Report- Oscar De La Hoya Will Return In September

The desire of legendary fighters to capitalize on returning to the ring for exhibition fights continues and Oscar De La Hoya has wanted to be part of it. And, now, his exhibition apparently has a date.

Mike Coppinger of the Athletic reported Thursday afternoon that the Hall of Famer De La Hoya will take on a former UFC fighter on September 18th in Las Vegas,

Sources: Oscar De La Hoya and former UFC champion Vitor Belfort have agreed to a @triller exhibition boxing match on Sept. 18, likely in Las Vegas. 12-ounce gloves. De La Hoya hasn’t competed at since 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao. Belfort is tied for third-most finishes in UFC

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) June 17, 2021

Interesting within Coppinger’s report that the September 18th date and the site of Las Vegas being floated is also the same weekend that four division world champ, Canelo Alvarez, (who has no use for De La Hoya) is also trying to line up his next fight in that location. And the rumors persist that it will be with IBF 168 lb. champ, Caleb plant.

So, it remains to be seen, who will announce officially first on that?

Meanwhile, as we wrote previously, the former six division world champ De La Hoya has made it no secret that he has been back training to fight again, since last Summer. This despite having no fought, exhibition or otherwise, since Manny Pacquiao defeated him in 2008.

De La Hoya made an abrupt announcement of his in-ring return during the Triller press conference to promoting their April Pay-Per-View headlined by actor/Youtuber Jake Paul and former MMA fighter, Ben Askren. De La Hoya said at that time, simply, “July 3rd, I’m making my comeback.” Then, he literally dropped the microphone and walked off the stage.

He later appeared on the Triller “Fight Club” broadcast of Paul-Askren and repeated that he would be fighting in July, but Triller eventually announced the fight would be moved to later in the year.

The 48 year old De La Hoya is looking to have a similar bout to the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones “exhibition” that Triller staged last November in Los Angeles. Those fighters, in their 50s also fought with the heavier 12 oz gloves for their bout that had no declared winner.

As for Belfort, he’s a 44 year old MMA fighter. He previously won the UFC Light Heavyweight title, but hasn’t been in any type of cage-fight, etc., since May of 2018. Belfort, who is Brazilian, does have a brief amateur background as a boxer in his teenage years. He also fought one time with a first round KO in a pro boxing match in Brazil in 2006.