COLUMN: SKI REPORT: Back to the drawing board for De La Hoya

Opinion by William "Ski" Wilczewski

Boxing is not baseball—and that’s something the folks in the sweet science should be thanking their lucky stars about.

Thank goodness it’s not three strikes and your out—at least in the case of Hall of Famer and current pugilism promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who was arrested Tuesday morning for driving under the influence in California, according to a USA Today report.

De La Hoya’s battle with substance abuse is well-documented, having stepped away from his Golden Boy Promotions company and entering the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., in May 2011 after first publically acknowledging his inner demons. 


Then, in September 2013, days before Canelo Alvarez's super fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., De La Hoya announced he was returning to rehab.


Strike two.


Now, Golden Boy has an HBO card scheduled for Saturday in California, and it's unclear how this latest incident will affect De La Hoya's availability for the promotion.


He was arrested without incident that morning and was later released from jail to his manager, but the 43-year-old former four-division champion and 1992 Olympic gold medalist just may opt to avoid Saturday’s bright lights given the circumstances.


More importantly, though, should be another rehab stint—and as soon as possible.


Forget about Saturday’s fight.


His own fight is more important right now—for his own sake, and for boxing’s.


Over the years, I have to admit that I’ve been a rollercoaster fan of De La Hoya’s. One minute on his bandwagon, the next hurling proverbial rotten tomatoes at his face.


I always respected him as a boxer, but when he dabbled in the music and fashion businesses, I shunned him like a leper at a beauty pageant.


It may not have been fair but it was what it was.


Truth be told, there are times I still think his painted-on Colgate-bright, mega-watt smile is just the one of a snake-oil salesman, who, in the end, can never be trusted.


It just rubs me that way.


However, when you look at the big picture, De La Hoya—who promoted fights in Southern Arizona for a few years around the 2005 timeframe—has really been a breath of fresh air in a boxing business once filled with seedy souls like Don King and to a lesser degree Bob Arum, who’s still in the promotion game.


For the last 14 years since Golden Boy first hit the big stage in 2002, though, De La Hoya has added a level of respectability to the business that it’s probably never seen.


Sure, boxing may forever be associated with creepy characters and questionable morals, but that veil has been considerably lighter since De La Hoya first took his post on the promotions scene.


He’s been good for a sport that needed him when he took off his own gloves.


Now, he needs to be good to himself and maybe slide on those proverbial gloves one more time in order KO his demons one more time.


Who knows, maybe instead of being called out, the third time will be the charm.


One can only hope—for his sake and for boxing’s.


Wilczewski can be reached at wwilczewski@havasunews.com.