De La Hoya Sends Canelo A Cease-And-Desist Over ‘Defamatory False Allegations’

Oscar De La Hoya has filed a cease-and-desist letter against Canelo Alvarez over his comments at the Jaime Munguia presser. 

The Golden Boy promoter had some heated words for Alvarez at the final pre-fight presser. He reminded Canelo of the role Golden Boy had played in building his career. Oscar also referred to how Alvarez had failed two tests previously, telling Canelo to put some ‘respect’ on his name. Canelo hit back, stating that De La Hoya was trying to steal some money from him. Those comments damaged De La Hoya’s brand, leaving the promoter with no choice but to take legal action. 

De La Hoya Reacts

“He said this outrageous lie not once, but several times – both in English and Spanish – and it has now been re-published to millions around the world. The legal implications of such blatantly false allegations” are serious. It’s defamatory … to accuse someone of a crime [and] to make false statements specifically designed to injure someone’s business. Canelo did both of those things [Wednesday].

“He falsely accused Oscar of a crime with the specific intention of supposedly warning other boxers not to do business with Oscar or Golden Boy. Clearly, Canelo intentionally defamed Oscar and Golden Boy. We also demand that Canelo immediately retract his defamatory allegations that Oscar stole from boxers. Oscar and Golden Boy reserve all rights to sue Canelo for the damages caused by these defamatory accusations, including punitive damages designed to ensure Canelo learns his lesson,” De La Hoya’s attorney Ricardo Cestero said

Nevertheless, Canelo stated that he had proof of his claims. His comments were made about the GGG fight. Alvarez mentioned how there was an attempt to steal money from him. He also stated that he was unsure if GGG was paid for the fight. GGG sued De La Hoya for $3 million in 2022 for unpaid sums, with De La Hoya then stating that GGG had been paid. Canelo’s attorney, Gregory M. Smith, stated that were grounds for his client making those comments. 

Canelo Responds

“Following the termination of his relationship with Golden Boy, Alvarez audited Golden Boy’s payments and deductions under his prior contracts. The audit found that Alvarez was owed money. Court records show that GGG also audited Golden Boy and found that he had also been underpaid. GGG then sued Golden Boy for the missing funds,” Gregory M. Smith revealed 

De La Hoya has been left unhappy with the situation.

“I’m definitely going to sue for defamation. Imagine the damage it can do to my reputation. Imagine what it can do to my business to fighters [who] are going to believe that. I’m going to defend myself when somebody’s speaking negative about me and that’s what I did. This was my perfect moment to let him know how I feel. It felt so good. Finally — I was just holding my tongue for all these years — and finally I can…tell him in his face, put some…respect on my name,” De La Hoya stated

The legal action is vital for Golden Boy’s future. Ryan Garcia’s failed tests for Ostarine have cast a negative light on their biggest star. Garcia’s win over Devin Haney could now be turned into a no-contest if Ryan cannot prove his innocence. Given Golden Boy Promotions has said they will back Ryan, they must get this right. If Munguia loses against Canelo this weekend, that would be another blow. Munguia is undefeated and poses a threat to Alvarez’s reign at 168. Given the bad blood between Canelo and De La Hoya, the Golden Boy promoter will want his fighter to settle the score. De La Hoya has plenty to ponder over.