De La Hoya Releases Statement

18.09 - First of all, I want to thank the public and all the fans for the amount of support I have received over the past few days. Last Saturday was to be a great day for the sport of boxing, but it seems that as great as the fight was, the controversy following the decision has tainted the sport again. This controversy was not caused by my post-fight comments but rather by the fact that millions of people watching the fight from around the world were of a different opinion than the three judges in attendance. Following the fight, I certainly gave Shane Mosley the respect he deserves and I will continue to do so. He is not only a great fighter but as well as a first-class guy. I wish him much success in the future in or outside the ring.

Throughout my years as a professional fighter, I have never made any negative comments about the Nevada State Athletic Commission and I will not do so today. At the same time, however, we cannot forget and ignore the public and the fans. It is they who make or break this sport. It is not just about Sugar Shane or myself, it is about being honest with the public. Based on totally independent online polls, it seems that from 70% to 74% of the public thinks that I won the fight. I can understand their frustration and I think that all of us involved in boxing, from news media to state athletic commissions to boxing experts and promoters, need to pull together rather than pulling apart, and try to explain to the millions of people who watched this fight just what happened. Who appoints the judges? What is the selection process? What are the qualifications? What training is required? How is a round scored? Does the amount of punches thrown or the accuracy of landing count? These are just some of the questions that I think the public has a right to be answered.

When I formed Golden Boy Promotions last year, I knew that many issues surrounding the sport would need to be addressed. This takes time and patience but I am convinced that if we rally together, we will succeed in giving this great sport its rightful place. I promise to continue to give my best and work hard for all my fans, the fans of the sport and most importantly the many fighters! After all last Saturday was not that bad, if it was the beginning of the ultimate fight, the fight for a better future of boxing!

Oscar De La Hoya