Former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez in “serious talks” to face Oscar De La Hoya on July 3rd

After a disappointing and controversial DQ loss on TNT last week, former Bellator and UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez claims he’s in “serious talks” to face boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya in the latter’s July 3rd comeback.

Transcript via MMA Fighting:

“Recently we’ve been hearing from Oscar De La Hoya’s guys,” Alvarez said. “Look, I’m fixated on the ONE Championship belt. I’m laser, laser focused on making history and getting my world title, but I feel like there’s gonna be a lull. The champion is gonna sit for a bit—I think he’s having a baby. If that happens, Oscar De La Hoya and them guys have been reaching out and, hell, I’d love to get in there and mix it up with him. That’d be a hell of a fight and I’ve got everyone here in Philadelphia backing me, and the whole Philadelphia boxing [community] to back me up.”

“Getting in there to mix it up with that guy would be a dream come true,” Alvarez stated. “I actually think I’d do pretty damn good against him. I’d be crazy excited about that if them guys figure that out.

“There’s serious talks. They’re serious like wanting to get a deal done this week serious.”

While I do respect boldness, this strikes me as a terrible idea on Oscar’s (39-6, 30 KO) part. This isn’t like Jake Paul fighting Ben Askren or Steve Cunningham fighting Frank Mir; even in the midst of a 1-3 skid, which includes knockout losses to heavy hitters Dustin Poirier and Timofey Nastyukhin to go along with the aforementioned DQ, the 37-year-old “Underground King” (30-8 MMA) is still one of the better 155-pounders on the planet. He’s not primarily a grappler like those two, either, boasting deceptively sharp boxing craft to go along with his legendary grit, thudding power, and quality motor.

That said, nothing’s official yet, so De La Hoya still has time to reconsider getting walloped by a man 11 years his junior