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A much-stronger Oscar de la Hoya opens up a new chapter: Treasuring the Jewel in Millie By Granville Ampong PhilBoxing.com Wed, 15 Apr 2009  From Nokia L.A. Live, LOS ANGELES, California (April 14, 2009) ? ?When I cannot compete anymore at the highest level ? I have come to the conclusion that it?s over for me,? the former ten-time world champion of boxing said. ??I do not want to disappoint anyone when I enter the ring.? Oscar de la Hoya, as never before, understands the true maxim of a champion. He knows of what it takes to give his best in the ring to meet expectations of his boxing fans. But, he knows, as well, of what it takes to set priorities for his wife and their kids. And, really, it is not just about a decision based on how he was brutalized in the ring by Manny Pacquiao last December 6. That is just one thing, though. It is rather about his courage to explore the meaning of life once more and to the fullest outside the realm of boxing. Let me share with you my fascination about this legendary moneymaker of boxing. Just when I arrived in the United States, I started to follow Oscar de la Hoya?s trail-blazing career. Fresh from his Olympic Gold Medal win in Barcelona, De la Hoya fought his first professional entry against Lamar Williams on November 23, 1992 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California, to which, of course, this writer did witness. In fact, during his early career, I gained foreknowledge about his prospect in boxing as I was living with a Mexican family in Santa Monica here in California. Weekends for my newfound family were, indeed, lots of fun. Other than watching Spanish movies, televised boxing events were once our favorites. I found much respect about Mexican fighters in the likes of Salvador Sanchez, Rubin Olivares and Julio Ceasar Chavez of old. I first got assimilated into the Mexican culture before I delved myself into the mainstream America. And, by the way, the Mexican family whom I lived with treated me with so much ?amor? and ?gusto?, that I became part of their weekend gatherings and yearly fiesta. That was then when I got to know how much hatred this same family initially infused and harbored against Oscar de la Hoya when their ever great son of the Aztecs, Julio Cesar Chavez, was demolished by this same Chicano (U.S.-born Mexican) in round 4 on June 6, 1996, not discounting a repeat of the same in round 8 on September 18, 1998. Those events De la Hoya magnified his superstar popularity. Conversely, it was then I saw that conversion of hatred sowed among the Chicanos and the old generations of Mexicanos into an impartial reverence of La Raza, penetrating as well the very hearts of mainstream America in a much grander scale: the mythical coronation of the Golden Boy. Thus, De la Hoya?s series of victorious fights became part of our weekend appetizers whenever we watched him fight on a pay-per-view, even to the point of reviewing his recorded fights over and over again. "Oscar de la Hoya" by far became a household name. He had somehow helped my former favorite liquor store, on the corner of Euclid Street and Arizona Boulevard in Santa Monica, increased its sales revenue way much higher than ever each time he fought. His popularity surged to the level that even gang rivalries cruising East Los Angeles, South Central Los Angeles and West Los Angeles plummeted to a much lower intensity as they took pride of their new hero in the name of Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya. Nevertheless, ?respect? was the magic non-verbal cue to them, at least in their own intimation. True enough, De la Hoya was considered to be the best fighter in the world at any weight -?Pound-for-Pound?- during his prime years. A superstar whose popularity transcends boxing, he was the biggest non-heavyweight attraction and moneymaker at the gate, defeating 18 former world champions, one twice, in the process. Ardent boxing aficionados and fans should never forget that De la Hoya?s road to greatness began on the tough streets of East Los Angeles, California. He once said, ?I was a little kid who used to fight a lot on the streets and get beat up, but I liked boxing, so my dad took me to the gym.? He started boxing at the age of six and reportedly had 228 amateur fights (223-5). He, then, eventually earned a spot on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team. At the Barcelona 1992 games, De la Hoya became the only U.S. gold medalist. He vowed to win at the Olympics for his mother, who died of breast cancer when he was working towards making the Olympic games. He once said, ?The most important thing I?ve done in my life was winning the Olympic gold medal for my mother. Every time I won a fight, it was like telling my mom, ?Here is one for you.? She was my motivation, my biggest fan.? De la Hoya went beyond his ring savage. He formed his own boxing promotion company, Golden Boy Promotions, which has quickly risen to its current status as one of the premier promotional companies in the sport today. Meanwhile, De la Hoya looks forward to continue to work with hospitals and schools, which takes him up to the highest calling - transforming himself into a catalyst of change for community and all. He has been the pride and joy of the White Memorial Hospital, to which he donated a building in the name of his mother, Cecilia Gonzales, who was under its care before she passed away, and some vehicles other than financial contribution. Rightly so, De la Hoya stands firm on his decision. He is never wrong on refocusing on his ultimate path. His biggest motivation: his wife and their kids - are his fresh stimuli making his life much more meaningful than ever. One may recall in October 2001, when De la Hoya married this Puerto Rican singer Millie Corretjer in a private ceremony in Puerto Rico, he said, ?Ever since I met her, my life has been different. I have what I want.? Inadvertently, when De la Hoya?s career in boxing went sky high, Millie somehow felt being left behind with their two children, Oscar Gabriel de la Hoya and Nina Lauren Ninette de la Hoya, while the greatest man of East Los Angeles, whose bloodline is of the Aztecs, was out training in seclusion for a boxing match. But the time is now for his family. And, from his distinctive countenance and teary voice up to his executive bearing as he speaks by the lectern, what I see today is a much-stronger Golden Boy - the real Macho in tuned as La Raza - ready to champion on a new pathway to happiness ? full, if not complete. In fact, he has it already. It?s the jewel. And that jewel is in Millie. Yes, as De la Hoya once said, ?there is life after boxing.? Top photo: De La Hoya's wife Millie (L) speaks to the media as Oscar listens during Tuesday's press conference at the Nokia Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Dong Secuya. Note: Granville Ampong is an L.A.-based journalist regularly writing for Maharlikan Times, a dynamic news service and public relations agency. You may visit his site at www.MaharlikanTimes.com. Or, better yet, you may send your comments to granvilleampong@maharlikantimes.com. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Granville Ampong.  |
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