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| Eleven-time boxing world champion "The Golden Boy" Oscar Dela Hoya will return to the ring and face former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort for the first time on September 11, 2021. (Image Source: USA Today/MMAJunkie.com) |
Eleven-time boxing world champion Oscar Dela Hoya is set to return to the boxing ring on Saturday, September 11, 2021, to face former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort for the first time as part of the inaugural series of TrillerVerz festivals. Announced by Triller, the maiden TrillerVerz series will kick off on Friday, September 10, with a live Verzuz followed by a full Saturday festival concert lineup with fight night entertainment produced by global television visionary Nigel Lythgoe.
TrillerVerz is a partnership developed between Verzuz and Triller Fight Club, both owned by Triller, bringing together the cultural phenomenon the two have created throughout the world of sports and music. "We continue to create the biggest and most talked about events of the year, and we're thrilled to introduce TrillerVerz, a spectacular weekend of music and events programmed by the legends themselves, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland," said Bobby Sarnavesht, Triller co-owner, co- founder and Chairman. "There is no more anticipated and talked about return to the ring than Oscar De La Hoya, and his matchup with a legendary UFC Champion in Vitor Belfort will be a must-watch for entertainment and athleticism," said co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh.
"I am ready to return to the ring and I am proud to be part of Triller and Verzuz and their game- changing model of reimagining the boxing business as four-quadrant entertainment," De La Hoya said. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for a champion like Vitor Belfort as we show the world what high level boxing is all about. It was incredibly important to me my comeback was on this date as it represents such an important moment in history for me, my fans and the words culture. This is much bigger than just me and this event, for all those with ties and or roots in and to Mexico." Said Belfort, "It will be a pleasure to represent MMA again, this time in the ring against one of the biggest names in the history of boxing. It will be a war not to be missed and a fight my kids will be talking about. This is certain to make combat sports history."
Known as the "Golden Boy", Dela Hoya won eleven world championships in six weight classes including the linear championship in three of these classes and was an Olympic gold medalist. He was named Ring Magazine's Fighter Of The Year in 1995 and its top pound-for-pound fighter in the world in 1997 and 1998. He announced his retirement as a fighter in 2009 following a sixteen-year career as a professional. On the other hand, the Brazilian MMA fighter Belfort is known for his explosive striking power that helped him secure not only the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but also having the third most finishes in UFC history. His fights became part of two of the all-time highest-grossing UFC PPV events in a successful career that includes fighting in UFC's Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions as well as in Strikeforce, Pride and Affliction.
The TrillerVerz weekend festival featuring Oscar Dela Hoya vs. Vitor Belfort comes on the heels of Triller's record-breaking Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. event in November 2020 followed by the chart-topping Triller Fight Club event in April headlined by Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren. Recently acquired by Triller, Verzuz has become a cultural phenomenon breaking barriers in music with Swiss Beatz and Timbaland as co-founders and 43 of the world's top hiphop artists as partners including John Legend and Alicia Keys among others and has shattered social records often breaking millions of concurrent views on Triller, FITE and Instagram. "This is a first step in expanding the Verzuz ecosystem but certainly not the last. It has not only changed culture but is the center of a paradigm shift. We listened carefully to the audience and are giving them what they asked for." Said Sarnavesht. CEO and chairman Mahi de Silva said "Triller changed social media, Fight Club changed boxing, Verzuz changed music. The TrillerVerz will shift culture."
