Óscar de la Hoya, the former boxer who became one of the most influential figures in boxing worldwide, would put up for sale the company that led him to occupy said pedestal. Through his social networks, he reported having received an offer to finalize the sale of Golden Boy Promotions and although he claimed to have made a decision, he did not announce its meaning.
“Mark my words, I will become the first billionaire Hispanic athlete. Congratulations Tiger, Lebron and Jordan ”, was the last message he spread on his verified Twitter account @OscarDeLaHoya. However, on the afternoon of this Saturday, June 11, 2022, he confirmed that “I have made the decision about selling Golden Boy.”
The rumors began to gain strength when De la Hoya himself claimed to have received a 10-figure offer to finalize the transfer of the boxing promoter. However, it was not the first message with which he anticipated a probable sale. During an interview conducted by the ESPN medium, the Golden Boy revealed some goals that he wants to fulfill in his personal career in the future, although none of them included his role as an active promoter.
“I’m sitting on a billion dollar company and I can’t wait to get out of it. And most importantly, I want to be the first fighter in history to also be elected as a promoter to the Hall of Fame. Those are my goals, ”he declared to the American media.
It is worth mentioning that among the determinations established by the International Boxing Hall of Fame, located in Canastota, New York, there is a mandatory period of inactivity of five years. In that sense, if the current owner of Golden Boy dissociates himself from his promotion company, he could be considered by the selection committee for the 2027 or 2028 class.
De la Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions
After having consolidated a consistent sports career, in the twilight of his career, Óscar de la Hoya decided to venture into the promotion business. It was thus that in 2002, when he was still active, he founded the company Golden Boy Promotions in honor of the nickname that accompanied him for much of his career since winning the gold medal at the 1994 Barcelona Olympics, as member of the American delegation.
His irruption had promising dyes from the beginning. However, the value and presence of his company in the field of boxing gained special growth in 2008, when the promising boxer from Guadalajara, Saúl Álvarez, signed a promotion agreement. From that moment on, who would ultimately become the undisputed 168-pound champion, he began to forge his career and popularity in the country of stars and stripes.
The good relationship led them to the imposition of a world record in any sports discipline. In 2018 they signed what, until then, was the most lucrative contract in the history of the sport, which included a guaranteed profit of USD 365 million for Canelo Álvarez in exchange for starting 11 fights under the Golden Boy label. Despite the expectation, the agreement was not fulfilled and the man from Guadalajara agreed to terminate it by arguing that decisions were made without his consent.
Throughout its history, Golden Boy has represented some of the most promising young fighters. Currently, two of his banners are Ryan García and Gilberto Zurdo Ramírez, who have a common rivalry with Saúl Canelo Álvarez. (Infobae)