De la Hoya, a 10-time world champion and the only boxer in history to have won six titles in six divisions, kept his emotions in checked and told the fully packed media conference "now I understand why an athlete has so much hard time retiring."
De La Hoya looked like a shell of himself when he was pummeled from end to end by Filipino phenom Manny Pacquiao last Dec. 6 in Las Vegas before Oscar quit on his stool in round eight. "After that fight, I thought that was it for Oscar," De La Hoya's wife Millie told the media when it was her turn to speak. But it took Oscar 'four agonizing months' before arriving a decision.
On hand to give their support to De La Hoya were his wife Millie, business partner Richard Schaefer, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, his father Joel de la Hoya, Sr., AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke and head of HBO pay per view Mark Taffet.
Below are some picture of the event by Philboxing .com
Oscar "The Golden Boy" De La Hoya making his announcement of retirement
Oscar and his wife Millie
(L-R): Richard Schaefer, De La Hoya, Millie, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, De La Hoya's father Joel, Sr., AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke and head of HBO pay per view Mark Taffet.To watch the Oscar De La Hoya's Press Conference at the Nokia Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.
