Report: Oscar De La Hoya returning to ring to fight former UFC champ Vitor Belfort
Oscar De La Hoya will return to compete in the boxing ring for the first time in nearly 13 years this summer in an exhibition match against former UFC champion Vitor Belfort, Mike Coppinger of The Athletic reported.
The match is set for Sept. 18 in 12-ounce gloves and is "likely" to take place in Las Vegas, per the report. It will reportedly be part of a Triller exhibition event.
Sources: Oscar De La Hoya and former UFC champion Vitor Belfort have agreed to a @triller exhibition boxing match on Sept. 18, likely in Las Vegas. 12-ounce gloves. De La Hoya hasn’t competed at since 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao. Belfort is tied for third-most finishes in UFC
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) June 17, 2021
De La Hoya, 48, last competed in December 2008 in a loss to Manny Pacquiao. He announced his retirement four months later. This past March he said he was planning to fight again and said he would do it at a July 3 Triller Fight Club event. At the time he eyed Floyd Mayweather as his opponent. It would be a rematch of the 2007 split-decision win for Mayweather.
De La Hoya said late last year he was planning a return. He's spent his retirement as one of boxing's biggest promoters.
Belfort, 44, last fought in the UFC in May 2018 and lost to Lyoto Machida. He said last month he was interested in fighting the boxing superstar and won the only boxing match he partook in with a knockout of Josemario Neves in April 2006.
UFC president Dana White had previously shut down the idea a current UFC fighter would face De La Hoya on Triller's July 3 card.
More from Yahoo Sports: