De La Hoya blocks Garcia-Benn: Zuffa 'gets in the way'

Oscar De La Hoya says Ryan Garcia will fight on September 12, but it won't be under Zuffa Boxing's banner.

De La Hoya told DAZN on Saturday night that Garcia remains under contract to Golden Boy and that any bout — including a potential matchup with Conor Benn — must air on DAZN. "The problem that I have with Zuffa is everything they touch, whenever they get involved, it's a big f*ckin' problem all the time," De La Hoya said, per Bad Left Hook. "Zuffa Boxing, all they do is get in the way and make things difficult."

Golden Boy enforces promotional contract

Garcia recently stated he would fight Benn on September 12, and reports soon followed that Zuffa Boxing planned to stage the welterweight clash on Paramount+. Golden Boy responded by issuing a cease-and-desist to Zuffa, according to the outlet. De La Hoya said Garcia holds a valid promotional agreement with Golden Boy and that any opponent, Benn included, would need to work through established channels. "There's promoters for a reason, there's contracts for a reason," he said.

Garcia captured the WBC welterweight title in February by beating Mario Barrios. Benn, who reportedly signed a deal with Zuffa worth fifteen million dollars, last fought on the Tyson Fury undercard in April at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, stopping Regis Prograis. The two camps have clashed over Garcia's promotional rights multiple times in recent years, with the fighter eventually renewing with Golden Boy each time.

A hearing date or next steps in the dispute have not been announced. Garcia's team has not publicly commented on De La Hoya's remarks.

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• Bad Left Hook — Oscar De La Hoya updates Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn status: ‘All Zuffa does is get in the way’