If you were hoping to see boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya lace up the gloves again, don’t hold your breath. The 52-year-old icon recently put the kibosh on any rumors of stepping back into the ring-especially for a blockbuster exhibition like the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul showdown
De La Hoya‘s been mulling over the idea of a comeback, but he’s cool with where he’s at. “I’ve literally been thinking about it, but I’m OK,” he told Page Six. “I keep myself in good shape. I love doing yoga in the morning and I love working out and all that-body feels great, but I’m 52 years old.” Sounds like the former six-division champ and Olympic gold medalist is content flexing his fitness routine instead of his fists. Sure, the Tyson-Paul fight got sanctioned in Texas, but De La Hoya’s not itching to follow suit.
Rewind to 2021, and things looked different. De La Hoya was all set to tangle with ex-MMA star Vitor Belfort in a pay-per-view bout at the Staples Center in LA. Then COVID-19 hit, forcing him to bow out after a positive test. These days, he’s traded punches for promotion, running Golden Boy Promotions, Inc., and even popping up on “The Masked Singer” for some fun.
No ring return for De La Hoya: What he thinks of Jake Paul instead
While he’s not squaring off with Jake Paul-the YouTuber-turned-boxing sensation-De La Hoya’s got nothing but props for the guy. “I actually have a lot of respect for him because here you have this kid who grew up with Nickelodeon, basically,” he said. “I don’t think he boxed back then.” Pretty wild to think Paul went from kid’s TV vibes to throwing legit punches, right?
De La Hoya didn’t stop there. “He’s actually putting in the work,” he added. “He’s actually a harder worker than most fighters out there, like, when it comes to training and when it comes to, like, being disciplined. And yeah, I have a lot of respect for him.” High praise from a legend. So, while De La Hoya’s hanging up his gloves for good, he’s cheering on the new guard like Paul from the promoter’s corner.
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