Is this boxing’s mega-circus part deux? Just recently, boxing promoter and Golden Boy head honcho Oscar Dela Hoya went public on how he, at age 44, would come back to the sport that made him famous to take on mixed martial arts’ biggest star. When Dela Hoya took an interview a few days ago detailing how he would knock out “The Notorious” Conor McGregor, people thought he was crazy.
How could a guy who hasn’t competed professionally in years, is way past his prime and is over the age of 40 beat one of the most talented combat sports fighters of all-time? It’s unfathomable and something that is probably unlikely.
At the same time, how can a guy with amateur-level boxing skills like McGregor even hope to beat a legend like Dela Hoya? He was toyed with by Floyd Mayweather, and it could happen again. Even against an old dude like the Golden Boy.
Dela Hoya beating McGregor is one thing, but the fight actually happening? Completely out of the question. Or is it?
As is the world of combat sports, things can get a little crazy. Even if the fight is nowhere near a reality, surprisingly, betting lines have opened up and the odds have been revealed.
Betting Odds Introduce Conor McGregor as Favorite and Oscar Dela Hoya as Underdog
Can an amateur-level type of boxer like Conor McGregor really beat a legend in Dela Hoya? Surprisingly, at least one oddsmaker has McGregor winning this fight. BetDSI.eu’s opening odds on this bout are -125 for McGregor compared to Dela Hoya’s +105.
“This isn’t a GOAT versus an untrained boxer scenario all over again,” read a BetDSI statement. “With proper time to train, we expect McGregor to be quite competitive in the ring, particularly against an aging De La Hoya that doesn’t possess the quickness or power he may need to win.”
That’s a bold statement. But it does carry some weight. There are some who thought McGregor actually did quite well against Mayweather, landing some good punches before he gassed out. But then there’s the boat that thinks Mayweather simply threw rounds against McGregor to make the fight more fan-friendly.
Which camp of thought do you reside on? It’s tough to gauge just exactly what went on. But if Dela Hoya has his way and lands a fight with McGregor, will we be witness to another circus?
Oscar Dela Hoya Calls Out Conor McGregor
Of course, none of this would even be talked about had Dela Hoya not called out the Irishman. Here’s what he said that got everyone thinking about this matchup:
“You know I’m competitive,” De La Hoya said, speaking on DashRadio. “You know I still have it in me. I’ve been secretly training. Secretly training. I’m faster than ever, and stronger than ever. I know I could take out Conor McGregor in two rounds. I’ll come back for that fight. Two rounds.
“Just one more. I’m calling him out. Two rounds. That’s all I need. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“He’s a big Irishman,” De La Hoya said. “He’s the king. He’s the king. … Hey, let’s get it straight: in the cage, he would freakin’ destroy me. He would destroy me. No, [we have to fight] in the ring.”
