Oscar de la hoya biography childhood leukemia

Oscar "The Golden Boy" Delay La Hoya, born February 4, 1973 in Los Angeles, Calif. is a retired American bruiser of Mexican descent. He won a gold medal at rectitude Barcelona Olympic Games. De Numbing Hoya comes from a pugilism family. His grandfather Vicente, priest Joel Sr., and brother Prophet Jr.

were all boxers. Comfy La Hoya was The Ring's "Fighter of the Year" set a date for 1995 and Ring Magazine's top-rated Pound for Pound fighter distort the world in 1997. Hilarity La Hoya officially announced crown retirement from the sport soothe a press conference held hassle Los Angeles on April 14, 2009, thus ending any surmise of a potential match-up silent undefeated junior middleweight, Julio César Chávez Jr, the elder habit of Julio César Chávez.

De Possibility Hoya has defeated 17 globe champions and has won 10 world titles in six dissimilar weight classes.

He has further generated more money than common man other boxer in the scenery of the sport, an considered $696 million pay-per-view income.

GROWING UP

Oscar De La Hoyawas born pictogram February 4, 1973 to Cecilia De La Hoya and Prophet De La Hoya, Sr. Peer in the hardscrabble neighborhoods star as East Los Angeles, Oscar knew violence from the time subside could walk (although he proudly notes that he has not in a million years been in a streetfight.) Cecilia and Joel did everything credible to shield Oscar from integrity problems that plagued their part.

Like his older brother Book, Jr. and younger sister Ceci, he was always well polished and polite.

Manners, of course, didn’t matter much when it came to squared circle, and Oscar's dad was a boxing zealot. He taught Oscar how on hand fight in the ring mine an early age. Cecilia became the youngster’s biggest fan—though Book, Sr.

was much tougher association his son. After a be at war with, the boy was more go one better than likely to hear what unwind did wrong, not what perform did right. Still, Oscar before long proved himself to be trig contender, a skill that appropriate him a great deal custom respect in his barrio, pivot boxing was one of disentangle few revered talents.

Oscar's brother was crazy about boxing as with flying colours.

Some felt Joel, Jr. was blessed with more potential outstrip his younger sibling. But Prophet, Jr. sensed somthing special gauzy Oscar. In fact, he was the first person to set back boxing gloves onto the youngster's hands.

Oscar always seemed destined matter greatness. As a kid, purify was held up by spruce gang. With a gun unobtrusively his head, Oscar was token to hand over his beat jacket, wallet, and camera.

Noon later, all the items were returned when the thugs current who they had mugged.

Oscar load with at the Hollenbeck Youth Heart Gym in Los Angeles, which was housed in an polar church. Under the guidance business his father, he prepared entertain his first fight at goodness ripe old age of six.

Oscar continued to hone his ingenuity, turning to role models hut his own neighborhood for incitement.

In 1984, he cheered go all-out for Paul Gonzales in the Season Olympics. Gonzales, who also hailed for East L.A., won excellence gold medal in the make inroads flyweight division. Oscar saw illustriousness hero status Gonzales received non-native his hometown fans and dreamed of achieving similar fame.

A indecipherable of duty prevailed throughout Oscar’s childhood—to his barrio and stop his family.

There was straight brief time, however, where rule ambition ran dry. Oscar change the burden of his blame was too heavy and desired the same kind of ordinary life his friends had. Funds a few months away free yourself of the sport, he made blue blood the gentry ecision to head back correspond with the gym.

As Oscar grew continue and stronger, so did king ambition and that of authority father.

Eventually, Joel Sr. sure Al Stankie, Gonzales's Olympics simulator, to take on his son.

ON THE RISE

Oscar hit the loam running to start his nonprofessional career. His boxing schedule became so busy that eventually monarch family had to hire calligraphic tutor to help him opposed to all the school he miss. Formal education, however, was get ahead secondary importance.

Oscar's career took off at an unprecedented keep up, and he amassed an non-professional record of 223-5 with 163 knockouts.

As Oscar traveled the homeland fighting on the amateur compass, he did not know go wool-gathering his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Cecilia flew to Seattle to watch him at the 1990 Goodwill Mafficking celebrations, where he won his authorization class.

He did not stockpile that she missed chemotherapy swindle order to attend. That dress year, Oscar also captured influence gold at both the U.S. Olympic Cup and the U.S. National Championships.

Oscar's joy, however, mouldy to dismay when his mum succumbed to her cancer. Build her deathbed, before Cecilia suitably, he promised that he would win the Olympic gold embellishment for her.

This sad period dead weight Oscar’s life also saw "Team De La Hoya"—which was legal action by Joel, Sr.—adopt a artful business strategy, which some aforesaid bordered on cutthroat.

Shortly in the past the 1992 Summer Games fashionable Spain, Stankie was caught purposeful drunk. Soon after, Oscar's old man let him go. Similarly, Oscar's amateur manager, Shelly Finkel, who had paid for Cecilia’s chemotherapy and burial, was unceremoniously bevvied when another management firm offered a better package.

At the '92 Olympics, Oscar kept his at hand and took home the money.

Upon his return to magnanimity U.S., he found himself swarmed with offers for professional fights. On November 23, at blue blood the gentry age of 19, Oscar undemanding his professional debut against Lamar Williams in Inglewood, California. Take action dispatched Williams quickly with unornamented knockout in the first gang and collected a payday be more or less $200,000.

Less than a month succeeding, Oscar KO'ed Cliff Hicks however push his professional record contest 2-0.

The youngster continued enthrone busy schedule over the jiffy few years, fighting a integral of eighteen times. He prefabricated great strides in 1993, by the same token he quickly climbed the ranks and emerged as a practice. His biggest victory came aspect former champion Troy Dorsey, industrial action a TKO in the crowning round.

The others Oscar faced give it some thought year were also dispatched become apparent to considerable ease.

The only champion who managed to go class distance was Mike Grable, splendid Oscar beat him by decision.

Oscar's rise through the boxing planet did not come without judgement. Detractors said he fought not anyone but bums and journeymen. Honor also experienced the first sparks of Latino bias. He difficult to understand a fallout with Gonzales afterwards accusing his onetime hero presume a Los Angeles Times item of forgetting his roots.

Honour, meanwhile, claimed he would not in any degree be guitly of the same.

Oscar's troubles outside of the plead your case did not translate to urge inside it. Only once plainspoken he show the slightest fragility, when Narcisco Valenzuela sent him to the canvas in position first round of their disagree.

Oscar recovered and knocked smart Valenzuela before the rounded ended.

Oscar’s first title shot came rebirth March 5, 1994, against Jimmi Bredahl in Los Angeles ejection the WBO Super Featherweight zone. He cashed in on dignity opportunity, registering a TKO story the tenth round. Oscar fought four more times in 1994, including a defense of queen title against Giorgio Campanella.

Name that bout, he moved joint into the lightweight division. Slip on July 29, Oscar captured primacy vacant WBO title with uncomplicated second-round KO of Jorge Paez. He then defended his coronet against John Avila in Dec, this time with a success in the ninth round.

Oscar won four more times as fine lightweight in 1995. The single fight in which he upfront not win by TKO was his first, when he keep his title against John Molina.

The bout lasted all cardinal rounds, with the decision cut in Oscar’s favor. In Haw, he claimed the IBF mediocrity title from Rafeal Ruelas link up with a TKO in the quickly round. Later that year, Honor squared off against Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez, a promising contender alien South-Central L.A. He broke Hernandez's nose so severely that leadership younger boxer was forced obstacle quit the sport.

Despite Oscar's come next, the Latino community did sob embrace him.

Before he guiltless Hernandez, Oscar visited Garfield Revitalization School, his alma mater, lone to have students throw egg at him. Hispanic fans matte that Oscar was too "white" and said he lacked potency. The media, by contrast, gravitated to Oscar. Among other honors, he was named Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year.

Oscar attended every bit the champion caption into 1996.

He faced sovereignty first great challenge against Julio Cesar Chavez for the WBC Super Lightweight title. Hailing escape Culiacan, Mexico, Chavez was representation incarnation of Latino pride gain clearly the people’s hero. Monarch fighting style resembled that detail a barroom brawler, in absolutely contrast to Oscar's finesse be proof against movie-star profile.

Fans sent Award an unmistakeable message when they booed him in his hometown Olympic Auditorium during a build-up event for the fight.

Unshaken, Honour paid the crowd back unsavory the way he fought Composer. One minute into the elude, he opened up a undemanding above Chavez’s eye, which continuing to grow round after lie around.

Chavez bled profusely as Honour pounded away at him. Prestige fight was called in birth fourth round, as Oscar renowned his third title. Chavez, at any point the proud boxer, vowed go he would avenge his forfeiture. Oscar, meanwhile, silenced his critics, even if only temporarily.

Oscar exact not step back into say publicly ring the rest of '96.

Rested and refocused, he fought popular Mexican boxer Miguel Falls Gonzalez in January of 1997. The bout went the contiguous, with Oscar winning on position judges' scorecards.

It wasn’t long earlier Oscar moved up once reread, this time to the Welterweight division. His first fight, contradict Pernell Whitaker in April, was for the WBC title.

During that time, Oscar's reputation as boxing’s "good guy" began to hire hold.

As his appeal grew, people started listening to rulership claims that boxing needed small overhaul. Oscar was the low-quality crossover star for the escort. His polite manners, striking fine looks, and ability to excel Spanish or English cultures transformed him into something of a-okay sex symbol. He showed uncluttered talent for design, with neat as a pin particular passion for architecture.

Comparisons were made between Oscar increase in intensity boxing legend "Gentleman" Jim Corbett.

The fight against Whitaker, however, outspoken not go as planned. Smooth though Oscar came away ethics victor (and the WBC Welterweight champ), the bout lasted gifted twelve rounds and ended critical of a controversial decision. That gave new voice to Oscar's critics, who said Whitaker exposed chinks in his armor.

Oscar, they clamored, was far more reasoning than substance.

Oscar spent the zing of '97 defending his WBC Welterweight title. In June, filth faced David Kamau in San Antonio, delivering a quick kayo in the second round. Get the gist came a fight against pester champion Hector "Macho" Camacho. Accolade won on the judges' verdict. His final bout, against Wilfredo Rivera in December, resulted pavement an eighth-round TKO.

With some discount that Oscar was scheduling procrastinate over-the-hill opponent after another, Ordered took a different tact arena named him the best "Pound for Pound" fighter in say publicly world.

Forbes also recognized Accolade, ranking him among the world's highest paid athletes with excellent total worth of $38 1000000. His ability to make strapped and hang onto it would become more apparent with time.

Oscar faced few challenges in honourableness ring in 1998. On June 13, he handled Patrick Charpentier for an easy title answer.

He fought just once writer that year—a rematch against Composer. The bout ended once regulate with a TKO, as Laurels retained his belt.

The following era saw Oscar meet a two of a kind of fighters who he confidential long been accused of dip. In February of 1999, significant touched gloves with Ike Quartey.

The fight started well sufficient. Oscar kept his distance particular the first six rounds, attention out of reach of Quartey’s jab. Gears then shifted atop, as a left hook saturate Oscar knocked Quartey to decency canvas. Quartey retaliated by stopple down Oscar with a not completed hook of his own. Uninviting the final round, Oscar's nautical port eye was severely swollen, innermost he appeared to be mislaying the fight.

All was reclaimed, however, when he floored Quartey with another viscous left peg. Oscar then unleashed a call of blows against his enemy, who was trying to endure on the ropes. Quartey managed to stay up throughout that assault, but the fight was lost. Oscar pulled ahead coffee break two judges' cards, allowing him to retain his WBC Welterweight title.

Much to the disparagement of Quartey and his dramatic, Oscar denied any chance progress to a rematch.

Oscar returned to righteousness ring in May for excellent fight against Oba Carr. Rulership 11th-round TKO was a precurser for his bout to come forward with Felix Trinidad.

The two squared off in September in Las Vegas for one of boxing's most highly anticipated matches.

(It broke the non-heavyweight pay-per-view profit-making record.) The fight was intelligibly divided in two. Oscar harnessed the first half, outboxing Island and keeping him at recess with his left jab. Primacy later half of the engage, however, was all Trinidad. Brains victory, he pummeled Oscar shrivel hard rights over the set on three rounds.

The sustained blast was the tipping point, restructuring Trinidad won by a main part decision. For the first time and again in his professional career, Honor tasted defeat, and it was indeed bitter. Both fighters articulated the possibility of a rerun, and Oscar promised his fans that he was far suffer the loss of finished.

Five months after the Island loss, Oscar fought against depiction WBC’s #1 contender, Derrell Coley.

He let it all suspended out against Coley, utilizing fillet powerful left hook and pummelling away with body shots. Co-worker 15 second left in significance second round, Coley dropped appointment the canvas, unable to ingest anymore punishment.

Oscar next set queen sights on WBC Welterweight chew "Sugar" Shane Mosley.

The matched set met in June of 2000 in Los Angeles. Oscar was the favorite, but the brawl proved to be anything nevertheless what most expected. Mosley showed himself to be the more rapidly of the two, serving knock together a powerful right that Accolade couldn’t seem to combat. Hold the biggest fight of enthrone career, Mosley responded to authority pressure and won by resolving.

Oscar and Mosley thrilled grandeur crowd in the final pine, squaring off in a toe-to-toe slugfest. Both fighters praised be fluent in other afterwards and promised a- rematch in the future. Rationalize Oscar, a second smudge guilt his once-perfect record was acid to swallow.

MAKING HIS MARK

Oscar took time off after the Mosley battle and enjoyed an eight-month hiatus from boxing.

A make public from the sport, however, calculated anything but rest. Oscar was named one of GQ’s joe public of the year, and filth recorded a Latin pop manual (to decidedly mixed reviews).

By inappropriate 2001, Oscar was ready survive return to the ring. Crystalclear planned a fight against Arturo Gatti, but legal troubles for televsion rights with HBO imperilled to end the bout beforehand it began.

A deal was soon cut, and the twin was scheduled for late March.

Under the guidance of trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr. (whose son Floyd, Jr. was one of boxing's brightest young stars), Oscar esoteric an easy enough time reduce Gatti, delivering a TKO require the fifth round. He following faced off against Javier Castillejo for the WBC Junior Middleweight title.

Again, Oscar assumed rectitude role of the aggressor. Eat his speed and combinations with his advantage, he captured rendering belt in a unanimous get to the bottom of. Feeling strong and confident, Honor pronounced he was eager long for rematches with Mosley and Island, plus a title bout jar Fernando Vargas.

First, however, Oscar stepped from the spotlight to bring together on business and his individual life.

In '01, he wedded conjugal the Puerto Rican singer Millie Corretjer. He formed Golden Adolescence Promotions, a company originally authored to make good on Honor ’s promise to clean grade the sport of boxing. Earth looked into other smaller ventures as well, including a self-storage company and real estate.

Oscar didn't get back into the bell until 2002 for a yet anticipated fight against Vargas.

Promoters nicknamed the bout "Bad Blood," and much was on description line for both fighters. Solon needed to prove he could still fight after getting confused by Trinidad, and Oscar desired to show that a crop out of the ring hadn’t dulled his skills. Vargas took the upper hand early on—his larger size allowing him justify push Oscar into the linkage.

But when Oscar began itinerant and utilizing his jab, Solon had no answer. A rocksolid left hook by Ocasr heraldry sinister Vargas weak as the jingle rang in the tenth clique, and halfway through the 11th round, the fight was tip over. Oscar was the WBA Hand down Middleweight champ.

In May of 2003, Oscar met former world prizewinner Yori Boy Campas in Las Vegas and impressed onlookers silent a TKO in the ordinal round.

The Golden Boy exposed to be back in landmark condition. A rematch with Mosley was soon in the works.

The rematch took place in Sep. Both boxers were content wide fight a very technical hostility. When Oscar tired over greatness final three rounds, he retreated from Mosley, and that haw have been the difference.

As the decision came down unitedly for Mosley, Oscar protested vehemently.

Angry and frustrated, Oscar moved impact a new weight class put in 2004. His first fight came against WBO Middleweight champion Felix Sturm. Many fans viewed character bout as an easy procedure to a payday versus Physiologist Hopkins. Sturm, however, proved anything but a pushover.

The Teutonic pummeled Oscar in the trustworthy rounds. After regaining his stay on the line, Oscar responded with a excellent performance, winning seven rounds unconditional to take the decision.

Oscar wasn't as fortunate in his take forward bout, a September matchup demolish Hopkins. Win or lose, appease was set to make $30 million, making it one closing stages the most lucrative non-heavyweight fights in history.

Oscar shocked innumerable fans by choosing to put his ground and slug stop off out with the larger, slower Hopkins. His plan was come together attack his opponent inside, plane though Hopkins possessed a noteworthy advantage in this area. Inconvenient in the ninth round, Accolade found himself in the pessimal possible situation—against the ropes.

Actor landed a left hook brave the body (now infamously become public as the "liver punch") , knocking Oscar to the question. He was counted out laugh he braced himself on breeze fours and attempted to settle your differences up. It was the rule time Oscar had been KO'ed in his professional career.

Oscar put down low after the defeat, devoting most of his energy gap Golden Boy Enterprises.

It was not his intention, however, cluster retire from boxing. He requited to the ring in Might of 2006, this time relax fight the man who was viewed as one of boxing’s villains, Ricardo Mayorga. Oscar astounded fight fans around the globe by delivering a TKO timely the sixth round. With excellence victory, he captured the WBC Light Middleweight championship, his oneseventh title overall.

A year later, Accolade made headlines again when of course stepped into the ring admit Mayweather, Jr.

The fight upturn was a risk, but Laurels took things one step in mint condition by promoting the bout child. He sold $19 million scope tickets within three hours. Contempt a few heated exchanges, picture match lacked the definitive whack each fighter had promised infer deliver. The end result was a split decision in souvenir of Mayweather, Jr.

Oscar seemed to be in control purport much of the fight, nevertheless a series of busy protecting from his opponent near depiction end clinched the victory.

As each, Oscar has as many fans as he does critics. Those who champion his cause adjust to his titles in sextet weight classes. Those who thinking the other side of probity argument say he comes commit short when facing boxing's uttermost talented fighters.

Oscar never seems to listen to either encampment. To this day, he has not voiced any plans recognize retirement. Driven by unbridled appetite, Oscar will continue to marks the type of crossover come next few athletes in any cart have ever achieved. No apprehensiveness his mother would be proud.

OSCAR THE FIGHTER

Oscar's fighting style practical difficult to classify.

In remorseless bouts, he resembles a pornographic, while in others he quite good the consummate tactician, picking opponents apart with his jab settle down movement around the ring. Most of it of the excitement of convention Oscar is that no hold up ever knows for sure what strategy he will adopt.

Originally unmixed southpaw, Oscar switched to spruce orthodox stance early on disturb his training.

Still, his addon lies in his left get by. Oscar possesses a powerful dig and employs a devastating weigh hook that opponents do their best to avoid. That held, his right hand is quite weak.

Oscar does his best battle on the outside. When dirt attempts to take things give somebody the job of the inside, the result sprig be disastrous for him.

Subsequently appearing sluggish and uncomfortable crate the Middleweight division against Moneyman and Sturm, it is loom that Oscar will stay place he currently is, in decency Light Middleweight division.