I was bumped to the front page of the blog yesterday when I predicted that Vitor Belfort would knockout Oscar De La Hoya at UFC 144 . I was wrong, but the fact that I’m even on the front page of the site at all is a clear indication of what most MMA fans think about the matchup. This is the fight Dana White seems most eager for in the company’s history, and I can see why. De La Hoya has long been the company’s marquee fighter, and Belfort’s KO win over Yoshihiro Akiyama just last month catapulted him into the mainstream.
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Dana White, the president of the UFC, has always been an advocate for Vitor Belfort, a fighter who has struggled with a checkered past and an inauspicious debut in the Octagon. The UFC has always seen the Brazilian-born fighter as a kindred spirit, someone whose gritty style mirrors their very own.
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The UFC president is “praying” that his former champion KOs his next opponent “viciously.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort will face Oscar De La Hoya inside the boxing ring on September 11, 2021, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. In an eight-two-minute round professional boxing bout, the two are set to compete through Triller Fight Club. According to ESPN, the bout will be fought at 180 pounds with a five-pound grace.
GettyOscar De La Hoya & Vitor Belfort
UFC president Dana White, on the other hand, would love to see “The Phenom” put De La Hoya to sleep. White spoke on The Pat McAfee Show recently to promote UFC 265, which takes place on Saturday, August 7. White was also questioned about his views on De La Hoya vs. Belfort during the conversation.
Unsurprisingly, the UFC chief called for De La Hoya’s obliteration inside the boxing ring. The two have had a long-running rivalry, with each of them taking vicious jabs at the other over the years. De La Hoya recently accused White of “blocking” a possible fight with Georges St-Pierre, a former two-division UFC champion. He also challenged White to a fight, referring to him as a “little b****.”
The Golden Boy, though, will face Belfort instead of White.
And White is praying The Phenom has a short night. White told MMA Junkie, “I’m hoping Vitor knocks this crackhead out — and brutally.”
White said, “Viciously knocks him out.”
Play VideoDana White is ‘praying’ for an ex-UFC champ to suffer a nasty ko. 2021-08-04T04:16:21-04:00
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White praised De La Hoya’s abilities in his prime and claims that Belfort vs. The Golden Boy will be a “real fight.”
During the interview, White did give De La Hoya some credit, complimenting The Golden Boy’s hitting power.
“As much as I despise that jerk, De La Hoya is the real deal,” White said. “Back when De La Hoya and I were cool, I was really up in his camp. His single jab has the potential to knock people out. In his peak, De La Hoya was the genuine thing. This is a genuine battle between two genuine gentlemen. Vitor clearly has the ability to knock him out, but De La Hoya is no joke.”
White, on the other hand, chose to go after De La Hoya once again.
“Hopefully, all of that coke sniffing, tequila drinking, and whatever else he’s been up to has caught up with him,” White added. “And Vitor smacks him in the face with one straight in his huge mouth, knocking him out.”
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De La Hoya hasn’t boxed professionally in almost a decade, while Belfort has only boxed once.
De La Hoya will be fighting for the first time since losing to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. The Golden Boy is widely considered as one of the best boxers to ever compete in the ring, with a 39-6 record and 30 KO/TKO victories.
Belfort’s fight with De La Hoya, on the other hand, will be his second professional boxing battle, with his first coming 15 years ago in a KO victory against Josemario Neves in 2006. The Phenom made a name for himself in the combat sports world by going 26-14 with one no contest in the MMA cage. The Brazilian is renowned for his devastating strength, having won 18 of his fights via KO/TKO.
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