Could De la Hoya, Mayweather join forces to take NBA team to Vegas?

Floyd Mayweather and Oscar de la Hoya only met once during their time as professional boxers - Mayweather coming out on top in Las Vegas - and the pair have shared a fierce rivalry ever since.

I admire what he’s accomplished - De la Hoya on Mayweather

However, in an interview with FightHype.com’s Ben Thompson, De la Hoya declared his admiration for Mayweather and what he has done for boxing.

“My emotions toward Floyd - I literally admire him for what he’s stuck with,” De la Hoya said. “What he’s accomplished. The vision that he had in the past where nobody understood it. Everybody just thought, ‘He’s the villain and he’s the bad guy.’ No. He had a vision. He’s an entertainer and a real fighter. He’s one of the best. All of that there is just a testament to us just maturing and literally seeing the big picture.”

In their fight, held at Vegas’ MGM Grand in in May 2007, De La Hoya earned $52 million and Mayweather $25 million, factoring in each fighter’s percentage of the revenue generated through PPV.

Now, Mayweather and De la Hoya promote two of the best boxers around in Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia, respectively. So the pair must reach an agreement if they want that fight to be held.

Business partners in Vegas?

In addition to professing his admiration for Mayweather, De la Hoya - nicknamed the ‘Golden Boy’ - declared that he’d be opening to doing business with the 45-year-old in Las Vegas.

“Maybe there is something for us to do in Vegas together, some kind of business,” De la Hoya said. “I hear that the NBA may go into town. Maybe we can join up and become a powerhouse there and help bring a team to the home that we built. We built Las Vegas - literally.”

Multiple reports indicate that the NBA is planning a team in Las Vegas, and both Mayweather and LA Lakers star LeBron James have shown an interest in owning that franchise.