Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya was on his soapbox last Saturday night, telling the media that Canelo Alvarez needs to stop playing politics and fight the best, Jaime Munguia and David Benavidez.
De La Hoya then used Munguia’s fight against the 35-year-old gatekeeper, John Ryder, as an example of the best fighting the best, which some fans have a hard time believing.
Ryder (32-7, 18 KOs) lost his last fight against Canelo, and his match against #1 WBO, #2 WBC super middleweight contender Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) last Saturday night at the Footprint Center in Phoenix was seen as last chance saloon type of match for him.
The Politics of Boxing
Oscar’s lecture about “politics” in the sport is correct, as crafty match-making, done to avoid risks and to ensure that the promotional companies fighters win to keep bringing in the dough.
What De La Hoya isn’t saying is that he’s playing a part in politics as well with the way he’s matching his fighters.
Last night’s fight between Munguia and the old gatekeeper, 35-year-old Ryder, was a textbook example.
Instead of being put in with a talented, young upper-echelon super middleweight, like David Benavidez or David Morrell, Munguia was matched against Ryder, a fighter with six defeats who was coming off a loss. It’s politics, and De La Hoya is playing a huge part.
Is Canelo Avoiding Competition?
“He was asking me why Canelo and now Benavidez and Munguia aren’t these big fights taking place? Look, Benavidez, who I respect a lot, an incredible talent; he’s been the [WBC 168-lb] mandatory for Canelo for almost two years, I believe?” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya last Saturday night at the post-fight press conference after Jaime Munguia’s win over John Ryder at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.
“So, it’s all politics, and things have to change because I come from an era, and so does [Bernard] Hopkins, where you fight everybody. You fight the best. Whoever you have to fight, you fight. So, it has to stop.
Munguía vs. Ryder: Best vs. Best?
“It literally has to stop because when we have the best fighting the best, this is what you get [large media turnout for Munguia’s fight against the 35-year-old recently beaten gatekeeper Ryder]. Munguia-Ryder, incredible,” said De La Hoya, sounding disengaged and obtuse.
