Oscar De La Hoya On A Tank Davis-Ryan Garcia Bout: “It’s A Matter Of Choices”

By: Sean Crose

“It shouldn’t be that tricky to make,” Oscar De La Hoya says in a fascinating interview with FightHype, “but since you have two guys that are A-side, it’s going to be a little back and forth.” The Golden Boy is talking about a potential high profile match between his fighter, Ryan Garcia, and Floyd Mayweather’s fighter, Gervonta Davis. If made, the bout would be an exciting pairing between two young, popular and hugely talented fighters. “It’s a matter,” De La Hoya continues, “of just talking it out and figuring out okay, who deserves a few extra points, who deserves a few less. Let’s give and take.”

That might prove to be easier said than done. For starters, De La Hoya and Mayweather have never been the best of pals (though De La Hoya speaks graciously of his former foe in the interview, even going so far as to compliment Mayweather directly). On top of that, there’s the matter of broadcast teams and, of course, money and overall popularity. “Everybody has an argument on whose the A-side, whose the B-side,” says De La Hoya. “With the right dance partner you can create a mega fight and that happens to be with Gervonta Davis and vice versa.” While it’s true the exciting styles of both fighters would make a Davis-Garcia match a must see pay per view attraction, the explosive Davis has had experience on the pay per view front before. Garcia hasn’t.

De La Hoya, however, doesn’t think that’s too big a deal. “Gervonta Davis can get on pay per view but it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s selling hundreds and hundreds of thousands of homes,” he says. “I’ve seen the numbers. I know what they are I know that they’re not past 100,000. I know that for a fact.” De La Hoya, in a sense, indicates that the ball is in Davis’ court. “Does he want to continue fighting on the low level pay per views,” De La Hoya asks rhetorically, “or does he want create a mega event with a Ryan Garcia because that’s the only dance partner he can create a special event with. It’s a matter of choices.”

Still, De La Hoya makes it clear in the interview that a battle between the two red hot fighters is simply a matter of common sense. “I’m pretty sure there’s room for everyone to just sit down in a room and just figure this one out,” he states, “because there’s too much money involved.” Just how big does De La Hoya think a Davis-Garcia fight can be? “I strongly feel,” he says, “that this fight can do much bigger than my fight with Floyd.”