Eddie Hearn says he wants to be paid his worth if he’s to face off against Oscar De La Hoya in a fight between rival promoters.

Eddie Hearn, one of the most influential and successful promoters in modern boxing, recently stirred the pot with comments regarding a potential showdown with Oscar De La Hoya. The British boxing promoter, who runs Matchroom Boxing, made it clear that if he were to face off against the legendary De La Hoya in a fight between rival promoters, he would expect to be paid his “worth.” The remark has captured the attention of fans, analysts, and industry insiders alike, as it raises the intriguing possibility of a high-profile, business-driven spectacle that could transcend the usual bounds of boxing promotion.

Hearn, known for his strategic mind and his ability to secure lucrative deals, especially through his partnership with DAZN, has built a reputation not just for promoting fights but for making them into major events. He’s led the way in transforming the landscape of boxing promotion, securing high-profile deals with top fighters and organizations. However, this comment about fighting De La Hoya, a former multi-weight world champion and founder of Golden Boy Promotions, seems to be more about signaling the immense value of such an encounter than a genuine desire to step into the ring himself.

Eddie Hearn claims to be too big and too strong for Oscar De La Hoya to deal with in a fight.

Wil Esco is an assistant editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2014.

With Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya consistently pushing the idea of a fight between Eddie Hearn and himself lately, Hearn talks to iFL TV about his thoughts on a proposed fight with the Golden Boy promoter and doesn’t waste any time trying to wind Oscar up.

Hearn on De La Hoya saying he would fight him for free

“Well, I’d fight Oscar. Absolutely not (for free). I know my worth. In terms of attractions, obviously there’s a big difference between me and Oscar. So you can’t put my value in line with Oscar’s value.

“(I’m) too big, too strong, mate…I would destroy him in a fight, destroy him. Too big, too strong. Pay me the money and you’ll see.”

On how much money he’d demand to fight De La Hoya

“Just the number that represents the unbelievable PPV revenue that it would generate. (It would do) well over a million buys, well over a million buys. But also, he said he needs two months for me. I need two days. That’s it, two days. If you told me today, we could fight on Saturday, no problem. So I don’t know where this ‘two months’ comes from. That surprised me, to be honest with you.

“Running scared. It’s like, stop making excuses, ‘oh I need two months.’ What’s that all about?…I’m all about challenges…Oscar, jokes aside, or my sarcasm aside that most people wouldn’t even get, obviously that’s a fight I might need four or five to get him out of there.

“Everyone would love to see it. And everyone would tune in to watch me get smashed to pieces. Imagine how gutted they would be when I just lean on him, start walking him down, beating him up a little bit, using my size, reach, jab.”

On how he’d prepare for a fight with De La Hoya

“No need to prepare for him. I’ve watched Oscar over the years, I know how to beat him. Too big, too strong.”