Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort is now expected to face Evander Holyfield instead of Oscar De La Hoya on a September 11th boxing event, per TMZ.
De La Hoya withdrew from his return bout after being hospitalized with COVID-19. The former boxing champion released a statement about the change, noting that he still aims to compete in boxing soon.
“I am currently in the hospital getting treatment and am confident I will be back in the ring before the year is up,” said De La Hoya during an Instagram post Friday.
Boxing promoter Triller might run into issues booking Belfort against Holyfield, and they have a tight deadline of just eight days to figure things out. The fight, which was first scheduled to take place in California, USA, might move to Florida due to the state’s boxing commission refusing to sanction the fight.
California’s boxing commission doesn’t plan on approving a fight between Belfort and Holyfield under either pro or exhibition rulesets, according to Jake Donovan of BoxingScene.
Holyfield, 58, has been retired from pro boxing since 2011.
A boxing bout between former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tito Ortiz is expected to take place at the same event.
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