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Why Donald Trump was invited to watch a Muslim and a Mexican fight

Oscar De La Hoya (Getty)
Oscar De La Hoya (Getty)

Boxing is taking its swings at Donald Trump.

First, it was Top Rank’s Bob Arum who crafted the #NoTrump undercard for Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley’s third fight earlier this month as a response to the GOP candidate's disparaging comments towards Mexicans.

Now, Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya has anted up by offering the businessman-turned-polarizing-politician a pair of ringside seats to see a Muslim and a Mexican throw down in what could be the biggest pay-per-view fight this year.

“I want to take this opportunity to invite Mr. Trump to the Canelo vs. Khan fight on May 7 in Las Vegas,” Oscar De La Hoya said while appearing on Fox Business News’ “Cavuto Coast To Coast.” “I have Amir Khan, a Muslim fighter from the UK, fighting against the most popular boxer in Mexico, Canelo Alvarez, opening up the new T-Mobile Arena. We have an opportunity to show Mr. Trump just what Mexicans and Muslims can achieve — and in a city that screams America: Las Vegas. Trump, let me invite you so that you can see what a Mexican and a Muslim can generate.”

With Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao both retired, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) has emerged as the biggest attraction in boxing. The current WBC, Ring Magazine and lineal middleweight champion has a strong Hispanic base in the United States that has helped bolster his profile over the years. Across the ring will be British star Amir Khan (34-3, 19 KOs), who is a Pakistani-Muslim and also is one of the more popular boxers in the sport.

De La Hoya — who is the child of Mexican immigrants from East Los Angeles and won Olympic gold for the U.S. in 1992 — is certainly putting on his promoter's cap to draw attention to the upcoming pay-per-view. Boxing is still trying to recover from the hangover of Mayweather-Pacquiao that left critics to state the sport was on life support after the megafight failed to deliver in the excitement department.

And with Trump being both an easy target and a incredibly hot topic, it’s probably in De La Hoya’s best interest to hitch his wagon to the controversial presidential candidate.