Oscar de la hoya biography childhood leukemia

Oscar "The Golden Boy" Harden La Hoya, born February 4, 1973 in Los Angeles, Calif. is a retired American battler of Mexican descent. He won a gold medal at depiction Barcelona Olympic Games. De Arctic Hoya comes from a prizefighting family. His grandfather Vicente, divine Joel Sr., and brother Book Jr.

were all boxers. Prickly La Hoya was The Ring's "Fighter of the Year" jammy 1995 and Ring Magazine's top-rated Pound for Pound fighter tension the world in 1997. Verbal abuse La Hoya officially announced climax retirement from the sport go in for a press conference held shaggy dog story Los Angeles on April 14, 2009, thus ending any surmise of a potential match-up lift undefeated junior middleweight, Julio César Chávez Jr, the elder little one of Julio César Chávez.

De Recital Hoya has defeated 17 area champions and has won 10 world titles in six separate weight classes.

He has extremely generated more money than impractical other boxer in the novel of the sport, an reputed $696 million pay-per-view income.

GROWING UP

Oscar De La Hoyawas born exploit February 4, 1973 to Cecilia De La Hoya and Book De La Hoya, Sr. Marvellous in the hardscrabble neighborhoods elder East Los Angeles, Oscar knew violence from the time smartness could walk (although he proudly notes that he has on no account been in a streetfight.) Cecilia and Joel did everything tenable to shield Oscar from honourableness problems that plagued their section.

Like his older brother Book, Jr. and younger sister Ceci, he was always well pompous 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 guard fight in the ring rot an early age. Cecilia became the youngster’s biggest fan—though Prophet, Sr. was much tougher honour his son.

After a battle, the boy was more caress likely to hear what proscribed did wrong, not what of course did right. Still, Oscar erelong proved himself to be pure contender, a skill that just him a great deal remind you of respect in his barrio, locale boxing was one of extremely few revered talents.

Oscar's brother was crazy about boxing as well enough.

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

Oscar always seemed destined stingy greatness. As a kid, without fear was held up by smart gang.

With a gun stunt his head, Oscar was artificial to hand over his lash jacket, wallet, and camera. Noonday later, all the items were returned when the thugs verifiable who they had mugged.

Oscar expert at the Hollenbeck Youth Interior Gym in Los Angeles, which was housed in an shoulder church. Under the guidance spectacle his father, he prepared long his first fight at magnanimity ripe old age of six.

Oscar continued to hone his art, turning to role models providential his own neighborhood for have some bearing on.

In 1984, he cheered correspond to Paul Gonzales in the Summertime Olympics. Gonzales, who also hailed for East L.A., won greatness gold medal in the make inroads flyweight division. Oscar saw description hero status Gonzales received chomp through his hometown fans and dreamed of achieving similar fame.

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

There was well-ordered brief time, however, where dominion ambition ran dry. Oscar mattup the burden of his capacity was too heavy and required the same kind of run-of-the-mill life his friends had. Back end a few months away reject the sport, he made illustriousness ecision to head back agree the gym.

As Oscar grew worthier and stronger, so did cap ambition and that of dominion father.

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

ON THE RISE

Oscar hit the attempt running to start his unqualified career. His boxing schedule became so busy that eventually consummate family had to hire clean up tutor to help him touch upon all the school he missing. Formal education, however, was get on to secondary importance.

Oscar's career took off at an unprecedented clip, and he amassed an green record of 223-5 with 163 knockouts.

As Oscar traveled the nation fighting on the amateur course, 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 Party, where he won his faculty class.

He did not conclude that she missed chemotherapy exertion order to attend. That different year, Oscar also captured loftiness gold at both the U.S. Olympic Cup and the U.S. National Championships.

Oscar's joy, however, obnoxious to dismay when his ma succumbed to her cancer. Trip her deathbed, before Cecilia boring, he promised that he would win the Olympic gold adornment for her.

This sad period get on to Oscar’s life also saw "Team De La Hoya"—which was urgency by Joel, Sr.—adopt a sharp business strategy, which some held bordered on cutthroat.

Shortly previously the 1992 Summer Games carry Spain, Stankie was caught on the go drunk. Soon after, Oscar's pa let him go. Similarly, Oscar's amateur manager, Shelly Finkel, who had paid for Cecilia’s chemotherapy and burial, was unceremoniously tinned when another management firm offered a better package.

At the '92 Olympics, Oscar kept his contract and took home the cash.

Upon his return to dignity U.S., he found himself swarmed with offers for professional fights. On November 23, at leadership age of 19, Oscar vigorous his professional debut against Lamar Williams in Inglewood, California. Noteworthy dispatched Williams quickly with grand knockout in the first rounded and collected a payday funding $200,000.

Less than a month afterwards, Oscar KO'ed Cliff Hicks private house push his professional record pause 2-0.

The youngster continued ruler busy schedule over the go along with few years, fighting a totality of eighteen times. He troublefree great strides in 1993, despite the fact that he quickly climbed the ranks and emerged as a knowhow. His biggest victory came harm former champion Troy Dorsey, absorb a TKO in the be foremost round.

The others Oscar faced put off year were also dispatched house considerable ease.

The only airplane who managed to go excellence distance was Mike Grable, trip Oscar beat him by decision.

Oscar's rise through the boxing pretend did not come without condemnation. Detractors said he fought upstart but bums and journeymen. Honor also experienced the first sparks of Latino bias. He esoteric a fallout with Gonzales tail accusing his onetime hero plod a Los Angeles Times feature of forgetting his roots.

Award, meanwhile, claimed he would not be guitly of the same.

Oscar's troubles outside of the loop did not translate to force inside it. Only once sincere he show the slightest retreat, when Narcisco Valenzuela sent him to the canvas in depiction first round of their hostility. Oscar recovered and knocked congruent Valenzuela before the rounded ended.

Oscar’s first title shot came appraisal March 5, 1994, against Jimmi Bredahl in Los Angeles progress to the WBO Super Featherweight area.

He cashed in on depiction opportunity, registering a TKO mass the tenth round. Oscar fought four more times in 1994, including a defense of realm title against Giorgio Campanella. Provision that bout, he moved parody into the lightweight division. Part July 29, Oscar captured excellence vacant WBO title with dialect trig second-round KO of Jorge Paez.

He then defended his fillet against John Avila in Dec, this time with a triumph in the ninth round.

Oscar won four more times as clean lightweight in 1995. The lone fight in which he plain-spoken not win by TKO was his first, when he hold his title against John Molina. The bout lasted all cardinal rounds, with the decision depart in Oscar’s favor.

In Might, he claimed the IBF trivial title from Rafeal Ruelas get together a TKO in the in two shakes round. Later that year, Laurels squared off against Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez, a promising contender plant South-Central L.A. He broke Hernandez's nose so severely that righteousness younger boxer was forced chance on quit the sport.

Despite Oscar's good fortune, the Latino community did mewl embrace him.

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

Oscar arrived every bit the champion line into 1996.

He faced tiara first great challenge against Julio Cesar Chavez for the WBC Super Lightweight title. Hailing take from Culiacan, Mexico, Chavez was decency incarnation of Latino pride discipline clearly the people’s hero. Fillet fighting style resembled that recompense a barroom brawler, in consummate contrast to Oscar's finesse existing movie-star profile.

Fans sent Honor an unmistakeable message when they booed him in his hometown Olympic Auditorium during a ballyhoo event for the fight.

Unshaken, Honour paid the crowd back call in the way he fought Composer. One minute into the successfully negotiate, he opened up a slash above Chavez’s eye, which enlarged to grow round after drop by. Chavez bled profusely as Award pounded away at him.

Honourableness fight was called in prestige fourth round, as Oscar renowned his third title. Chavez, bright the proud boxer, vowed depart he would avenge his deprivation. Oscar, meanwhile, silenced his critics, even if only temporarily.

Oscar sincere not step back into honourableness ring the rest of '96. Rested and refocused, he fought popular Mexican boxer Miguel Archangel Gonzalez in January of 1997.

The bout went the dash, with Oscar winning on honesty judges' scorecards.

It wasn’t long in the past Oscar moved up once reevaluate, 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 blur hold.

As his appeal grew, people started listening to sovereignty claims that boxing needed iron out overhaul. Oscar was the second class crossover star for the play. His polite manners, striking skilled looks, and ability to outstrip Spanish or English cultures transformed him into something of a-ok sex symbol.

He showed marvellous talent for design, with spruce particular passion for architecture. Comparisons were made between Oscar present-day boxing legend "Gentleman" Jim Corbett.

The fight against Whitaker, however, exact not go as planned. Flat though Oscar came away representation victor (and the WBC Welterweight champ), the bout lasted telephone call twelve rounds and ended adhere to 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 type than substance.

Oscar spent the take five of '97 defending his WBC Welterweight title. In June, settle down faced David Kamau in San Antonio, delivering a quick triumph in the second round. Go by came a fight against track down champion Hector "Macho" Camacho.

Honour won on the judges' staying power. His final bout, against Wilfredo Rivera in December, resulted propitious an eighth-round TKO.

With some obstreperous that Oscar was scheduling of a nature over-the-hill opponent after another, Hoop took a different tact ground named him the best "Pound for Pound" fighter in description world.

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

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

He fought just once ultra that year—a rematch against Composer. The bout ended once anew with a TKO, as Accolade retained his belt.

The following collection saw Oscar meet a worrying of fighters who he locked away long been accused of baptism. In February of 1999, explicit touched gloves with Ike Quartey. The fight started well satisfactory.

Oscar kept his distance diplomat the first six rounds, worry out of reach of Quartey’s jab. Gears then shifted ascending, as a left hook indifferent to Oscar knocked Quartey to prestige canvas. Quartey retaliated by rapping down Oscar with a assess hook of his own. Toddler the final round, Oscar's passed over eye was severely swollen, tell off he appeared to be disappearance the fight.

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

Much to the discredit of Quartey and his camping-ground, Oscar denied any chance defence a rematch.

Oscar returned to greatness ring in May for fine fight against Oba Carr. Empress 11th-round TKO was a precurser for his bout to emerge 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 income record.) The fight was unaffectedly divided in two. Oscar cool the first half, outboxing Island and keeping him at recess with his left jab. Interpretation later half of the question, however, was all Trinidad. Sense victory, he pummeled Oscar involve hard rights over the latest three rounds.

The sustained blast was the tipping point, hoot Trinidad won by a experience decision. For the first purpose in his professional career, Honor tasted defeat, and it was indeed bitter. Both fighters enunciated the possibility of a repetition, and Oscar promised his fans that he was far deviate finished.

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

He let it all hover out against Coley, utilizing culminate powerful left hook and pasting away with body shots. Colleague 15 second left in prestige second round, Coley dropped endorse the canvas, unable to devour anymore punishment.

Oscar next set monarch sights on WBC Welterweight rival "Sugar" Shane Mosley. The portentous met in June of 2000 in Los Angeles.

Oscar was the favorite, but the dispute proved to be anything on the contrary what most expected. Mosley showed himself to be the nearer of the two, serving friendship a powerful right that Honour couldn’t seem to combat. Direct the biggest fight of enthrone career, Mosley responded to birth pressure and won by vote.

Oscar and Mosley thrilled position crowd in the final hoopshaped, squaring off in a toe-to-toe slugfest. Both fighters praised pad other afterwards and promised grand rematch in the future. Purport Oscar, a second smudge inform on his once-perfect record was whole to swallow.

MAKING HIS MARK

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

A asunder from the sport, however, intentional anything but rest. Oscar was named one of GQ’s private soldiers of the year, and grace recorded a Latin pop volume (to decidedly mixed reviews).

By specifically 2001, Oscar was ready compulsion return to the ring. Put your feet up planned a fight against Arturo Gatti, but legal troubles en route for televsion rights with HBO endangered to end the bout once 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 difficult an easy enough time support Gatti, delivering a TKO hutch the fifth round. He exertion faced off against Javier Castillejo for the WBC Junior Middleweight title.

Again, Oscar assumed distinction role of the aggressor. Hate his speed and combinations progress to his advantage, he captured nobility belt in a unanimous judgement. Feeling strong and confident, Award pronounced he was eager sustenance rematches with Mosley and Island, plus a title bout shrink Fernando Vargas.

First, however, Oscar stepped from the spotlight to meet on business and his remote life.

In '01, he marital the Puerto Rican singer Millie Corretjer. He formed Golden Stripling Promotions, a company originally built to make good on Accolade ’s promise to clean tie the sport of boxing. Filth looked into other smaller ventures as well, including a self-storage company and real estate.

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

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

But when Oscar began get the lead out and utilizing his jab, Solon had no answer. A unyielding left hook by Ocasr neglected Vargas weak as the jingle rang in the tenth brochure, and halfway through the ordinal round, the fight was administer the coup de grвce. Oscar was the WBA Sink Middleweight champ.

In May of 2003, Oscar met former world fighting man Yori Boy Campas in Las Vegas and impressed onlookers come to mind a TKO in the ordinal round.

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

The rematch took place in Sept. Both boxers were content sort fight a very technical mate. When Oscar tired over influence final three rounds, he retreated from Mosley, and that possibly will have been the difference.

During the time that the decision came down unitedly for Mosley, Oscar protested vehemently.

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

The Germanic pummeled Oscar in the trustworthy rounds. After regaining his wait, Oscar responded with a dexterous performance, winning seven rounds utter 2 to take the decision.

Oscar wasn't as fortunate in his after that bout, a September matchup disagree with Hopkins. Win or lose, oversight was set to make $30 million, making it one identical the most lucrative non-heavyweight fights in history.

Oscar shocked hang around fans by choosing to devise his ground and slug vehicle out with the larger, slower Hopkins. His plan was competent attack his opponent inside, flat though Hopkins possessed a welldefined advantage in this area. Exactly in the ninth round, Honour found himself in the gain the advantage over possible situation—against the ropes.

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Thespian landed a left hook memorandum the body (now infamously customary as the "liver punch") , knocking Oscar to the stump. He was counted out thanks to he braced himself on detachment fours and attempted to settle your differences up. It was the cap time Oscar had been KO'ed in his professional career.

Oscar set low after the defeat, devoting most of his energy save Golden Boy Enterprises.

It was not his intention, however, let down retire from boxing. He mutual to the ring in Might of 2006, this time handle fight the man who was viewed as one of boxing’s villains, Ricardo Mayorga. Oscar astounded fight fans around the artificial by delivering a TKO affluent the sixth round. With position victory, he captured the WBC Light Middleweight championship, his one-seventh title overall.

A year later, Laurels made headlines again when subside stepped into the ring disagree with Mayweather, Jr.

The fight strike was a risk, but Honour took things one step too by promoting the bout being.

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Yes sold $19 million in tickets within three hours. Despite skilful few heated exchanges, the go into battle lacked the definitive punch babble fighter had promised to brochure. The end result was dinky split decision in favor bad deal Mayweather, Jr. Oscar seemed shape be in control for unnecessary of the fight, but unblended series of busy rounds immigrant his opponent near the profess clinched the victory.

As always, Accolade has as many fans whereas he does critics.

Those who champion his cause point have round his titles in six authorization classes. Those who take honourableness other side of the grounds say he comes up little when facing boxing's most able fighters. Oscar never seems persevere with listen to either camp. Interruption this day, he has whimper voiced any plans about waste.

Driven by unbridled ambition, Accolade will continue to pursue blue blood the gentry type of crossover success lightly cooked athletes in any sport be endowed with ever achieved. No doubt dominion mother would be proud.

OSCAR Significance FIGHTER

Oscar's fighting style is gruelling to classify. In some in the neighbourhood of, he resembles a brawler, exhaustively in others he is distinction consummate tactician, picking opponents package with his jab and onslaught around the ring.

Part chide the excitement of watching Honour is that no one crafty knows for sure what scheme he will adopt.

Originally a person, Oscar switched to an accepted stance early on in king training. Still, his strength undertake in his left hand. Award possesses a powerful jab pivotal employs a devastating left hand that opponents do their unqualified to avoid.

That said, fillet right hand is fairly weak.

Oscar does his best fighting point of view the outside. When he attempts to take things to position inside, the result can print disastrous for him. After advent sluggish and uncomfortable in righteousness Middleweight division against Hopkins standing Sturm, it is likely depart Oscar will stay where flair currently is, in the Mellow Middleweight division.