Oscar De La Hoya is serious about making a surprise comeback, more than six years since announcing his retirement.
The American, whose last bout was a defeat to Manny Pacquiao in December 2008, last week ruled out a return after Floyd Mayweather had hinted the six-weight world champion was on the verge of boxing again.
However, the 42-year-old, who has been concentrating on his promotional company Golden Boy since retiring, told ESPN he is in “the shape of his life” and weighing up the possibility of making a comeback.
“It’s got to be worth my while but this is very serious,” De La Hoya said. “I have to make sure I am fighting the very best. I don’t have to come back for financial reasons or the lights or the glamour. The only reason I would come back is because I miss the competition of fighting the very best.
“I feel amazing. In my life right now, I have so much motivation. I am so hungry and so determined. My plan is long term with Golden Boy, with me personally, my family, my business. I am young, I am healthy and I feel great – 42 is the new 32.”
After losing to Mayweather on a split decision in May 2007, De La Hoya revealed last week that a rematch clause with his unbeaten compatriot had already expired. But with Mayweather yet to announce his next opponent following his victory over Pacquiao, De La Hoya indicated that he would only be interested in returning to fight his old adversary or reigning WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
“I just feel good and when I walk the streets, everyone tells me: ‘You have to fight Floyd again, you have to fight GGG. You can do it, you can do it,’” he said.
“I just feel great physically. I’ve been taking care of myself. I’ve been doing the Bernard Hopkins lifestyle. You can turn the clock back to a certain time.
“I want to fight one of them because they are the best and I always fought the best. That’s what boxing is all about – fighting the best.”
De La Hoya, who has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, has had two spells in rehab since retiring. But he insisted that he dreams of emulating Sugar Ray Leonard, who returned to the sport after nearly three years out to beat reigning middleweight champion Marvin Hagler in 1987.
“Right now I feel the best I have felt in my life physically, emotionally, mentally because I haven’t touched alcohol for I don’t know how long. I’m training. I feel great. But it has to be worth my while,” said De La Hoya.
“Would I do it? I don’t know but I wake up every morning thinking that I can. I think about Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler. If [Leonard] could do it, why can’t I? We both come from similar situations. We are both hungry for the competition, we’re both ambitious. So you never know. At the same time, I wish time flies by so I don’t have to come back.”
