Oscar de la Hoya finalizing contract for Chuck Liddell
Oscar de la Hoya: ”I’ve been talking to Chuck and Tito and they have a crazy history. Both guys are beasts, man … they wanna fight each other.”
In 2010 UFC president Dana White gave his friend and league Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell a no-show desk job in return for retiring. However, when WME-IMG bought the UFC, they cut costs. Included in that were White’s use of a corporate jet, and a number of personnel, including Liddell and fellow Hall of Famer Matt Hughes.
Late last year Liddell told Ariel Helwani that he thought the position was for life, not seven years, but reflected on the good side of what happened.
“I think at first I took it a little hard, but now I look at it as a blessing in disguise,” said Liddell. “It’s got me re-motivated to go out and find what I really want to do.”
Apparently what he wants to do is fight again. He turns 49 this year, and went out on a three-fight losing streak, all by T/KO, eight years ago. Boxer turned promoter Oscar de la Hoya recently told TMZ that he is in the process of signing ‘The Iceman’. White appeared recently on the UFC Unfiltered podcast, and said he hoped Liddell was getting into the MMA promotion business, against him.
I get it. Everybody sees whats going on, everybody wants a piece, and I hope that’s the case,” said White, as transcribed by Adam Guillen Jr. for MMA Mania. “What I do hope is that he is partnering up with Chuck Liddell and they are going to be partners other than have Chuck Liddell come in and fight. If they are going to partner up in the MMA business, nothing will make me happier. That is awesome and I would love to hear if that is true for Chuck. If he plans on kicking off his MMA program with Chuck fighting, that would not be good and really, really bum me out. Chuck Liddell is almost 50 years old, he doesn’t need to be fighting.
White’s wishes will not come to pass. DLH isn’t seeking out Liddell as a partner, he wants him to fight.
We’re finalizing contracts, getting everything rolling, so I’m excited man! said de la Hoya. I’ve been talking to Chuck and Tito and they have a crazy history. Both guys are beasts, man … they wanna fight each other. Hey, I’m ready.
The TMZ stringer asked DLH if he wanted to box again. The promoter laughed and said no, which makes sense as he is 45.