(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Boxing legend and 1992 Olympic gold medalist Oscar de la Hoya has been named a finalist for the 2008 United States Olympic Committee Hall of Fame class. He is one of 18 finalists, and six winners will be chosen by Olympians and Paralympians, members of the Olympic family as well as an online vote by fans..
De la Hoya rose to stardom as a decorated amateur, boasting a record of 223 wins and only five losses. He picked up the gloves as a six-year-old child in E. Los Angeles, Calif., following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. His amateur career culminated in an appearance at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. De la Hoya won five straight bouts in the Olympic Games, claiming the gold with a victory over Germany’s Marco Rudolph, a boxer who had defeated De la Hoya only year earlier at the World Championships. The then 19-year-old boxed in honor his of mother, Cecilia, who passed away from cancer before the Olympic Games.
“Oscar De La Hoya’s gold medal victory at the 1992 Olympic Games was one of the greatest moments in USA Boxing history. Oscar’s tremendous Olympic performance has been underscored by his career success as one of the all-time greats in professional boxing, and his generous commitment of time, effort, and financial support for many community and charitable causes. The USOC couldn’t elect a more worthy Hall-of-Fame member,” said USA Boxing CEO Jim Millman.
Known as one of the greatest boxers of his generation, De la Hoya took the professional boxing game by storm following his gold medal. A 10-ten world champion, the Golden Boy has fought and defeated the best in his sport. He continues to thrill his fans, and is scheduled to compete twice in 2008. De la Hoya moved outside the ropes in 2001, starting his own company, Golden Boy Promotions, which has grown into one of the largest promotion companies in boxing. Despite his busy schedule both in and out the ring, De la Hoya still finds time to give back. He created the Oscar de la Hoya Foundation to help support his community and has donated millions to projects ranging from education to cancer research, a cause close to his heart.
Ten percent of the Hall of Fame selections will come from an online vote by the public. The online voting can be accessed through www.usaboxing.org, and will run through March 28 with the Hall of Fame Inductees being named on April 14.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).