understood the decision, many fans felt the move was harsh, especially after White's initial promise to encourage fighters to take tough challenges.
De La Hoya's Exclusion From Ryan Garcia Fight Promotion
De La Hoya was notably absent from the promotion and fight night of Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn, an event co-promoted by Zuffa Boxing and Golden Boy. Garcia is De La Hoya’s top client, yet De La Hoya wasn’t given his usual ringside seat. "They gave me tickets, but not where I was contractually supposed to sit," he explained. Despite the successful knockout for Garcia, De La Hoya expressed frustration over being excluded.
He plans to address this issue on a future episode of his social media series Clap-Back Thursday but hinted that White wasn’t responsible. "Dana has no say whatsoever," De La Hoya said, adding legal matters prevent him from speaking further now.
Relationship With Ryan Garcia Remains Strong
Despite the incident, De La Hoya confirmed he and Garcia have since spoken and remain on good terms. Garcia still has one fight left on his Golden Boy contract, though sources say he might have another fight under DAZN as well. De La Hoya has helped make Garcia one of boxing's biggest stars and hopes to continue working with him, even if Garcia has suggested he won’t re-sign.
De La Hoya Doubts Garcia Will Join Dana White
De La Hoya does not believe Garcia will join Zuffa Boxing after his current deal expires. "I don’t think he’ll go with Zuffa. I don’t think that’s a good fit for him," he said.
Next Opponents and Future Plans
De La Hoya is set to meet with Garcia soon to discuss his next fight. He already has clear ideas about who should face Garcia next: "The guy I wanted in the first place, Devin Haney," he said. "Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez are the biggest fights for Ryan right now. He’s at an elite level and should be fighting the very best." De La Hoya admires Garcia’s competitive nature and desire to prove himself against top contenders, making Haney or Lopez perfect matches.
Whether De La Hoya continues promoting Garcia remains uncertain, but his vision for Garcia's path is clear.
