Oscar De La Hoya: Boxing
Oscar De La Hoya (born: February 4, 1973) is a retired American boxer who is best known for his winning bouts in six different weight classes and televised popular fights. A legendary boxer known as “The Golden Boy”, De La Hoya compiled a record of 39-6 and won a gold medal during the 1992 Olympics held in Barcelona. He defeated a total of 17 world champions over the course of his professional career. He came from a boxing family – his grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr. and brother Joel Jr. were all boxers.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Oscar De La Hoya won world titles from Junior Lightweight to Middleweight – WBO Super Featherweight Champion, WBO Lightweight Champion, IBF Lightweight Champion, WBC Light Welterweight Champion, WBC Welterweight Champion, WBC Light Middleweight Champion, WBA (Super) Light Middleweight Champion, WBO Middleweight Champion and two WBC Light Middleweight Champions.
His record is 39 wins, 5 loses and 30 knockouts as of May 2008.
Oscar De La Hoya was The Ring’s “Fighter of the Year” in 1995 and Ring Magazine’s top-rated pound-for-pound fighter in the world in 1997 and 1998.
Why Was He So Good?
Oscar De La Hoya has a nice guy image – he is cultured, calm and charming. He was no caged animal, even if he grew up in a dangerous village. He continued to work on his ability, turning to role models in his own neighborhood for encouragement. As he grew better and stronger, so did his aspiration. His style of fighting is tricky to agree on. Sometimes he resembles a brawler, sometimes a complete mediator, picking foes apart with his jab and swift movement around the ring.
What You May Not Know
- De La Hoya began boxing at the age of five and idolized Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray Leonard who became a celebrity after winning the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- At the age of 15, he won numerous titles as an amateur, becoming one of the youngest US boxers at the year’s Goodwill Games where he won a gold medal.
- During the 1992 Olympics, he was the only US boxer to win a gold medal.
- In 2007, Forbes estimated his earnings for the year at $43 million.
Related Pages
- More Boxer Profiles
- About Boxing
- Athlete Database home
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