http://doghouseboxing.com/duran/coyote_080206.htm

Stop what you’re doing and pick a genre. Any genre. Go ahead. It’s up to you which one you want. Then tack on the term, ‘Living Legend.’

Sometimes overused, often apropos, when you think ‘Living Legend’, the mind automatically seeks out a name and scrawls it on a mental blackboard. Tennis? Billie Jean King or Andre Agassi. Cooking? Wolfgang Puck or Emeril Lagasse. Comic book art? Alex Ross. Needlepoint?…………..OK, sue me. I don’t know that one.

When you think of boxing’s ‘Living Legends’, you can’t deny what WBC Super Welterweight titlist Oscar De La Hoya has done or meant for Our Sport. Olympic gold medal in 1992. Title belts in six weight classes. Undeniable mainstream appeal. Top notch fights. Killer drawing power. The power of promotion, self or otherwise. You’re either gonna love him or hate him. Odds are, your opinions are probably borne from De La Hoya’s successes.

Now nearing the sunset of his competitive career, De La Hoya, 38-4 (30), has even more to consider regarding the direction of his ongoing professional journey. Prosper as a promoter who chooses to explore the frontiers of innovation and originality by aligning himself with like-minded fighters who wish to take back the sport or sign one more contract for that one last hurrah?

Why not both? But trust that the latter will very likely be the epilogue in a brilliant tome of fight history.

And who better to sign copies of that figurative book than its own author, Oscar De La Hoya? Who knows? While I’m standing here in line, maybe I can think of some cool questions to ask him before I approach the table, copy clutched in a death grip.

OK, fine. It’s an interview. It’s not my fault that I’ve gotta explain my rants of imagination to you.

And so it went. Easy going and very candid, Oscar would invite Doghouse Boxing for a long chat and didn’t disappoint. ‘The Golden Boy’ touched on everything from his goals as a promoter to his feelings on sanctioning bodies to the welterweight division to……ahem……..Antonio Margarito.

And possibly facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a career finale showdown.

So, read on, Howlers, and consider this: We’ve all got questions for Oscar De La Hoya. Whether or not you’ll be satisfied with his answers (if your questions were covered in this interview) is all about you. I think mine were.

And if you can figure out who the hell the ‘Living Legend’ of needlepoint is, let me know. I’m curious that way.

Coyote Duran: When you made your professional debut, did you ever think, almost 14 or so years later, that life would be so fantastic and positively varied for you?

Oscar De La Hoya: I never imagined that it would be at this level. I always had dreams and aspirations of becoming something in boxing whether it was being famous or making money but never at this level.

Coyote Duran: Does playing the promotional field, for you, give you kind of a different point of view or an insight on things you might have never recognized solely as a fighter?

Oscar De La Hoya: Absolutely. You know, being a promoter now, it’s kind of like, opening the door and finding out and finding out what really is inside the house, so to speak. You know, a fighter doesn’t know what’s going on when it comes to how to promote a fight and where the money comes from and now that I’ve been a promoter for four years, I’ve learned the insights of how this boxing world really works! And one of the main reasons why I turned promoter is to educate the fighter and little by little, with my company, we can hopefully educate the fighters and the way they handle their careers.

Coyote Duran: No promotional firm in boxing history ever boasted a virtual ‘murderer’s row’ of top executives like Golden Boy Promotions. Was asking the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and Marco Antonio Barrera kind of a thinly veiled way to thumb your nose at other promoters who take advantage of their fighters while reforming from deep within the sport?

Oscar De La Hoya: Well, what we’re doing is empowering the fighter. You know, it’s kind of like when United Artists was formed. Charlie Chaplin got together with the rest of the actors (Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith and Mary Pickford, to be exact.) and formed United Artists. This is the way we work. We’re empowering the fighter because, ultimately, it’s the fighter that makes the sport and when we joined forces with Hopkins, with Winky Wright, with Shane Mosley, with Marco Antonio Barrera, you have these high-profile names which probably are the biggest names now in boxing and we’re telling the world of boxing, “Hey, come join us!” because not only are we making everyone happy who’s with us, at the same time, we’re educating the fighters and making sure they have life after boxing.

Coyote Duran: How else can a young fighter benefit by signing with Golden Boy outside of having that empowerment? What else makes Golden Boy stand out among the other entities like Top Rank and Don King Productions?

Oscar De La Hoya: Honesty. I’m a fighter. Bernard’s a fighter. Winky’s a fighter. Shane Mosley’s a fighter. Barrera’s a fighter. So we all understand what fighters go through. I mean, Don King wasn’t a fighter. Bob Arum wasn’t a fighter. They don’t know what it’s like to live that life and when I say we take care of the fighter, we’re honest with them. We’re truthful with them. We lay everything on the table. We tell ‘em the way it is. I really mean that! When I talk to a young fighter, it’s like seeing myself across that table. Because these young fighters work so hard to get where they wanna be and, ultimately, that’s to win a world title and, obviously, get some money at the same time. I know what it takes to get there and now, as a promoter, I know I can do it for them. So, it’s a matter of being a team and a team is like a marriage. The fighter is our partner. We make sure that the partner is happy.

Coyote Duran: Through good and bad, I gather.

Oscar De La Hoya: Absolutely! You do have your good times and your bad times in boxing, but in Golden Boy Promotions, you have more good times than bad.

Coyote Duran: You mentioned, of course, joining up with Winky Wright. In working with Winky, who approached whom first with the union in mind?

Oscar De La Hoya: Well, it was mutual. You know, we bring something to the table and, obviously, Winky Wright brings something to the table. Here I saw Winky Wright forming his own company and I said to myself, “My gosh! We have to applaud this great fighter for doing what he wants to do. He wants to take the same road that I’m taking.” We did go out there and extend our help, so to speak. We wanna help him form his company. We wanna guide him on how to do it. He really appreciates that and at the same time, we’re working together. We can promote his fights, obviously, along with Winky Wright Promotions, and move forward.

Coyote Duran: In taking these strides toward trying to improve the sport as a fighter as a fighter who’s been there and done everything in the ring, now that you’re on the other side of the desk part of the time, if you had all of the power to change the sport where every participant could be happy and prosperous, first and foremost, fighters, what would you do first that you haven’t already done?

Oscar De La Hoya: I think you have to deal with the organizational bodies. I think, right now, the Number One concern why we’re losing our fan base or why it’s at a halt, so to speak, is people are so confused as to who is the real champion (in any weight class). We have, I believe the last time I counted, was nine or ten organizational bodies and it’s getting to a point where people are getting drawn away from the sport because they’re just confused! I can go out to the street and pick ten people, ordinary people from the street, and ask them, “OK, who is the featherweight champion? Or “Who is the heavyweight champion?” They cannot tell you! I think that’s not really helping the sport. I think we should really focus and do something about that.

Coyote Duran: How do you feel about The Ring Magazine and their championship policy? Do you think The Ring is helping to clear up things?

Oscar De La Hoya: I tell you one thing, The Ring Magazine, first of all, with no sanctioning fees, and obviously with The Ring Magazine being so prestigious and its history with boxing, I would say that it’s the leader or the Number One………uh, I wouldn’t call it an organizational body, but I would say that if you wanna look up who the champion is, then go to The Ring Magazine. They’re the ones who can really do what no other organizational body can do and that is bring back fans and make them aware of who the champion is!

Coyote Duran: I’ll pass that on to Nigel Collins. He’d be really happy to hear that. (Both laugh.) You’ve always been a very smiley cat in front of the cameras, very well spoken, polite, and you’ve brought legions of fans to this sport. Ever since the Ricardo Mayorga fight, you’ve been smiling bigger than ever. With that subtle change on the outside in mind, how does a victory over the likes of Mayorga change Oscar De La Hoya on the inside?

Oscar De La Hoya: Well, obviously, I’ll always be the same person inside, no matter what, no matter who I fight, no matter what I do. I don’t think any victory can change who I am inside. I will always be that person, that kid who grew up in East Los Angeles and came from humble beginnings. It just made me more aware that, you know, the fan IS out there! The boxing fan CAN survive, no matter what. As long as you bring good fights, as long as you make the people aware, for instance, I’m so working on trying to get network television back and bring in the sponsors to expose fighters to the general public. My fights have done that over the past several years. That’s the reason why I’ve had the 1.5 million plus pay-per-view homes. It’s a matter of bringing back the sponsors. It’s a matter of bringing back network television. That’s what boxing needs. Can it happen? I’m very confident it WILL happen.

Coyote Duran: I gather that it goes without saying that it must frustrate the hell out of you when one says that the sport is dying. I couldn’t disagree more.

Oscar De La Hoya: It does frustrate me, but boxing will never die and, obviously, I know that for a fact because boxing has been around for so many years. It’s had its ups and downs and, yes, is it at a low point? It is but I don’t think boxing will ever die. Is there room for improvement and growth? Absolutely. Another reason I turned promoter is because there’s a lot of potential in the sport of boxing.

Coyote Duran: Back to your fight with Mayorga, in some way for you, do you think that the beating you handed Mayorga sent a message to all the ‘bully-type’ fighters in the sport?


Oscar De La Hoya: I think it did send a message. A lot of fighters do look up to me and a lot of fighters respect what I’ve done for the sport and what I continue doing. You know, I think a lot of fighters who were watching the fight or people within the sport were definitely observing very carefully. When I was telling people, “Look, I’m gonna stand up to the bully!” I’m gonna stand up to the fighter who talks a lot, the fighter who is bashing my family and this and that. Yeah, you know what? I stood up to him and I think that can be the secret of beating all these fighters who have a chip on their shoulders. It’s a matter of just standing up to them and fighting your fight.

Coyote Duran: Oscar, what does winning another title belt at this stage of your career mean to you? Does it make you feel younger, in a way, or, perhaps, even hungrier?

Oscar De La Hoya: I can really care less. It doesn’t really matter to me. Another belt is another belt. So be it. I mean, I can make myself another belt if I want for a lot cheaper than what I’m paying. (Both laugh.) I would rather fight for that Ring belt that obviously everybody wants in the boxing game. Everybody who’s a fighter wants that Ring belt and that’s, ultimately, the most important belt that we have today. Not only do you pay zero fees but it also recognized throughout the whole world.

Coyote Duran: Well, you know, there’s one waiting for you at welterweight, Oscar! (Carlos) Baldomir’s got it! (Both laugh.) Speaking of the welterweights, the division that you helped mold, of course, in the late-‘90s and early-2000s along with the likes of Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad, has gotten rather interesting lately, wouldn’t you say?

Oscar De La Hoya: Oh, absolutely! I mean, right now, the welterweight division is very, very interesting. You know, it’s funny because I’ve been hearing Top Rank say how (WBO Welterweight titlist Antonio) Margarito is ‘The Most Feared Fighter On The Planet Today.’ That’s baloney! How can he be the most feared fighter on the world today when there’s tons of fighters that are lined up to fight him that wanna fight him? For instance, we have Winky Wright, who obviously challenged him, not at 158 the way they’re saying, but at 154! Why can’t he (Margarito) go up to 154? He’s called out Cory Spinks and he’s called out other fighters who’ll fight at 154. It would be a fight at 154. We also have Kassim Ouma, who, obviously, is going back down to 147 after this fight with Sechew Powell this weekend, which he is dying to fight him (Margarito). Of course, we have Ishe Smith, who came out of The Contender, who is a great talent. He’s also willing to fight him, anytime, any day, anywhere. So there’s tons of challenges out there for him and it’s a matter of making these fights. One thing that I disagree with is that they keep on calling out (Floyd) Mayweather. Well, I have to admit, who has he fought to deserve a shot at Mayweather?

Coyote Duran: But everybody’s treating Mayweather like he’s a champion and I’ve touched upon that in past articles that, basically, fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the welterweight division is a right and not a privilege. He doesn’t have a championship to speak of. I do honestly think the welters need to get everything straightened out in their division if they feel there’s something to be straightened out. Obviously, Baldomir’s the genuine champ, but they seem so ensconced in tracking down Mayweather or challenging you or Shane Mosley at 154. I think there’s so much to be busy with in the welterweight division but these fighters are getting distracted. Agree or disagree?

Oscar De La Hoya: Well, right now, Floyd Mayweather is in the driver’s seat, OK? I mean, obviously, except if he fights me. I mean, that’s a whole different story……..

Coyote Duran: (Chuckles) Oh, we’ll get to that one shortly…….

Oscar De La Hoya: If Floyd Mayweather’s gonna fight anybody, then obviously, he calls the shots. He fights whoever he wants to fight. I mean, if you ask me who his next opponent should be, I would have to say Baldomir! Baldomir, in his last two fights, has beaten (Arturo) Gatti and has he did go out and beat Zab Judah very impressively! I think it would be a great fight and, obviously, yes, Baldomir is the WBC (and recognized Ring Magazine World) champion but, obviously, Mayweather is the one who should be calling the shots and that’s the fight that, maybe, they should make next.