Junior middleweight/middleweight contender Gary 'Spike' O'Sullivan is hoping to get selected as the comeback opponent for five division world champion Oscar De La Hoya in 2021.

The 47-year-old De La Hoya retired from the sport in 2008 after suffering a one-sided TKO defeat at the hands of Manny Pacquiao.

De La Hoya has been discussing the possibility of returning to the ring before the end of the year.

O'Sullivan, who is co-promoted by De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions, has been mentioned as a potential comeback opponent for the 'Golden Boy.'

The 36-year-old boxer would grab the opportunity with both hands.

"It would be a dream fight. It would be a great fight to get as he is an 11-time world champion, six weight division and an Olympic gold medallist, and I’ve seen that I’m second favourite with the bookies in America to get that fight," O'Sullivan told Sunday Sport.

"And it’s a winnable fight because he has been in retirement for 11 years. My coach Paschal Collins has been on to Golden Boy. I think it is a possibility, but I'm not sure it would happen, we’ll see."

O'Sullivan was also mentioned a possible opponent for WBO junior middleweight champion Patrick Teixiera, who is currently scheduled to make a mandatory defense against unbeaten Brian Castano in February.

Now the Irish boxer aims to land the winner of that fight.

"I’ve been trying to get the fight with world light-middleweight champion Patrick Teixiera, as it is more important to become world champion," said O'Sullivan.

"I’ve been chasing him for a while but he has to defend his title against his mandatory challenger Castano from Argentina, so that will be a difficult fight for Teixeira. I’ll keep an eye on that and hopefully fight the winner of that. That would be my preference."