On Saturday, a video of a celebratory Oscar De La Hoya went viral following the fights at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena, where David Benavidez defeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.
Wearing a white suit and holding a drink, the 52-year-old promoter danced with his girlfriend, Holly Sonders, and told the internet he had just seen the best fight of his life. But the celebration looked strange given the results.
De La Hoya’s own fighter, Ramirez, had just been stopped for the first time in his 50-fight career. He left the arena on a stretcher with a severe eye injury after taking the worst beating of his life. Despite his fighter’s condition, De La Hoya seemed thrilled, but there is a specific reason for his reaction.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Wild Celebration After David Benavidez Stops Gilberto Ramirez Makes Sense
“The Mexican Monster” defeated Ramirez in the sixth round via TKO, making him the first boxer to win world championships at super middleweight, light heavyweight, and cruiserweight. It was a career-defining performance that put the sport on notice during the high-stakes Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas.
Following the bout, Ramirez’s promoter De La Hoya declared, “I’m going to get f— up,” and praised the Benavidez vs. Ramirez card as featuring the best fights he’s ever seen, adding, “Happy Cinco de Mayo.”
Oscar De La Hoya is HYPE after the David Benavidez vs Zurdo Ramirez card 🍿🔥
“I’m gonna get f**ked up! Best fights I’ve ever seen in my life! Happy Cinco De Mayo!” pic.twitter.com/SHWNngDO6Z
— Source of Boxing (@Sourceofboxing) May 3, 2026
To understand his joy despite his fighter’s loss, it is necessary to understand the business context that runs everything beyond the boxing ring. He marketed the night as a revival of the Mexican boxing tradition started by Julio Cesar Chavez.
As a $79.99 pay-per-view co-produced by Golden Boy, PBC, and DAZN, the event was a commercial hit. De La Hoya called the matchup “extra special” because it featured two Mexican stars fighting for unified cruiserweight belts. For a promoter, a night is a success if the fans feel they got their money’s worth, which they did.
Before the fight, De La Hoya had backed Ramirez, calling him a “sleeper” who could pull off an upset due to his size and chin. He acknowledged Benavidez’s skill and high work rate but questioned how he would handle moving up in weight.
Though Ramirez was stopped for the first time in 50 fights, the bout was competitive enough to further cement Benavidez as a superstar.
Just to recap, the California native holds a well-known history with addiction. He has spent years being open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol, so seeing him celebrate that way might lead to some chatter online.
But there are more serious things to talk about now. Immediately following his TKO victory, Benavidez called out Canelo Alvarez, who was in attendance at T-Mobile Arena. Alvarez is scheduled to return to the ring on Sep. 12 for a “Mexico Against the World” card in Saudi Arabia, though his opponent is not yet confirmed.
The two stars have a long history of stalled negotiations, and it remains to be seen if this latest performance will finally force them into the ring together.
