Dana White refutes Oscar De La Hoya’s claim that he was being set up at Garcia-Benn fight; says Vince McMahon did that to him once

Recent combat sports reporting outlines a significant public disagreement between prominent figures involving a major boxing event. According to coverage from MMA Fighting, Cageside Press, BJPenn.com, and Boxing Insider, Oscar De La Hoya stated that he skipped his own co-promotion of the Ryan Garcia versus Conor Benn fight because he believed he was going to be set up or embarrassed by Dana White and Zuffa Boxing. Coverage does not yet specify the full mechanics of the alleged setup beyond De La Hoya's public assertions regarding his absence from the venue. In response to these claims, MMA Fighting and Cageside Press report that Dana White explicitly refuted De La Hoya's assertions as unfounded. White addressed the situation publicly, drawing a comparison to a past experience involving Vince McMahon.

According to White's statements relayed in the coverage, Vince McMahon pulled a similar maneuver on him once in the past. The reporting from BJPenn.com emphasizes the underlying tension regarding Zuffa Boxing and the specific fear of embarrassment that kept De La Hoya away from the co-promoted event. This public exchange brings underlying promotional friction into sharper focus for industry observers and fans. The context provided by the headlines centers on the dynamics between high-profile promoters in combat sports, specifically involving Zuffa Boxing, Ryan Garcia, and Conor Benn. While De La Hoya chose to stay away from the event to avoid the situation he anticipated, the coverage highlights how personal history and past industry interactions, such as the reference to Vince McMahon, continue to shape current public discourse among boxing and mixed martial arts promoters.

As the story continues to develop across sports media outlets, readers and industry followers will monitor for any further statements from the involved parties. Coverage does not yet specify whether De La Hoya will respond to White's refutation or whether additional promotional partners will comment on the scheduling and attendance issues surrounding the Garcia-Benn bout. Future updates will depend on whether either promoter elaborates on the historical comparison to Vince McMahon or provides further details regarding the alleged setup.