Boxing: at 48, Oscar De La Hoya announces his return to the ring
Oscar De La Hoya, March 1, 2019 in Mexico City.
AP - Anthony Vazquez
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
5 mins
More than 12 years after his last professional fight, the American Oscar De La Hoya will resume his boxing career.
The "Golden Boy", who has just blown out his 48th birthday, announced on Friday March 26 that he will make his "comeback" on July 3.
A fanfare return that is in line with that of Mike Tyson.
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The stars of boxing at the end of the 20th century, and also of the beginning of the 21st, want to put on their gloves again at the start of the 2020 decade. Is it the greed, or the fists that itch too much?
Maybe a bit of both.
In any case, after the exhibition fight on November 28, 2020 between heavyweights Mike Tyson, 54, and Roy Jones Junior, then 51, another ring superstar announced his return for this summer: Oscar De La Hoya.
"I'm impatient, I can't wait any longer!
"
The American, reconverted promoter of fights, released his surprise announcement during a press conference organized in Las Vegas by the company Triller - already at the origin of the last Tyson-Jones Junior - and which he hosted with Snoop Dogg, Friday March 26.
"
I always see you on the rings, but I don't see you in the ring, you see ...
", remarked the rapper.
To which Oscar De La Hoya ended up responding: “
On July 3, I'm making my comeback.
»Before letting go of the microphone theatrically (mic drop) and leaving the stage.
Triller has confirmed the fight of the nicknamed "
Golden Boy
", but no further details have been given yet.
"
I'm impatient, I can't wait any longer!
», Commented the boxer on social networks.
According to US media
ESPN
, Oscar De La Hoya could face a
mixed martial arts
(MMA) fighter from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the sport's biggest division.
A bit like the boxing clash between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Conor McGregor, in August 2017.
This rumor also finds its source in the recent feats of arms of Triller.
After staging a fight between YouTuber Jake Paul and former basketball player Nate Robinson, the company is dealing with a new fight between Jake Paul and former MMA fighter Ben Askren, scheduled for April 17, 2021.
Oscar De La Hoya against Floyd Mayweather Junior, May 5, 2007. The latter will win by split decision.
ASSOCIATED PRESS - Kevork Djansezian
One of the brightest boxers of the 1990s and 2000s
The name of Oscar De La Hoya's opponent is not the only data still unknown.
Will it be an exhibition fight, like Mike Tyson?
In which weight category will the man at the helm of Golden Boy Promotions fight?
And how will he be, more than 12 years after his last professional welterweight fight against Filipino Manny Pacquiao in December 2008?
All these questions will be answered in the weeks and months to come.
A few days ago, the Mexican-born boxer
told DAZN
media
that
he had resumed training, over-motivated by the successful return of Mike Tyson, who drew against Roy Jones Junior in eight rounds.
This fight was very lucrative, with $ 80 million in revenue just through pay-per-view.
Olympic champion at the Barcelona Games in lightweight, Oscar De La Hoya was world champion in six different categories, between 1994 and 2007. His appearances on the rings have generated astronomical sums throughout his career.
He won 39 of his 45 professional fights (including 30 by KO), for 3 draws and 6 defeats (against Félix Trinidad, Shane Mosley twice, Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Junior and Manny Pacquiao).
Mid-2015, Oscar De La Hoya had already thought of coming out of retirement, before giving it up.
"
I am a professional athlete, someone who has spent most of his life in the world of boxing, and not a day goes by that I do not think about coming back to the ring,
" he still said.
This day is scheduled for July 3, 2021.
See this post on Instagram
A post shared by Oscar De La Hoya (@oscardelahoya)
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