‘Really kicked my ass’: Fully-vaccinated Oscar De La Hoya hospitalized with Covid, withdraws from fight with ex-UFC star Belfort
Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya has shared a video from a hospital bed, saying that despite all his precautions, Covid-19 has ruined his plans for a comeback with a professional fight against mixed martial arts champ Vitor Belfort.
“Wanted you to hear directly from me that despite being fully vaccinated, I have contracted Covid and am not going to be able to fight next weekend,” De La Hoya, 48, said in a brief video he posted on Instagram and Twitter. “I am currently in the hospital getting treatment…”
What are the chances of me getting COVID?... I've been taking care of myself and this really, really kicked my ass.
Wanted you to hear directly from me that despite being fully vaccinated, I have contracted Covid and am not going to be able to fight next weekend. Preparing for this comeback has been everything to me over the last months, & I want to thank everyone for their tremendous support. pic.twitter.com/0wKEnr5Jzv
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) September 3, 2021
The De La Hoya vs. Belfort fight was scheduled for September 11 in Los Angeles' Staples Center, and would have marked the Olympic champion and Hall of Fame boxer's first professional return to the ring since 2008. De La Hoya said he is “confident I will be back in the ring before the year is up,” thanking his fans for support.
Vitor 'The Phenom' Belfort, 44, who was at one point the UFC's youngest-ever tournament winner, might still make his return after his last fight in 2018 – as former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, 58, reportedly agreed to step in to replace De La Hoya.
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