De La Hoya says he’s training, hints at comeback fight

FILE – Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya gestures during a news conference for the bout between Canelo Alvarez and WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev at the KA Theatre at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on October 30, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Former boxing world champion Oscar De La Hoya is seriously considering a comeback which could very well happen sooner than later.

In an interview with CBS Los Angeles, the 47-year-old legend said he’s been training and is set to spar in a couple of weeks.

“I’ve been thinking about it (comeback) more and more each day,” said De La Hoya in a story on ringtv.com. “I’ve been actually training and actually running. Who knows if it (fight) will take place at the end of the year or early next year, but I’m getting there. I feel really good.”

“I start sparring in two weeks. Maybe we can have this interview in a couple of weeks. We’ll see how I feel with a black eye.”

De La Hoya hasn’t fought since he was forced to quit on his stool in an eighth-round stoppage at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in 2008.

Despite facing personal problems after retiring, De La Hoya has cleaned up and has been more involved with Golden Boy Promotions, the company he founded in 2002, promoting some of the sport’s top fighters.

The Mexican-American first rose to mainstream consciousness when he won the gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before carving up a Hall of Fame career that saw him win world titles in six different weight classes.