Oscar De La Hoya’s recent announcement that he will begin training to step into the ring again has some experts fearing the worst, including the hosts of “Jabs”.
It looks like the boxing legend is moving closer to making a comeback. De La Hoya told ESPN that the rumors are true, and that he will “start sparring in the next few weeks”.
The former world champion and head of Golden Boy Promotions turned 47 this year. He last stepped into the ring in 2008, but only lasted eight rounds in defeat to Manny Pacquiao.
In the latest episode of "Jabs," hosts Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora were in agreement that the promoter should think twice.
As a boxer himself, Mora sympathizes with what is likely motivating De La Hoya’s hopes of a comeback.
He said: “With all these greats making a comeback — Mike Tyson, Roy Jones, Sergio Martinez and now even Evander Holyfield saying he’s making a comeback — legends die hard, man.
“I remember having a private conversation with Sugar Ray Leonard one time and I asked him: ‘Why did you keep coming back after all the great things you did, all the money, all the accomplishments?’ He said, ‘I miss this feeling, the action, the lights. I miss the roar of the crowd.’
“I don’t know if you’ve seen the movie 'Gladiator', but the character Proximo said: ‘Wait ‘til you hear the Colosseum, the roar of the crowd just rises and rises’. And that’s what the fighters miss.
“And they can’t duplicate that roar [anywhere else]. They can’t get it from alcohol or chasing women or gambling. They can’t find that same feeling. It’s only inside that ring, under those lights. But at 47, it’s just way too dangerous.”
When asked if he saw a De La Hoya comeback fight actually coming to fruition, Mora said: “Sadly, yes.”
Mannix, meanwhile, agreed that it’s not a good idea but doesn’t see it going any further than training.
“I’m not buying it,” he said. “He’s still got to go through the process of sparring again, for the first time in 12 years. I don’t think that’s going to go all that well for him.
“I think he’ll realize that his reflexes are a lot slower than they used to be, and I think his ability to take a punch won’t be as strong as it used to be.
“He’s gonna back away from it. I just don’t think he’s gonna go through with it.
“Besides, the idea of him coming back against a top level guy is insane. Do we really need to see Jermell Charlo pick him apart? Do we need to see one of the top guys like Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez knock him senseless? We just don’t need to see that.”
Mannix continued: “I understand everything you’re saying, Sergio, and you’re dead on. When you’re a fighter, you’re always going to feel that tug to get back in the ring.
“But Oscar needs to have some of the people in his camp talk to him. They’ve got to tell him that this is not only a bad idea, but it could be dangerous.
“And I hope he listens to them, because he’s still got a bright future as a promoter. He’s still one of the most visible and recognizable fighters in all of boxing, but his boxing days are so far behind him.
Mora replied: “Nobody can tell a fighter to call it quits. That is the thing that makes them great. But that one last fight is usually the bad one.
“In De La Hoya’s last fight, he was retired. He didn’t come out from the stool. This time, at 47, no matter who he fights, it’s gonna be worse.”
Watch the full show above, or on DAZN's YouTube channel.