Will Oscar De La Hoya box UFC champ Conor McGregor? In 2018? Betting lines are up

Will former boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya actually end up boxing Conor McGregor? And when? You can put your money where your mouth is.

Another week, another challenge from a non-MMA fighter for the UFC lightweight champion. And we’ve got some opening odds at the sports book for the possible bout.

De La Hoya (39-6), an Olympic gold medalist who later became one of boxing’s big stars, hasn’t fought since a 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao. But the 44-year-old “Golden Boy” is apparently willing to make a return for a fight with McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC, 0-1 boxing).

“You know, I’m competitive,” De La Hoya told “Golden Boy Radio with Tattoo and the Crew” (via For The Win).” “I still have it in me. I’ve been secretly training. I’m faster than ever and stronger than ever.

“I know I can take out Conor McGregor in two rounds. I’ll come back for that one. Two rounds – just one more (fight). I’m calling him out. Two rounds – that’s all I need. That’s all I’m going to say. You heard it on Golden Boy Radio. Two rounds – that’s all I need.”

De La Hoya no doubt saw the financial success when McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather in August. McGregor had some early success – by design, according to Mayweather – before suffering a 10th-round TKO loss. Still, McGregor and Mayweather are likely both walking away with hefty nine-figure paydays when all is said and done.

So what about De La Hoya? MMA fans are undoubtedly ready for McGregor to enter the cage – as a defending champion, not as a way-too-involved teammate – but the oddsmakers think there’s at least a small chance the boxing fight happens.

Bovada has opened the following lines:

Will Oscar De La Hoya fight in 2018?
Yes +300 (3/1)
No -500 (1/5)

Will Oscar De La Hoya fight Conor McGregor in 2018?
Yes +400 (4/1)
No -700 (1/7)

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Conor McGregor
Oscar De La Hoya -140 (5/7)
Conor McGregor EVEN (1/1)

At those odds, a winning $100 bet on De La Hoya would earn a net profit of $71.43 (for an implied win probability of 58.3 percent). A winning $100 bet on McGregor, meanwhile, would net a profit of $100 (implied win probability of 50 percent).

Is it a fight you’d want to see? Cast your vote below.

And for more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.