After Mike Tyson announced his return to boxing earlier this year, another world champion decided to follow his footsteps. Oscar De La Hoya, Olympic gold medalist and former lineal champion in three classes, told ESPN on Wednesday that he is ending his retirement and intends to fight again.
The 47-years-old De La Hoya had his last fight 12 years ago against Manny Pacquiao. Since then, he remained a prominent figure in boxing as a promotor, but that doesn’t seem enough for one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of all time.
“The rumors are true, and I’m going to start sparring in the next few weeks,” said De La Hoya in a chat with ESPN.
According to De La Hoya, he isn’t interested in staging an exhibition fight like Tyson. Instead, he plans to have a “real fight” when he returns to the ring.
“It’s a real fight,– he added. “I miss being in the ring, I love boxing. Boxing is what gave me everything I have today, and I just miss it.”
As an amateur, Oscar De La Hoya had an unofficial 223-5 record while winning the gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, where he competed under the American flag. De La Hoya turned pro the same year and went on to compile 39-6 record with 30 knockouts. Over the course of his career, he won 11 boxing titles in six different categories.
