Belfort 'going after' De La Hoya following Holyfield fight

Vitor Belfort is still hoping to cross paths with Oscar De La Hoya.

The former UFC champion was scheduled to meet De La Hoya in a boxing match Saturday, but the latter withdrew after being hospitalized with COVID-19.

Though Belfort's focused on his new matchup against former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, the Brazilian said he also expects to rebook the De La Hoya tilt later in 2021.

"I'm going after you, Oscar," Belfort told MMA Junkie's Danny Segura on Wednesday. "I want to melt that gold pot. I just hope he's good. I hope he's healthy. That's my No. 1 concern - his life. We're in this pandemic and it's crazy, but that's the fight we're going to make."

He continued: "I think Triller is about to make that happen by the end of the year. ... It's not (over). The fans want that fight, that fight's going to happen."

Belfort, 44, will make his second professional boxing appearance - and his first since 2006 - against Holyfield, a 58-year-old boxing legend who's slated to compete for the first time since 2011.

It's been a while since Belfort's last fight in any combat sport, as he suffered a devastating knockout loss to Lyoto Machida in what would be his final UFC outing in 2018.

Saturday's Triller Fight Club event, which also features a boxing match between former UFC champs Anderson Silva and Tito Ortiz, will take place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.