Longtime boxer and founder of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya announced Tuesday he is retiring from the sport. I’ve always admired De La Hoya for his athleticism, but more importantly, his down-to-earth personality, integrity, and unwillingness to sink to his opponents’ often unsportsmanlike behavior and antics. Fans got an intimate portrayal of Oscar the boxer and person in the last season of HBO’s 24/7, which followed the Golden Boy as he prepared for his fight against Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather showed his disrespect and arrogant attitude by continuously demeaning Oscar both personally and publicly; but De La Hoya never brought himself down to Mayweather’s level.
Unfortunately, he lost that fight in a very close and drawn-out battle. Oscar De La Hoya has won 10 world titles in 6 divisions. But more recently, Oscar has seen his performance decline. He has lost 4 of his last 7 fights and hasn’t beaten a top-contender since Fernando Vargas in 2002. Said De La Hoya, “This is the love of my life, boxing is my passion, boxing is what I was born to do. When I can’t do it anymore, when I can’t compete at the highest level, it’s not fair. It’s not fair to me, it’s not fair to the fans, it’s not fair to nobody.” In the end, Oscar’s wife helped him make his decision, saying she made him “realize what life is all about.” Oscar De La Hoya will be missed. But I am sure his promotions company will continue to make an impact on the sport of boxing for some time to come.