Boxer Oscar de la Hoya. AFP FILE PHOTO
LOS ANGELES—Oscar De La Hoya will not come out of retirement to fight again at age 42, the 1992 Olympic lightweight champion saying Monday on his Facebook page that he has hung up the gloves for good.
It was only a week ago when De La Hoya told ESPN he was 50-50 on the prospects of returning to the ring, and trying to talk up fights against Floyd Mayweather or Gennady Golovkin.
READ: Oscar De La Hoya 50-50 on comeback at age 42—report | If De La Hoya still has hunger as boxer, he can still fight—Pacquiao
“As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don’t think about coming back,” De La Hoya said.
“But I am retired, and after speaking to my family and following a great deal of introspection, I have decided to stay retired.”
De La Hoya, now a boxing promoter and the face of Golden Boy Promotions, went 39-6 in his pro boxing career, which ended with his 2009 retirement after being stopped in the eighth round by Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao in December 2008. De La Hoya lost a 2007 split decision to Mayweather.
“To the many thousands of fans who over the last couple of weeks encouraged me to come out of retirement and fight again, I thank you,” De La Hoya said. “You can rest assured that I will spend the rest of my days around this wonderful sport, even though those days won’t be spent inside the ropes.”