Oscar De La Hoya Shares Surprising Prediction for Garcia vs Mayweather Fight

The Golden Boy Promotions executive gave his assessment on the Ryan Garcia vs Floyd Mayweather megafight.

IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya is a busy executive. The 1992 Olympic gold medalist runs a successful promotion company while engaging in public feuds with other promoters and even some of his own fighters. Yet,he cannot seem to get away from the microphone, especially when it comes to presumably his best fighter.

Ryan Garcia and De La Hoya have a love/hate, mercurial business relationship that veers from positivity to back-and-forth bickering. The two parties have even sued each other. Garcia has one fight remaining on his contract, leaving his future uncertain and his next destination unclear.

On Tuesday, De La Hoya offered one of his strongest takes on what could be the most lucrative fight of Garcia's career.

Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia | IMAGO / Hoganphotos

De La Hoya's Garcia vs Mayweather prediction

There's been plenty of talk about Garcia and Floyd Mayweather fighting in the future. With a date still undetermined, Mayweather is going to take a tune-up fight against a streamer before the fight. Yet that doesn't stop De La Hoya from offering his opinion.

"I don't think it'll happen, but if it does, look, I've always said, yeah, it's a 50/50 fight. I know Floyd Mayweather. I mean, Floyd Mayweather—he's always in great shape. He doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, and takes care of his body. He's always training. He has that lion heart, that lion mind. You know, you can't take down a lion easily."

It's a surprising prediction for De La Hoya, considering he's not fully backing his own fighter.

A win over Floyd Mayweather doesn't do much for Garcia, his legacy, or his current situation, as Mayweather is knocking on the door of 50. Even if he avoids alcohol and maintains a healthy lifestyle, turning 50 still has important ramifications.

Garcia is barely in his prime, fighting active boxers rather than engaging in exhibitions against streamers and celebrities. Garcia would stand to take home his most lucrative payday ever, however. Anyone who fights Mayweather becomes richer, though what does he receive after the win? Promoters will not change their viewpoint unless one thing happens.

What if Mayweather actually defeats Garcia and takes his title? The entirety of boxing will mock him for losing to a quinquagenarian, despite owning the speed and quickness advantage over a fighter 20+ years older. Additionally, a loss will erase all the goodwill and status that Garcia earned with his two-round destruction of Conor Benn, a fight that helped legitimize his standing in the sport.

Fighting Mayweather is a risky proposition for Garcia. His bank account will be happy, but his reputation may suffer.