The Post-Fight Drama: De La Hoya Slams Hearn’s Pep Talk, Paints A Grim Future For Haney

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya lashed Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn on social media in response to him giving his beaten fighter Devin Haney a pep talk after his loss to Golden Boy fighter Ryan Garcia last Saturday night in Brooklyn, New York.

(Photo credit: Sumio Yamada)

No Sympathy from Oscar: That Beating Will Leave a Mark

Hearn posted a photo of himself hugging WBC light welterweight champion Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) and including some supportive words. However, De La Hoya doesn’t see it as an easy road back for Haney, who got beaten up, and it’s going to be difficult for him to come back.

“The road is long. This young man will be back stronger than ever! @realdevinhaney,” said Eddie Hearn on Instagram, trying to boost the spirits of his beaten fighter, Devin Haney after his defeat against Ryan Ryan Garcia last Saturday night.

Ryan Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya’s response to Hearn: “You obviously never laced up the gloves…You don’t know what it’s like to fight inside the ring. Guess what? I do and that beating will last a long time.”

Haney: Shark Bait in 140-lb Ocean

De La Hoya is telling it like it is, painting a grim picture of Haney’s comeback from this loss. Oscar knows from experience that it ain’t going to be easy for Devin, as he’s now the equivalent of wounded prey in the 140-lb division, which is full of predatory sharks, who will be circling him, looking to finish the job Ryan Garcia started.

Haney is going to have to make a whole lot of changes in his game or his comeback won’t be pretty. Devin says he wants to keep his WBC light welterweight title, and that means he’s going to have to defend it against his mandatory Sandor Martin next.

I think that’s another loss for Haney unless he wants to pay Sandor a step aside to get him out of the way temporarily while he rebuilds. Sandor is too tricky with skills, and sneaky right hook that he uses. He dropped Teofimo Lopez twice and arguably beat him in their fight in 2022.