Oscar De La Hoya, born on 4 February 1973, is a former professional boxer from the United States who became a boxing promoter in 2002 and a mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter in 2018.
From 1992 to 2008, he competed as a boxer. He has won 11 world titles in six different weight classes, including the lineal championship in three of them. BoxRec ranks him as the 29th best pound-for-pound boxer of all time.
When De La Hoya represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics, shortly after graduating from James A. Garfield High School, he won a gold medal in the lightweight division and reputedly “put a sport back on its feet,” earning him the moniker “The Golden Boy of boxing.”
In 1995, De La Hoya was named The Ring magazine’s Fighter of the Year, and in 1997 and 1998, he was the magazine’s top-rated pound-for-pound fighter in the world. De La Hoya earned around $700 million in pay-per-view revenue before being overtaken by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He announced his retirement as a fighter in 2009, after a 16-year professional career.
De La Hoya formed Golden Boy Promotions, a combat sport promotional company with a 25% ownership in the Houston Dynamo, in 2002. He is the first American of Mexican heritage to operate a national boxing promotion company, and he is one of the few active boxers to take on promotional duties.
In 2018, he began sponsoring mixed martial arts (MMA) fights, beginning with a 2018 trilogy showdown between long-time rivals Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, with the inaugural Golden Boy MMA event on November 24, 2018.
Early life
Oscar De La Hoya was born on February 4, 1973, in Montebello, Los Angeles, California. His parents had immigrated to the United States from Mexico before he was born. Boxing was a family tradition for De La Hoya.
In the 1940s, his grandpa was an amateur fighter, while his father boxed professionally in the 1960s. De La Hoya began boxing at the age of six. Sugar Ray Leonard, an Olympic gold medalist who became a celebrity after the 1976 Summer Olympics before turning professional, was his idol.
De La Hoya won the national Junior Olympic 119-pound title when he was 15 years old, and the 125-pound title the following year. De La Hoya won the national Junior Olympic 119-pound title when he was 15 years old, and the 125-pound title the following year. He was the youngest U.S. boxer to win the national Golden Gloves title in the 125-pound division in 1990.
De La Hoya was named Boxer of the Year by USA Boxing one year later, after winning the US Amateur Boxing championship (132 pounds).
Career
De La Hoya boxed from 1992 to 2008, collecting 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championship in three. BoxRec ranked him as the 29th best boxer of all time, pound for pound.
De La Hoya was set to battle Jess Vidal Concepción in a ten-round junior lightweight match at the Paramount Theatre in New York City on December 9, 1993, aired by ESPN’s “Thursday Night Fights,” but he backed out due to a wrist injury. Some others thought Oscar’s injuries was strange and that he was being dramatic. Oscar claimed that while hitting the heavy bag a week ago, he worsened an old ligament issue. De La Hoya fired his co-managers Mittleman and Nelson later that month due to financial concerns.
In 1995, De La Hoya was crowned The Ring magazine’s Fighter of the Year, and in 1997 and 1998, he was ranked as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter. De La Hoya earned nearly $700 million in pay-per-view revenue, making him the biggest pay-per-view earner until Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao overtook him. He announced his retirement as a fighter in 2009, after a 16-year professional career.
De La Hoya fought Pernell Whitaker (40–1–1) in the welterweight division in 1997. The battle turned out to be a difficult one. Whitaker’s defense vexed De La Hoya, and he landed more strikes overall than De La Hoya, but De La Hoya’s power punches and passion convinced the judges in his favor. De La Hoya won the lineal and WBC crowns in a twelve-round unanimous decision. He also rose to the top of the Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound rankings.
De La Hoya launched Golden Boy Promotions in 2002, a combat sports promotion organisation that also has a 25% share in the Houston Dynamo. He is the first American of Mexican heritage to operate a major boxing promotional agency, and he is one of the few active boxers to take on promotional duties.
On June 5, 2004, De la Hoya faced Felix Sturm (20–0) for the WBO middleweight title, with the victor earning a shot at Bernard Hopkins, the undisputed world middleweight champion. De La Hoya was declared the winner by a unanimous decision, becoming him the first boxer in history to capture world titles in all six weight divisions. De La Hoya won the fight 115–113 on all three judges’ scores.
The verdict was significantly more contentious than his victories over Pernell Whitaker and Ike Quartey. Unlike the Whitaker and Quartey fights, which were considered close fights that might have gone either way or ended in a draw, the popular consensus was that De La Hoya lost to Sturm, with Compubox recording Sturm landing 234 of 541 punches and De La Hoya landing 188 of 792.
Before the fight, there were rumblings in the boxing fraternity that a decision would be taken to ensure that De La Hoya would meet Hopkins in a mega-money battle that would have drawn more money than a Hopkins-Sturm bout. Sky Sports’ Iain Darke stated the idea to pit De La Hoya against Hopkins was “tailor manufactured.” “(De La Hoya) benefited from a lot of kindness,” Darke remarked.
Sturm and his promotional company, Universum Box-Promotion, appealed the verdict to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, but it was unsuccessful, and the ruling stands today.
In 2018, he began promoting MMA fights, beginning with a 2018 trilogy contest between long-time rivals Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, with the debut Golden Boy MMA event set for November 24, 2018.
Retirement
On April 14, 2009, De La Hoya declared his retirement, putting a stop to rumours of a fight with Julio César Chávez Jr., the son of former champion and Mexican hero Julio César Chávez, Sr. In 2009, De La Hoya fought basketball player Shaquille O’Neal in an exhibition boxing match as part of the television show Shaq Vs.
On November 25, 2020, De La Hoya told DAZN that “I’m 90% certain that I’ll be back in the first quarter of next year,” and that he was willing to fight Gennady Golovkin. De La Hoya will fight Vitor Belfort in an exhibition contest on September 11, 2021, under the Triller (app) Fight Club brand, it was announced on June 17, 2021.
The battle would not be an exhibition, but an official boxing match sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission, it was announced on July 21. De La Hoya declared on September 3 that he would not fight Belfort due to acquiring COVID-19. He said he was completely vaccinated and receiving hospital treatment in a message to his fans.
Personal life
In October 1997, De La Hoya began dating actress and Miss USA 1995 Shanna Moakler. In October 1998, Moakler and De La Hoya confirmed their engagement. Atiana Cecilia De La Hoya, their daughter, was born to Moakler (born March 29, 1999).
The romance ended abruptly in September 2000, when Moakler, who was at home watching the Latin Grammy Awards on television, noticed De La Hoya accompanying another woman to the performance. Moakler filed a palimony complaint against her ex-fiancé in December 2000, claiming he was an alcoholic who was abusive to her and their daughter, and that he used them “as props to build his public image.”
In 2001, the matter was resolved out of court for an unknown sum. De La Hoya had limited contact with his daughter after his divorce from Moakler, though he continued to provide financial assistance.
De La Hoya married Millie Corretjer on October 5, 2001. They have three children: a son, Oscar Gabriel De La Hoya, and two daughters, Nina Lauren Nenitte De La Hoya and Victoria Lauren Rose De La Hoya. He also has two other kids, Jacob De La Hoya and Devon De La Hoya from other relationships.
De La Hoya and Corretjer divorced in 2016, but they were still referred to in the media (and making charitable donations) as husband and wife as of 2020.
De La Hoya was granted Mexican citizenship by the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles on December 12, 2002. “I’ve always felt like my blood is Mexican,” said De La Hoya.
| Rеаl Nаmе/Full Nаmе | Oscar De La Hoya |
| Commonly known as | Oscar De La Hoya |
| Віrth Рlасе | East Los Angeles, California |
| Dаtе оf Віrth/Віrthdау | 4 February 1973 |
| Аgе/Ноw Оld | 48 years old |
| Неіght/Ноw Таll | Іn Сеntіmеtеrѕ – 179 cm Іn Fееt аnd Іnсhеѕ – 5′ 11″ |
| Wеіght | Іn Кіlоgrаmѕ – 66 Kg Іn Роundѕ – 145 lbs |
| Раrеntѕ Nаmе | Fаthеr – Joel De La Hoya Sr. Моthеr – Cecilia De La Hoya |
| Ѕіblіngѕ | Joel Jr., Ceci De La Hoya |
| Nаtіоnаlіtу | American |
| Маrіtаl Ѕtаtuѕ | Married |
| Gіrlfrіеnd | Millie Corretjer |
| Кіdѕ/Сhіldrеn Nаmе | Nina Lauren Nenitte and Oscar Gabriel De La Hoya |
| Рrоfеѕѕіоn | Former professional boxer |
| Nеt Wоrth | $200 million |
| Lаѕt Uрdаtеd | Јuly 2021 |
Net worth and earnings
Oscar De La Hoya graces the front covers of EASports’ Fight Night Round 3 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PSP.
Golden Boy Enterprises announced the launch of Golden Boy Partners, a corporation specialising in urban development in Latino areas, in 2005. Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of Golden Boy Enterprises, purchased The Ring, KO Magazine, and World Boxing Magazine from Kappa Publishing Group in September 2007.
Golden Boy and Brener International Group purchased a 25% ownership in Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo in February 2008.
The boxer currently has a net worth of $200 million.
Charity
In 1995, De La Hoya founded his own organization to promote the quality of life in his birthplace of East Los Angeles. The foundation has cooperated with a number of other groups to help the less fortunate over the years.
Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High School, the Cecilia Gonzalez De La Hoya Cancer Center, and the Oscar De La Hoya Labor and Delivery Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are now receiving support from the foundation.
They continue to collaborate with numerous educational initiatives in order to give poor youngsters the chance to realize their ambitions.
Controversies
De La Hoya was accused of rape in 1998 when he was 25 years old. Authorities in Mexico investigated, but no charges were filed, and De La Hoya maintained his innocence.
In June 1996, De La Hoya assaulted the complainant, who was 15 at the time, in a hotel room in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, according to a case filed in San Bernardino, California County Superior Court. In 2001, the action was heard and resolved out of court.
Photographs of a cross-dressed De La Hoya were posted on a tabloid website in 2007 and got widespread attention on the internet. De La Hoya denied the photographs’ validity. Mila Dravnel, the lady who sold the images, recanted her charges against De La Hoya and denied the photographs’ validity in September 2007.
Dravnel sued De La Hoya for slander in May 2008 but abandoned the action after experts concluded that the images had been digitally manipulated. Nonetheless, in an August 2011 interview with Univision, De La Hoya revealed that it was really him in the stolen 2007 images, attributing the anomaly to bad judgement due to his initial cocaine use.
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