OSCAR DE LA HOYA and Bob Arum firmly put their differences behind them in Las Vegas with a show of mutual respect and admiration.
The heads of warring promotional factions Golden Boy and Top Rank respectively have collaborated to put on a fight between Golden Boy’s Mauricio Herrera and Top Rank prospect Jose Benavidez.
De La Hoya, who was at the press conference straight after his own had finished at the MGM Grand, and his former arch-enemy and Arum spoke of their appreciation for one another, even sharing a genial embrace.
“I will call my good friend Oscar De La Hoya up,” said Arum. “It’s really a pleasure to be with Oscar De La Hoya – a wonderful fighter, a great champion, a great credit to the sport and I’m delighted he is devoting himself full-time to being a promoter. He is somebody the sport really looks up to. Great things Oscar and Golden Boy will be doing in the future.”
De La Hoya repaid the compliment, with interest.
“It really is an honour to be next to you,” he said. “This is a person [Arum] I really look up to because now I’m a promoter what better person to learn from and take these fighters careers and watch their progression and help them grow as a fighter and build their careers.
“We all have to admire what he’s done for boxing. He’s put up some amazing fights. As a young promoter I learn from everything you’ve done.”
De La Hoya repeated his mantra several times, that they had come together again “for the fans.”
“That’s the priority,” he said.
It’s not so long ago that Arum and De La Hoya were squabbling at press conferences
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