Oscar De La Hoya is talking big again – as in VERY big. The Golden Boy head spoke briefly with TMZ Sports, and the former multi-weight champ said that if Floyd Mayweather decides to return to the boxing ring and fight Canelo Alvarez for a second time, the rematch would generate, drum roll…….$1.5 billion!
“If Floyd Mayweather decides to come back, a fight with him and Canelo could be a $1.5 billion fight,” De La Hoya said with a straight face.
Now we all know Mayweather is THE undisputed Box-Office/Pay-Per-View king, with many of his fights doing huge, huge numbers, but over a $billion in revenue, really? The first fight between “Money” and Canelo, which took place in 2013, saw Mayweather pick up a monster $43 million pay day, but that number would be dwarfed in a return fight, according to De La Hoya.
Yes a return fight between these two genuine superstars would be bigger than the first fight (and maybe, in fact likely, a far more competitive fight this time round; what with Canelo getting better and better at age 28 and Floyd now well into his forties), but no way would it pull in over a $billion in revenue. Would a rematch between these two even top the Pay-Per-View record currently held by the Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao fight?
Canelo has often spoken of his desire to get Floyd into the ring and attempt to get revenge over him, and the Mexican star also spoke briefly with TMZ Sports:
“I would love to have the opportunity to avenge that defeat,” the world middleweight champion said.
But would Mayweather risk his perfect 50-0 record at this late stage of his career? Up at 160 pounds, with no catch-weight demands in place, Canelo would very likely be too strong, too determined and too young for Mayweather. No, if Floyd wishes to pick up another massive, massive payday for a “real” fight, instead of another cynical exhibition bout, he will take that return with fellow veteran Pacquiao instead. No way does Mayweather tangle with a matured, experienced and peaking Canelo.
Still, Oscar always thinks big. Very big.
