Promoter Wars: A Cinco De Mayo Clash Between Hearn And De La Hoya

Two powerful promotional companies put together a star-studded showdown card, turning a fierce rivalry into must-watch boxing

William Zepeda prepares for what may be a huge fight with Shakur Stevenson in the much-anticipated Cinco de Mayo promotional bout / Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images.

Eddie Hearn of Matchroom and Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy are competing promoters, and they have a healthy rivalry, if you will. With De La Hoya's frequent "Clap Back Thursday" video releases, which are almost comically scathing of Hearn, the insults—the majority of which come from Oscar—have been coming back and forth for some time.

Hearn has frequently stated that he has nothing against De La Hoya and that he doesn't know the source of the apparent animosity. But now, the rivalry between the two formidable promoters could work to our advantage as fans.

As is well known, Hearn competed against another former competitor promoter, Frank Warren, in the wildly popular and humorous "5 Vs. 5" event. Unexpectedly, Warren defeated Hearn by a clear and conclusive 5 victories to nil as five of his fighters faced off against five of Hearn's men.

The Golden Boy head reacted when Hearn called De La Hoya out on it. De La Hoya now has Cinco de Mayo of the following year as the date for the showdown card. The May date would be ideal for the card, according to De La Hoya, who talked with Forbes.

“It’s nuts. Yes, I do think it will happen. It makes great TV. It makes great viewing. I'll just be advising Ed to stay away from the boxing gloves. He doesn't need that. As he's said already, everyone's got a price. But Oscar De La Hoya is a boxing icon, a legend. But the actual card that's getting put together, it sounds absolutely phenomenal. I don’t see anyone beating Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis any time soon,” said Tony Bellew in an exclusive interview with BestOffshoreSportsbooks.

“No one is beating Jack Catterall at 140. The only person who has a chance of beating him is Teofimo Lopez. I don’t think anyone is beating Shakur Stevenson. I think the quality that he possesses is just second to none,” added Bellew.

Regarding the five conflicts we might witness, it appears like the following five suspenseful battles are imminent: William Zepeda vs. Shakur Stevenson Jaron “Boots” Ennis Vergil Ortiz Jr., the victor of the bout between Arnold Barboza and Jose Ramirez vs. Jack Catterall Jai Opetaia vs. Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (if Ramirez defeats Chris Billam-Smith) with an undetermined final bout that might include Oscar Duarte and Israil Madrimov.

If this card were removed, fans would undoubtedly be interested in it. But who prevails? If Hearn lost to De La Hoya, whom he recently called "the biggest bell**d I've ever met," would he react with the same grace that he did when Warren defeated him handily?

In the event if De La Hoya loses to Hearn, a man he claims has "ruined careers" and is unfit to be an elite promoter, how would Oscar respond?