‘He steals money’: Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya trade verbal jabs

There wasn’t much tension between undisputed super middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez and challenger Jaime Munguia during their final news conference Wednesday.

The same can’t be said of the relationship between Alvarez and his former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, who now promotes Munguia.

A war of words that has been percolating in the past few weeks bubbled over Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s pay-per-view bout between Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 knockouts) and Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena.

While the fighters have maintained a civil relationship, it has almost become a proxy battle as Alvarez and De La Hoya look to settle a years-old score that began when Alvarez sued Golden Boy Promotions to get out of his management contract in 2020.

This is the first time the two sides have been directly involved against each other since the suit was filed, and Alvarez has taken some pointed shots at De La Hoya in recent interviews.

De La Hoya spoke before Alvarez at Wednesday’s news conference at the MGM Grand and used the opportunity to fire back at the attacks on his character, which it has been suggested led to neglectful representation at times.

“Yes, I’ve been to rehab several times. Yes, there were some really low points, and there were times work wasn’t my priority based on my mental health, which I had neglected for so long,” De La Hoya said. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo Alvarez. Period. The company you fought under for decades has always had one name. Mine. So put some respect on it.”

Alvarez stood to confront De La Hoya, but they were quickly separated.

When it was Alvarez’s turn to speak, he delivered a lengthy tirade in Spanish. A translator attempted to relay a watered down version of his words, which prompted Alvarez to interrupt in English.

“No, I said he steals money, and he’s a (expletive),” Alvarez said. “He’s trying to keep the attention on him and not Munguia. That’s what he does.”

Alvarez then added several more colorful expletives. A translation obtained by the Review-Journal indicated Alvarez sharply criticized De La Hoya after briefly praising Munguia.

“And as for this imbecile, who takes advantage of people, do not forget that I was already ‘Canelo’ when I came to the United States. He only profited from my name,” Alvarez said.

“The only thing he does is to be a leech off boxing, steal from boxers. Whoever is with him, please get your lawyers involved because he is surely stealing from you. That is the only thing he comes to do. He is only here to steal Jaime Munguia’s attention; he doesn’t come to promote him.”

Speaking to a small group of reporters after the news conference, De La Hoya indicated he could consider legal action over “defamatory” claims he stole money from Alvarez.

De La Hoya also seemed to take joy in getting Alvarez’s attention off preparing for the fight.

“Fighters like him don’t want me around because the attention is diverted off them, and he hates that,” De La Hoya said. “When you’re distracted and thinking about me, it can be detrimental to the game plan. That wasn’t my plan, but hopefully it works.”

Both raised eyebrows with accusations against the other. Along with the theft remarks, Alvarez brought up De La Hoya’s history of substance abuse and made other references to his personal life. De La Hoya countered by bringing up Alvarez’s failed drug tests.

“I’m one to always bury a hatchet, but that ship has sailed,” De La Hoya said.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.