Oscar De La Hoya: 'I'm Not Coming Back Ever Again' Because Of My Kids
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — There isn't much that could stop Oscar de la Hoya in the boxing ring.
He won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics as a 19-year old lightweight and went on to win 10 world titles in six different weight classes before his retirement in 2009.
De la Hoya then shifted his focus to his business ventures, including Golden Boy Promotions and the Oscar de la Hoya Foundation, all the while keeping himself in what he says was the best shape he's been in for years.
"I feel great, I feel strong, I feel ready, running 10 miles, sparring 10 rounds, eating healthy, living a good clean life, Im pain free and I start sparring with these young kids,", de la Hoya told CBS2 Sports Director Jim Hill. "I'm feeling good, I'm not getting hit, and I think to myself, 'I can do this again'."
The 42-year-old had visions of Sugar Ray Leonard fighting "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler, George Foreman winning the world title at 50 years old, Bernard Hopkins still going strong at 50 - and says he began to believe he could do it too.
While his wife, Puerto Rican singer and actress Millie Corretjer, said she would support de la Hoya "100 percent", he says it was his daughter who knocked out any remaining desire he had to get back in the ring.
"I talked to my kids, 'What do you think, kids?' and my little girl looks at me - with those little puppy eyes - 'Daddy, I don't want you to get hurt'," he said. "And that right there, I instantly said no, that's it, it's over."
Had his kids reacted differently, de la Hoya said his performance in the ring this time around would've been all about fighting the best in the sport.
He even said fighting Floyd Mayweather again had at one point become a "possibility" after Mayweather called him out in September over rumors that "Oscar wants to make the comeback". The two had previously fought in 2007, which Mayweather won on a split decision.
But despite his decision to focus on his family and his businesses, de la Hoya said he rejects any suggestion that fear was a factor in his ultimate decision to stay out of the ring.
"This was real, but for some strange reason, it didn't happen, it's never going to happen," he said. "I'm at peace with myself saying that, I'm comfortable with it, and now I know I have the world to look forward to.
"The fighting, we can leave it to the youngsters," he added.
