De la Hoya fought Hopkins to build Golden Boy, who promoted Hopkins. That was a financially motivated fight. Oscar was fairly protected until the Tito fight, which he was handsomely paid for. The Martinez fight was never seriously considered (Mayweather wouldve beaten him). He fought Canelo who went on to take the linear 160 belt anyway.
If fighting the likes of JCChavez, Whitaker, Quartey, Carr, Camacho, Gonzalez, W Rivera, etc.. before taking on Tito makes one a "protected fighter" IYO, then you must think very little of most post-DLH fighters.
He's salty alright...bitter has been who never hardly was! haha Wonder if he still likes to play in the girls panties and dress up like a woman...