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https://scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3082705/ufc-dana-white-doing-phenomenal-job-during
Martial Arts/ Mixed Martial Arts

UFC: Dana White doing a ‘phenomenal job’ during coronavirus, says Oscar De La Hoya

  • Boxing legend and rival promoter praises UFC president for ‘defending his sport’ amid the Covid-19 crisis
  • White has fiercely criticised Golden Boy CEO, but De La Hoya says ‘I commend and respect Dana’
UFC president Dana White speaks at a press conference in New York. The UFC is returning to competition on May 9 with three shows in eight days in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: AP

Well, Oscar De La Hoya appears to have extended an olive branch to Dana White in their bitter feud.

The boxing legend and Golden Boy Promotions CEO has been fiercely criticised by White in the past, but he praised the UFC president for ploughing ahead during the coronavirus pandemic. The UFC is set to return to action with three cards in eight days, starting on May 9, in Jacksonville, Florida.

“I commend and respect Dana,” De La Hoya told CBS Sports’ “State of Combat” podcast with Brian Campbell. “We did have our differences. When I wanted to get involved with the MMA, I did Chuck Liddell [vs] Tito Ortiz. It was a huge success. I dipped my toes into the water and I experienced it. It was actually wonderful. I love the MMA.

“Dana came out and criticised me, ridiculed me and all that stuff. You know what? Dana is doing a phenomenal job in defending his sport, growing his sport, and he’s doing it big. He’s doing it great, man. I commend him.”

The UFC 244 main event between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz is shown on screens at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Boxing partners DAZN network and Golden Boy Promotions delayed the start of the WBO light heavyweight title fight between Canelo Alvarez and Sergey Kovalev until after the conclusion of UFC’s pay-per-view event. Photo: AFP
The UFC 244 main event between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz is shown on screens at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Boxing partners DAZN network and Golden Boy Promotions delayed the start of the WBO light heavyweight title fight between Canelo Alvarez and Sergey Kovalev until after the conclusion of UFC’s pay-per-view event. Photo: AFP

White was mad at De La Hoya for putting on a trilogy fight bringing Liddell out of retirement against fellow former UFC star Ortiz in 2018, especially after De La Hoya criticised him for promoting Floyd Mayweather’s boxing bout with Conor McGregor.

“Oscar De La Weirdo is talking s*** that I don’t have any place to tell guys when to retire. First of all, it’s called friendship,” White said in a rant on UFC: Unfiltered at the time.

“I’ve been friends with Chuck Liddell for 20 years, and the reality is that Chuck Liddell retired when he should have retired, eight, nine years ago, however long it was, and Chuck Liddell’s almost 50 years old and has no business fighting any more. And the fact that the state of California even let that fight happen is disgusting – disgusting.”

White most recently criticised De La Hoya for booking Canelo Alvarez against Sergey Kovalev in Las Vegas on the same night the UFC ran Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz at Madison Square Garden.

“I hate Oscar De La Hoya, he’s a scumbag, he’s a snake,” White said after UFC 244, which ended up being broadcast live to the crowd at the MGM Grand, with the Canelo fight delayed until after it had finished. “I told him not to go on this night. He did what he wanted to do and here we are.”

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