Floyd Mayweather demanded that Oscar De La Hoya do an interview with Fight Hype before he’d be willing to negotiate a lightweight fight between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia, and here De La Hoya acquiesces during a lengthy interview with the media outlet. Check out some of what De La Hoya had to say on making the fight below with the full video interview above.
De La Hoya on making a Davis-Garcia fight
“When we talk about a Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia fight, it shouldn’t be that tricky to make. But since you have to guys that are A-sides, it’s gonna be a little back-and-forth. I know Floyd promotes Gervonta Davis, I promote Ryan Garcia, so it’s just a matter of just talking it out and figuring out who deserves a few extra points, who deserves a few less, let’s give and take.
“It’s all about just being fair, basically. Because both guys sell, both guys have a name. They both can sell PPVs — even though Ryan hasn’t fought on PPV. They both can sell arenas, they’re the draws. So it’s not tricky to make but it can be a little complicated.”
On Mayweather’s position that Davis is the true A-side as the one who’s actually been on PPV
“Everybody has an argument on who’s the A-side, who’s the B-side. Look, as Ryan’s promoter, he does sell, he is popular, and with the right dance partner you can create a mega fight and that happens to be with Gervonta Davis, and vice versa. I mean Gervonta Davis can get on PPV but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s selling hundreds and hundreds of thousand of homes…I know that they’re not past 100,000, I know that for a fact.
“So does he want to continue fighting on the low-level PPVs or does he want to create a mega event with a Ryan Garcia, because that’s the only dancing partner he can create a special event with. So it’s a matter of choices and the great part of this whole event is Ryan wants the fight, Gervonta wants the fight, I know Mayweather wants the fight — I want the fight. Both networks want the fight.
“So I think there’s room to get everybody to just sit down in a room and figure this one out because there’s too much money involved, such a great fight now. I think this fight here between Gervonta and Ryan would be one of those fights where we haven’t seen two young fighters at their prime, or just reaching their prime, fighting each other.
“And I have to admit Gervonta Davis has a world title, so that’s obviously something we have to take into consideration. I’m not someone who’s not fair. I’m someone who knows reality, who is a fighter inside the ring, but also a businessman who knows how to step back and analyze everything and do what’s fair.”
On if Garcia must continue fighting at 140
“He felt very comfortable in the Fortuna fight, at 140. I can’t speak for him, I can’t speak for a fighter…I can’t really say for yourself because the fighter, the individual only knows how he’s feeling. I have to leave that one up to Ryan because that’s his expertise there. He knows how his body feels, he knows what he has to do, how he has to train, cutting the weight, all that stuff. Everything else I can answer except for that.
“Ryan’s been campaigning at 135. I fought at 130 being taller than he is. It’s a matter of how much you want it, it’s a matter of how much discipline, dedication, desire, all that good stuff. So I see Ryan making 135 with no problem, but I see him comfortable at 140…Again, it’s a negotiation, it’s a matter of giving one or two or three pounds. That’s gonna come down the road, those are negotiations that will take place, but down the road.”
On Garcia’s ties to DAZN and if that network has to be involved in making this fight
“Ryan Garcia is signed to Golden Boy promotions and DAZN is our broadcasting partner. So in order to make this fight, both parties have to participate. It wouldn’t be fair or good business to leave DAZN out of this. They’ve help me build Ryan Garcia on DAZN, they’ve spent a lot of money. It wouldn’t be fair, it wouldn’t be good business.
“Fights of this magnitude have been worked out many times. And it’s a matter of figuring it out, and look, it’s gonna take Stephen Espinoza, Joe Markowski from DAZN sit down together with the promoters and with everyone involved to iron this out. It’s too big of a fight not to make it. And most importantly, the fighters want it.”