Oscar De La Hoya has received support from two former professional boxers regarding his statement that fighters are responsible for the state of the sport’s health.
In his weekly Clap Back Thursday social media post, De La Hoya expressed his belief that the lack of thriving in the sport is due to fighters not facing each other, avoiding high-risk fights to protect their unbeaten records.
Former world champions Paulie Malignaggi and Chris Algieri agreed in part with De La Hoya’s sentiment. Malignaggi mentioned the importance of making risky fights to keep the sport exciting and how avoiding losses can lead to certain fighters being overlooked.
Algieri pointed out fighters like Tim Tszyu and David Benavidez who actively seek tough challenges, emphasizing the importance of being unafraid of setbacks in order to improve the sport as a whole.
Reflecting on De La Hoya’s era as a fighter, Algieri acknowledged the willingness of boxers like De La Hoya, Tito Trinidad, and Shane Mosley to face top competition without fear of losing, contrasting it with the current trend of avoidance among fighters.
