Oscar De La Hoya returns home to fight
Steve Forbes in Los Angeles
This fight will be televised on regular HBO
World Championship Boxing on May 3rd
Source: Golden Boy Promotion's
Official Release
March 10, 2008 -- Ever since his
emergence on the world scene as an Olympic Gold Medalist in 1992, Oscar
de la Hoya’s name has been synonymous with Los Angeles, the city that
molded him into “The Golden Boy,” a boxing legend. On Saturday, May 3,
De La Hoya will face former world champion Steve Forbes, in what will be
the first-ever boxing event at The Home Depot Center’s 27,000 seat
soccer stadium. The bout will also mark De La Hoya’s return home to
fight for the first time in Los Angeles since 2000 as well as his return
to HBO’s World Championship Boxing for the first time since 2001. De La
Hoya-Forbes is the featured event of a “Homecoming” weekend the likes of
which the sport has never seen.
“Homecoming” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions
in association with AEG and The Home Depot Center and sponsored by
Cazadores, Tecate, Rockstar Energy Drink, Southwest Airlines and
Affliction Clothing. The match up will be televised live by HBO’s World
Championship Boxing beginning at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.
The May 3 bout will not only pit boxing’s reigning superstar against
an upset-minded opponent, but will also bring back a taste of boxing’s
golden age, when the top fighters competed in front of tens of thousands
of diehard fight fans packed into huge stadiums.
“I can’t even put into words how excited I am to fight at home in Los
Angeles and to be able to have the fight in The Home Depot Center’s
soccer stadium is just unbelievable,” said De La Hoya, whose last fight
in the area was in 2000. “This is a dream come true and I am dedicating
the whole weekend to all of my fans, those who will be there and those
who get to see the bout on HBO rather than pay-per-view, as they are the
ones who have supported and embraced me throughout the many years of my
career. I promise to give them plenty to cheer about that night.”
“This is a fight between two gentlemen, a match between two masters
of the fistic arts, one who is the face of this art and the other a man
that has never had the chance to prove he belongs until now,” said De La
Hoya’s challenger, Forbes. “I will be ready and I’m coming to win.”
“The three things Oscar wanted when this bout was being discussed was
to have it at home in Los Angeles, hold the fight outdoors and to
broadcast it on HBO’s World Championship Boxing,” said Richard Schaefer,
CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Not only are we going to make those
things happen, but we are very excited about planning an entire weekend
of events surrounding Oscar’s fight, something that the boxing world has
never seen.”
“For Steve Forbes, fighting Oscar de la Hoya is the brass ring, he is
the grand prize,” said Jeff Wald, promoter for Tournament of
Contenders. “Steve has never been on the canvas as an amateur or as a
professional and the fans are going to see a great fight on May 3. This
fight is the continuation of a great relationship between Tournament of
Contenders and Golden Boy Promotions.”
“Oscar is the most dynamic and popular boxer of our time,” said
Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO, AEG. “We are thrilled that Oscar
has chosen to fight in Southern California at The Home Depot Center,
where his biggest fans will have the opportunity to witness history in
one of the most unique boxing venues they will have ever been to.
Thanks to Richard Schaefer and Ross Greenburg for putting together this
incredible night of sports. We won’t let you down.”
“We are thrilled to be able to bring Oscar de la Hoya to our
subscribers on May 3,” said Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports.
“We think this great event will broaden the appeal of boxing to a larger
fan base. And Steve Forbes is presented with the opportunity of a
lifetime, which is all any pro athlete asks.”
Also adding to the intrigue surrounding this event is the return of
Floyd Mayweather Sr. to the corner of De La Hoya as head trainer. In
the opposite corner training Steve Forbes will be Mayweather Sr.’s
brother Roger, who also acts as the lead trainer for the last man to
beat De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“It’s great to have Mayweather Sr. back in my corner,” said De La
Hoya. “After this fight, Roger Mayweather will have to go back to the
drawing board if he thinks Floyd Jr. can beat me again.”
“Roger has the blueprint to beat Oscar and I’m going to use that
blueprint, expand on it, and send a message to the boxing world that it
was a big mistake to pick me as his opponent.” said Forbes.
Tickets start at just $25.00 and will go on sale to the public on
Tuesday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. Individual tickets may be purchased by
calling Ticketmaster at 213-480-3232 or by visiting ticketsmaster.com.
Group tickets, VIP packages and Hospitality packages are available by
calling 1-877-AEG-TICKETS (1-877-234-8425) or by visiting
www.aegtickets.com.
