Oscar De La Hoya has ‘something brewing’ with Rousey
“We’ve discussed it and whenever she’s ready to step into the ring as a fighter, as a boxer, then obviously Golden Boy Promotions will be right there with her.”
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey recently appeared on the cover of Ring magazine, and then expressed interest in someday competing in boxing (and performing in the WWE). The cover was odd, and the boxing remarks could have been media-friendly content, with little validity.
But in a recent interview with FightHub, Golden Boy Promotions head Oscar De La Hoya revealed that he orchestrated the Ring cover, and that he has spoken with Rousey about her trying boxing. It was the first time an MMA fighter appeared on the cover of the magazine, and only the second appearance for a woman.
“We have something brewing and this is obviously the beginning,” said De La as transcribed by Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting. “It’s created a lot of big buzz within the boxing industry. Mission accomplished.”
“We’ve discussed it and whenever she’s ready to step into the ring as a fighter, as a boxer, then obviously Golden Boy Promotions will be right there with her. She’s tough. She’s really good. Speed, power and instinct, which is very important. She dares to be great. That’s the difference between her and a lot of fighters.”
Rousey apparently wants to showcase her boxing skills vs. the multiple time world boxing champion Holly Holm.
“I think that this match would help to kind of show some of my striking legitimacy with the boxing crowd, but it’s still a different sport,” said Rousey. “I think I would only really be able to prove that I could have any respect as a boxer if I beat a boxer at their own sport instead of beating them at mine.”
And Holm herself offered respectful words for a possible Rousey try at boxing.
“I feel like she has good work ethic and I feel like she has the will to want to do well and to proceed with,” said Holm. “So I feel like if she ever wants to do boxing, she’ll put the time and work into it. It’s a whole different world; it’s a whole different game. Even judo is different than MMA. There’s a lot going on that’s not the same in every sport. So I think if she ever wanted to go that route, I know she has will and drive to want to push herself. If she ever wanted to do that, I’d wish her the best with it.”
“Right now our focus is on MMA,” Tarverdyan said when asked about Rousey boxing. “Does she want to? The UFC has been great. She’s a great MMA fighter. That’s what we’re focusing on.”
It won’t be a boxing match with Holm next month. Rousey’s advantage will be on the ground. Although, as a competitor she will almost certainly want to test herself standing, Holm’s greatest strength and best path to victory.
Ronda Rousey fights Holly Holm at UFC 193 on November 15, 2015 at the 75,000 seat Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.
