Oscar De La Hoya is back. The "Golden Boy" will make his return to the boxing ring at 48 years old on Sept. 11 against former UFC titleholder Vitor Belfort, according to multiple reports. Mike Coppinger of The Athletic was first to report the news.
The pair will face off in an exhibition with 12-ounce gloves in an event expected to take place in Las Vegas on Triller PPV. De La Hoya has not fought professionally since a TKO loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. He participated in an exhibition with Shaquille O'Neal in 2009. Belfort, meanwhile, signed a deal with ONE Championship in 2020 with his expectation to fight for the MMA promotion later that year. However, he left the promotion shortly after without competing. Belfort had signed on to face Mike Holston on the June 19 card that featured Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos in the main event, but that card was postponed after Lopez tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.
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Belfort has seemingly been angling to get in on the boxing exhibition bonanza for months before landing the now-canceled fight with social media star and animal advocate Holston. Recently, Belfort claimed he could knock out both Logan and Jake Paul in the same night before criticizing Jake's recent choice of opponents in former MMA fighters Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, calling them "the worst representation of MMA."
De La Hoya had long teased his return to the squared circle with the hopes of luring a big name MMA combatant in as his foe. Georges St-Pierre said that UFC president Dana White prevented him from participating in such a match last month.
