Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. created a notorious rivalry in the media and the public has always seen them as natural enemies due to their controversial fight in 2007.

Between the words exchanged before, during and after that fight, and the conflicting opinions about the outcome of the fight (which ended in victory for Floyd) has created that feud between the two, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t admiration and respect, as De La Hoya said days ago in an interview with Fight Hype.

“I really admire him for what he’s accomplished. His vision nobody understood, everybody thought he was the villain. No, he had a vision. He’s a real artist and a real fighter, one of the best and all of that is a testament to how he matured and saw the big picture,” the Golden Boy assured.

Today both remain an important part of the industry and have mentored great fighters. They marked an unforgettable era for boxing and their legacy is evident in the sport.