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De La Hoya says McGregor v Mayweather would be embarrassing

De La Hoya says McGregor v Mayweather would be embarrassing

Former boxer Oscar De La Hoya has a dire outlook for the potential bout between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather.

Speaking to ESPN.com, the 44-year-old said the fight would be incredibly one-sided.

"Boxing is boxing and MMA is MMA," De La Hoya said.

"They're two separate sports. … It would be a joke, it would be an embarrassment for boxing if an MMA fighter were to go into the ring.

"It would be a no-contest. It would be the same thing if a fighter went into the Octagon, it would be an embarrassment for MMA."

The two fighters are continuing to trade verbal jabs as they attempt to negotiate terms around the possible fight.

Meanwhile, De La Hoya has plenty of support from those in the know as to the legitimacy of the fight.

"It's a joke for boxing if that happens," two-time world champion Canelo Alvarez told Reuters.

Mayweather, who retired in 2015 after compiling a perfect 49-0 record, has said he would require a guaranteed $100 million to make the fight with McGregor happen.

"It is a businessman fight," fellow boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. said. "I like to fight a serious fight."

Famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach believes the much-hyped Mayweather-McGregor showdown will happen and that he may get involved himself.

Roach, who prepared Manny Pacquiao for the "Fight of the Century" against Mayweather, said in an appearance on The MMA Hour show on Monday that the 12-time boxing champion visited his Wild Card gym and told him that he will fight McGregor.

"According to Mayweather, yes. He told me he would fight him. Everything is pointing in that direction right now," said Roach, who added that he would consider training McGregor if asked.

"I think Mayweather is the favourite, yes, but I wouldn’t count anyone out. Because (McGregor) throws, he throws hard and he’s not afraid to throw."