Oscar De La Hoya hints at starting ‘Golden Boy MMA’ with Chuck Liddell

UFC president Dana White has announced his intention to get into boxing. So why can’t Oscar De La Hoya dip his toes into the MMA business?

As strange as that sounds, the boxing legend-turned-Golden Boy promotions boss spoke openly with TMZ about wanting to add MMA to his portfolio and it looks like he’s allied himself with former UFC superstar Chuck Liddell.

Asked what the two were doing together, De La Hoya said that they were discussing the possibility of working on “Golden Boy MMA”.

“We’re talking some business,” De La Hoya said, “It’s no secret that I love what MMA fighters do and the technique they have and the sacrifice they make, so I want to get into the MMA business. I want to start Golden Boy MMA and we’re just talking some business.”

Liddell, 48, has not fought since being knocked out by Rich Franklin back in June 2010. That was the third straight knockout loss for Liddell, who reigned as one of the light heavyweight division’s most famous champions, successfully defending that title four consecutive times.

In regards to whether he plans to fight again, possibly for De La Hoya, Liddell said, “I’m making a comeback, for sure.”

Liddell also expressed interest expressed interest in a third fight with rival Tito Ortiz, who last competed at Bellator 170 last January. According to Ortiz, that was to be his last appearance inside the cage.

Both men have both teased fighting one more time to continue one of the UFC’s biggest feuds. Liddell won both of their previous matchups by knockout.

“Tito was always my favorite,” Liddell said of possibly going a few more rounds with Ortiz. “One, he’s easy; two, I never get tired of hitting the guy. And people never seem to get tired of seeing it. People ask me, ‘Can you come beat him up one more time?’”

De La Hoya agreed, saying, “Imagine Tito and Chuck once again, that would be huge.”

As for how he would have fared in his prime had he chosen to compete in MMA as opposed to boxing, where he won world titles in multiple weight classes, De La Hoya was brutally honest about his chances: “I wouldn’t have lasted 30 seconds.”