Oscar De La Hoya demands Canelo Alvarez retract 'defamatory' claims - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Oscar De La Hoya issued a cease-and-desist letter Thursday to Canelo Alvarez over what he says are «defamatory allegations» that the Golden Boy Promotions founder stole money from former champion Gennadiy Golovkin, among other fighters.

The legal letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, demands that Alvarez issue a retraction and refrain from making further defamatory comments.

The action comes one day after tensions erupted between Alvarez and his former longtime promoter at a news conference ahead of Alvarez's undisputed super middleweight championship defense vs. Jaime Munguia on Saturday.

De La Hoya jabbed Alvarez by referencing his positive test for the banned substance clenbuterol ahead of his 2018 rematch with Golovkin. Alvarez countered by warning fighters to «contact your lawyers because he is surely stealing from you. It's the only thing he comes to do in boxing.… If I hadn't involved my lawyers you would steal from me.»

In the letter to Alvarez, De La Hoya's attorney, Ricardo P. Cestero, wrote that Canelo «falsely accused Oscar of a crime with the specific intention of supposedly warning other boxers not to do business with Oscar or Golden Boy.»

«Clearly, Canelo internationally defamed Oscar and Golden Boy,» Cestero continued. «Canelo's statements were also made with actual malice.… Oscar and Golden Boy reserve all rights to sue Canelo for the damages caused by these defamatory accusations, including punitive damages designed to ensure Canelo learns his lesson.»

Alvarez attorney Gregory M. Smith told ESPN that Canelo, in making his comments, «said what he said.»

«Following the termination of his relationship with Golden Boy, Alvarez audited Golden Boy's payments and deductions under his prior