Does a loss mean a boxer’s career is ruined? Golden Boy Promotions honcho Oscar De La Hoya feels it does. Two-time world champion Regis Prograis is coming off his unanimous decision loss to WBO International super lightweight champion Jack Catterall earlier this month at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.

This marks his second career loss, having faced the same result last year when he squared off against former WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney. Regardless, Oscar feels Prograis’ second loss could have been avoided entirely, had the matchmaking by Prograis’ promoter, Matchroom Boxing, been on point.

“I’m sorry Regis @MatchroomBoxing ruined your career. With the worst matchmaking in the business,” Oscar wrote on X a handful of days ago. ‘Rougarou’ inked a deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing back in May 2023 before his fight against Danielito Zorrilla in New Orleans. Hearn, for his part, seems to have gotten the 35-year-old the best and biggest fights. 

So, it’s hard to blame the promoter for his loss, but Oscar, of course, didn’t see it that way. Not to mention, Oscar and Hearn don’t exactly see eye-to-eye. Regardless, despite Oscar putting the blame squarely on Hearn’s company, Prograis acknowledged what had happened while reminding De La Hoya about his own setbacks. 

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“It’s not done yet,” Prograis wrote. “Just a little setback. You should know about that champ.” The Golden Boy promotions head has seen his own share of losses in his career. He suffered his first career setback at the hands of Felix Trinidad, which was a close and controversial fight. Then there was his loss to Shane Mosley the very next year. 

He went on a four-fight winning streak before losing the rematch with Mosley once more. Oscar would lose again to his current business partner Bernard Hopkins before suffering a loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2007. Even his one last hurrah against Manny Pacquiao in 2008 didn’t go his way. So, as Prograis said, Oscar does know a little about setbacks.

Nevertheless, Prograis concluded by promising, “I’ll be a world champion again #3X.” That said, one could argue that Oscar’s tweet was really targeted at Hearn. Luckily for Oscar, Hearn has already provided him with a response. 

Eddie Hearn claps back at Oscar De La Hoya 

The Matchroom boss has issued a fiery response to Oscar’s comments on Prograis’ ‘ruined career’ remark. During the post-fight press conference for the Prograis vs. Catterall fight, Hearn let open the floodgates, stating, “He got so much pain in his heart… Oscar De La Hoya is the biggest bel**nd I have ever met in my life.”

Hearn defended himself, highlighting how they supported Prograis in headlining an event in New Orleans while pointing out his prior success, which included a lucrative deal with ‘The Dream’ Haney. “If he [doesn’t] respect fighters for trying to be great… then the guy is the saltiest man on the earth,” Hearn declared. 

It appears Oscar De La Hoya made a huge mistake by putting himself in the middle of a boxer and his promoter. While the promoter simply insulted him, the boxer reminded him of his own setbacks. What did you think of Oscar’s remark? Was Prograis’ loss Hearn’s fault?