Golden Boy Promotions chief Oscar De La Hoya has accused organisers of intentionally excluding him from the launch stage for Ryan Garcia’s fight against Conor Benn. De La Hoya confirmed he remains central to the September 12 event despite the omission.
The Hall of Fame promoter voiced his frustration following the promotional launch in New York, claiming he received no prior notice regarding the event. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, De La Hoya questioned the motives of those running the press presentation.
“How petty are these guys? Not to include me and not to make sure I’m on stage,” De La Hoya said.
“What are they afraid that I’m going to sock somebody in the nose? Of course I’m going to be there. Of course I’m going to be promoting it. Ryan Garcia, everybody knows he’s my fighter. He’s the Golden Boy. We’re looking forward to a big event. Turki Alalshikh said more than $6 million in tickets have already been sold, so it’s going to be a big event.”
De La Hoya believes the decision to leave him off the stage was a calculated attempt to avoid a potential direct clash with UFC chief Dana White and Zuffa representatives involved in organizing the card.
“I wasn’t even aware of it. That’s what these people do. They try to slip one by me. I really do believe they are trying to keep me away from Dana because they know what’s going to happen,” he stated.
When asked whether an encounter with White could turn physical, De La Hoya dismissed the idea while clarifying the co-promotional structure behind the event.
“I’m not going to punch anybody, but they’re trying to keep everything from me. We all know Ryan Garcia is a Golden Boy fighter. This is a Golden Boy event, and this is a Zuffa event because Turki bought the event and included Zuffa because Conor is a Zuffa fighter now.”
The co-promotional effort highlights the delicate balance between competing boxing entities as the build-up continues. Despite the organizational friction, ticket sales have already surpassed $6 million for the September showpiece. Golden Boy Promotions and Zuffa will continue working together to deliver the event, with De La Hoya insisting his promotional role will be prominently featured when media duties resume.
