Oscar De La Hoya has accused Zuffa Boxing of using inflated purses to trick fighters before reducing long-term pay. The Golden Boy Promotions chief warned that the promotion intends to monopolise boxing and eventually lower purse structures across the sport.
Speaking on his Clap Back Thursday show, De La Hoya criticised Zuffa’s entry into boxing, comparing its financial strategy to a Trojan horse. He argued that lucrative short-term contracts offered to elite fighters create an unrealistic standard designed to entice younger prospects into restrictive agreements.
De La Hoya stated: ““Today, Zuffa Boxing is the Trojan horse. They are overpaying a few boxers to make it seem like this big money will continue, but it won’t. The money faucet just keeps flowing once they monopolize the sport like they want to. Zuffa will pay fighters peanuts. It’s a scam. Exactly like the UFC. It’s the same model. It’s not right. They want to change the Muhammad Ali Act so they can operate as their own league with their own rules, their own rankings, their own unicorn belt,””
The promoter insisted that current spending levels are unsustainable. He believes high-profile fighters are being used primarily as promotional tools.
Addressing the contractual structures being offered, De La Hoya pointed to short-term deals signed by established stars as evidence of the strategy.
He added: ““They’re luring in the biggest names for fight deals. No long contracts. That’s why you see Shakur and Conor signing a one- or two-fight deal. Never a long-term deal. This is the Trojan horse. This is how they work you. They are overpaying the household names in order to look pretty and gain credibility so more up-and-coming fighters will sign with them. Mark my words, once they get you to sign, they’re going to scale all payment back just like they have with the UFC.”
The wider concern centres on prospects entering the sport under the belief that inflated purses will remain permanent. If Zuffa establishes complete market control, De La Hoya argues, fighter leverage will decrease significantly.
He urged prospective boxers to examine the long-term reality: ““The younger generation feels this kind of money will be available to them at Zuffa Boxing. The truth is they’ll be tricked into a very shitty contract where they must fight for only the unicorn belt.””
