For the better part of 17 years, Oscar De La Hoya fought virtually anyone, anywhere without hesitation, appearing at every iconic boxing venue in Las Vegas and Atlantic City as well as arenas such as Staples Center, the Alamodome and Madison Square Garden.
Although the 10-time world title holder over six weight classes never headlined in the District, De La Hoya has a deep appreciation for the city?s long and distinguished tradition of champions, including, among others, Sugar Ray Leonard, Riddick Bowe and Mark ?Too Sharp? Johnson.
He?s also plenty familiar with current International Boxing Federation light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson, who lives and trains in the nation?s capital and has fought under Golden Boy Promotions, which De La Hoya founded in 2002. De La Hoya recently assumed control of the company?s day-to-day operations and in an interview Thursday at The Washington Post expressed optimism about bringing another high-profile card to the city.Ad
?I?m really excited to the possibilities of coming back,? he said. ?We?ve had some great shows here with Bernard Hopkins and with Peterson, with Amir Khan. We?re looking forward to staging a big-time boxing event at the Verizon Center. Who knows, maybe Peterson-Amir Khan or Danny Garcia. I think those are the types of fights the public, the D.C. fight fan, wants to see.?
The first and only fight to have taken place at Verizon Center ? then MCI Center ? was in 2005, when Mike Tyson lost to Kevin McBride after not answering the bell for the seventh round. In 1993, RFK Stadium hosted one of District?s most memorable cards with Bowe beating Jesse Ferguson to retain the World Boxing Association heavyweight championship of the world.
