Oscar De La Hoya has reignited a long-standing debate in boxing by calling British boxing “second class” compared with the United States. The Golden Boy Promotions founder made the remarks on The Ariel Helwani Show in early October, following Ryan Garcia’s second-round stoppage of Conor Benn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 12.
De La Hoya praised the popularity of boxing in the UK but questioned the development of British fighters, suggesting they do not reach the championship level seen in the US. “I love the fact that boxing is huge in the UK… but the fighters are not really developing to that championship level,” he said. “Once you come to the U.S. and fight the real talent, then you see the reality of UK boxing. It’s subpar, it’s second class to U.S. boxing.”
The comments came after Garcia, who holds the WBC welterweight title, knocked Benn down with a right hand early in the second round before the referee stopped the fight at 1:25. The victory improved Garcia’s record to 26-2 and ended Benn’s unbeaten streak of 26 professional bouts. Benn was making his first world title challenge and had recently returned to the welterweight limit after competing at middleweight and light-middleweight.
The fight drew a sold-out crowd of nearly 19,000 and generated a gate reportedly exceeding $8 million. Garcia used his speed and sharp left hook to control the early exchanges before taking advantage as Benn pressed forward.
Benn’s trainer, Tony Sims, later revealed the fighter would not return to welterweight, citing difficulties with making the weight despite the financial rewards. Benn was taken to hospital for examination after the stoppage and has since indicated plans to regroup at a higher weight.
De La Hoya’s critique has reopened discussion about the differences in fighter development systems between Britain and the US. He highlighted contrasts in talent pipelines, sparring opportunities, and the level of opposition faced before reaching international stages.
The remarks triggered a divided reaction on social media. Some fans pointed to Britain’s history of producing world champions across multiple weight classes. Others argued Benn had already faced tougher opposition than usual before meeting Garcia.
Tensions between Garcia and De La Hoya surfaced after the fight, with Garcia expressing disappointment that De La Hoya was not ringside and did not accompany him to the ring, despite reportedly having a reserved seat.
While the Garcia-Benn result supports De La Hoya’s argument in this specific case, it does not settle the broader debate. British boxing continues to produce world champions, and American boxing remains a central hub for elite fighters and major international matchups.
According to Yahoo Sports.
