The latest escalation came after White took shots at several figures in boxing following Sunday’s third Zuffa Boxing event, including De La Hoya the former world champion and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. De La Hoya didn’t hold back. In a fiery Instagram video, De La Hoya accused White of being delusional about Zuffa Boxing’s early success.
“You call people mentally ill when they don’t agree with you, but guess what… we’re just telling the facts,” De La Hoya said. “I have never in my entire life seen someone truly believe they’re actually killing it while they’re actually doing jack sh*t.”
The rivalry between the two promoters isn’t new. Their tension dates back years, often spilling into public exchanges. But since White officially launched Zuffa Boxing, the hostility has intensified.
Oscar De La Hoya dismissed Zuffa Boxing’s third event outright, claiming he didn’t even know it was taking place.
“Zuffa is officially a failed science project,” he said. “I had no idea there was a show on Sunday.”
He went further, criticizing the level of talent and the overall presentation.
“Zuffa is filled with fighters on the tail end of their careers or who just can’t make it at the highest level,” De La Hoya added. “They’re basically hosting club shows in the basement of UFC in front of 50 people.”
The comments reflect a broader skepticism from traditional boxing promoters about White’s ability to replicate UFC’s centralized promotional model in the fragmented world of boxing.
Brand Identity vs. Uniformity
One of Oscar De La Hoya’s sharper criticisms focused on fighter individuality.
“They strip fighters of all their individuality, making them wear generic shorts to blend in for the sake of the product,” he said. “They make it impossible for fighters to grow their own brands.”
He also mocked the championship hardware introduced under the Zuffa banner, calling it a “made-up belt” without legacy or generational value.
“My Tom Ford belt has more history and significance,” De La Hoya quipped.
A Collision of Philosophies
At its core, the feud highlights two contrasting visions for boxing’s future:
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White’s vision: A streamlined, UFC-style model with centralized matchmaking and brand uniformity.
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De La Hoya’s vision: Traditional boxing promotion, star-building, and individual branding.
White has repeatedly vowed to disrupt the “sweet science,” while critics argue boxing’s decentralized structure can’t be reshaped overnight.
Zuffa Boxing remains in its early stages. Whether it becomes a legitimate rival to established promoters or stalls under industry resistance remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain: As long as Dana White is pushing into boxing, Oscar De La Hoya will have something to say about it every Thursday if necessary.
