Oscar De La Hoya Clarifies Absence from Post-Fight Press Conference
Being a leader is a whole lot of accountability. The minute you become a CEO, welcome to the world of taking on failure and never getting to say you accomplished things. When things go well - it is the team, and when things go bad, a good leader will say it was me, to not disrupt morale. Hence why, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and even Ryan Garcia’s trainer, Joe Goossen being absent from the post-fight press conference on Friday night after Gervonta Davis knocked out Garcia with a seventh round body shot, seemed odd.
The build-up to the fight was compelling. Everyone had said there piece for the sake of the boxing gods we always like to see the ‘bro-hugs’, and people being humble afterward. Even if it isn’t sincere always it is part of the professionalism. Yet, seeing Garcia with Eric Gomez and his father Henry Garcia - only spoke the words only a giant could utter. Not unlike everything in the modern era, Oscar De La Hoya responded by getting on Instagram and outlined why he wasn’t there.
“First of all, congratulations to Gervonta Davis, you fought a hell of a fight,” said Oscar De La Hoya on his Instagram. “My hat is off to you. Great game plan -beautiful body shot. Ryan Garcia, we are proud of you. The world is proud of you. You made this fight happen. You wanted this fight and I'm sure a lot of fighters will learn from you that you're daring to be great.”
A very generic intro that led into the compelling and interesting social fabric of what we came to this video for - why wasn’t Oscar at the post-fight press conference.
Oscar De La Hoya Leaves After Death Threats Prompted
“…I do want to clarify why Bernard Hopkins and I weren't at the post fight press conference,” answered De La Hoya. “First of all, Bernard Hopkins was accused during the weigh in of having testosterone cream on his hands and touching Gervonta Davis, when he only wanted to help him because he was going to fall off the off the stage. So PBC, Gervonta [Davis’] promoter banned them from everything he couldn't get inside the ring. He couldn't do anything during the promotion, and as for myself, my security team told me boss we gotta get the [expletive] out of here because I received death threats. You guys don't know this. I received death threats throughout the whole week, and they just said it was simply too dangerous. So we got out of there.”
According to De La Hoya, the environment was unsuitable for him to continue being present and he was advised to leave. De La Hoya, not unlike Hopkins, who responded earlier this week also pointed to Eric Gomez, who is an executive at Golden Boy Promotions, being at the event making up for them not being present.
“Plus Eric Gomez, who is my president [of Golden Boy Promotions], who was right there front and center with Ryan Garcia. So there was no issue, no problems. This is all coming from all these PBC minions that are just attacking Ryan, attacking Golden Boy [Promotions], but it's all good. Ryan Garcia made this happen.”
