Story highlights
Fight between Muslim boxer Amir Khan and Mexican Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, inspired by Trump
Organizer Oscar De La Hoya says Trump's comments on Muslim and Mexicans "mindboggling"
If you want to show Donald Trump – and the world – that Muslims and Mexicans are welcome in the U.S., then why not organize a “mega mega” fight between two of the most popular Muslim and Mexican boxers on the planet?
At least, that was the thinking behind former multi-weight world champion Oscar De La Hoya’s decision to host a showdown between British Muslim boxer Amir Khan and Mexican fighter Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, in Las Vegas this May 7.
De La Hoya, who in the past has played golf with Trump several times, said he was left “scratching his head” over the Republican’s controversial comments about Muslims and Mexicans – and decided to organize the bout in protest.
“It’s mindboggling to know that he has those types of philosophies and thoughts,” said American-Mexican De La Hoya, seemingly referring to Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and building a wall between the country and Mexico.
“I was watching Donald Trump speaking his nonsense, and I said to myself: ‘Why don’t I put a Muslim fighter and a Mexican fighter in the same ring and create a mega mega event on Cinco de Maya week (the Mexican national holiday) – just to show Trump,’” De La Hoya told CNN.
“I thank Trump for giving me the inspiration to come up with this mega event – because we’re going to have millions of Muslims, millions of Mexicans, buying pay-per-view, and watching the fight live from Las Vegas.”
Twenty-nine-year-old Khan is seen as the underdog in the fight, as he steps up two weight classes to take on 25-year-old Alvarez for his WBC world middleweight title.
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