Oscar De La Hoya is 'definitely going to sue' Canelo Alvarez as he 'demands boxer retracts defamatory claims' after explosive press conference

Oscar De La Hoya has reportedly sent a legal letter to Canelo Alvarez following the boxer's explosive allegations during Wednesday's press conference. 

Alvarez, 33, came face-to-face with Jaime Munguia at Wednesday's press conference ahead of their Cinco De Mayo fight this weekend. 

However, it was Alvarez and his former promoter De La Hoya who almost came to blows in Las Vegas. 

Golden Boy Promotions CEO De La Hoya, Munguia's co-promoter, told Alvarez to 'put some f***ing respect' on his name, claiming he built the Mexican's career. 

De La Hoya's claim triggered an R-rated response from Alvarez, who launched himself out of his seat, unleashed a tirade of expletives and accused the promoter of stealing money from his clients, namely Gennadiy Golovkin.

Oscar De La Hoya (right) has said he is 'definitely going to sue' Canelo Alvarez (left) 

The boxer and promoter clashed during Wednesday's press conference in Las Vegas 

Now, De La Hoya has claimed he is going to take legal action against his former client over the explosive allegations. 

'I'm definitely going to sue for defamation,' De La Hoya told ESPN. 'Imagine the damage it can do to my reputation. Imagine what it can do to my business to fighters [who] are going to believe that. It's terrible. We paid [Golvkin] everything he's owed.' 

And De La Hoya appears to be following through on his threat as he sent a legal letter to Alvarez Thursday, demanding the boxer retract his 'defamatory allegations' and that he also cease and desist from further such comments, ESPN reported. 

'I'm going to defend myself when somebody's speaking negative about me and that's what I did,' he said. 

'This was my perfect moment to let him know how I feel. It felt so good. Finally - I was just holding my tongue for all these years - and finally I can f***ing tell him in his face, put some f***ing respect on my name.' 

The tension that has been simmering between the pair since their 10-year promoter-fighter relationship ended in 2020 came to a boil Wednesday when De La Hoya appeared to attempt to rile up Alvarez. 

'Yes, I've been to rehab several times,' De La Hoya said at the podium during the press conference. 

'Yes, there were some really low points in my life. And yes, there were times that work was not my priority based on my mental health, which I had neglected for so long. But that doesn't change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo over this period.'

The pair almost came to blows after De La Hoya said he built Alvarez's career

De La Hoya's claim triggered Alvarez, who accused him of stealing from his clients

He then further poked Alvarez by accusing the middleweight of failing two drug tests, leading to the fighter lunging out of his chair towards the promoter with security having to separate the two. 

'This idiot, this [guy] here to my left, try not to forget that I was already 'Canelo' when I came to the United States and that he only profited from my name,' said Alvarez, whose first name is Saul but is now usually referred to as Canelo. 

'He never lost a single cent, but instead made money. Have you already paid Golovkin what you wanted to steal from him?' 

The seething Alvarez was referring to Golovkin's 2022 lawsuit against Golden Boy seeking upward of $3 million, money owed from that rematch with Alvarez. 

'When pay-per-view numbers come in, money comes in from the cable operators and it takes time,' De La Hoya said via ESPN.

'And as the monies were coming in, I was paying Golovkin and that's it. No discrepancies whatsoever.'