LOS ANGELES – Vitor Belfort thinks Oscar De La Hoya deserves praise for fighting him.
De La Hoya will return to the boxing ring for the first time in almost 13 years when he meets former UFC light heavyweight champion Belfort in the main event of “Triller Fight Club: Legends II” on Sept. 11 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The 48-year-old former boxing world champion hasn’t competed since losing to Manny Pacquiao in December 2008, which is why Belfort has plenty of respect for him. He thinks that unlike Floyd Mayweather, who just faced YouTube sensation Logan Paul in an exhibition bout, he’s stepping in there with a dangerous knockout artist.
“It means that you paved the way, and looking back to what’s going on right now, Oscar is fighting a real fighter,” Belfort told MMA Junkie. “(He’s) not like Mayweather looking for a YouTuber who has one loss and zero wins. He’s fighting with the guy who holds the most knockouts in UFC history until today.
“He won gold medals, and I could not achieve that because this is one of the greatest things – to become an Olympian. So I think Oscar did everything. He is no doubt the best boxer of all time, and for me to be able to compete against him and be able to go toe-to-toe with the best boxer, it’s a dream come true, no doubt about it. But it’s hard work.”
De La Hoya said he’s expecting hell against Belfort, who may not like his use of terminology, but is relishing the opportunity to stand and trade in the pocket with the boxing legend.
“I believe if he does so, he knows what’s going to be there,” Belfort said. “He explains that so I don’t see as hell. I don’t like hell. Hell is a place of negativity. I see a joy. For me, staying in the pocket is joyful. I was in the pocket with a lot of sparring partners fighting. I love it. It’s great. So remember, if you don’t have joy in what you do, what you do is a burden. So I describe hell as a negative, and I don’t let nothing come negative into my mind. I’m looking for war. I’m excited for it … I’m looking at this as a heavenly place for me to stay in the pocket with Oscar.”
Vitor Belfort credits Oscar De La Hoya for facing a ‘real fighter,’ unlike Floyd Mayweather