Oscar de la Hoya, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist who became the most successful crossover Hispanic boxer of all time, may announce his plans to retire as early as Tuesday.
Known as "The Pride of East L.A.," De la Hoya will hold a press conference Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles at the newly redeveloped L.A. Live, across from the Staples Center.
Observers have speculated that De la Hoya would call it quits after he was beaten handily by the shorter, smaller Manny Pacquiao last December.
De la Hoya burst onto the American mainstream after the Barcelona games. Articulate, with movie star good looks, De la Hoya became a sports and cultural icon, appearing on Wheaties boxes, the covers of mainstream national magazines and was even nominated for a Grammy for his self-titled album in 2000.
As a boxer, he became the best fighter of his generation, winning 10 world titles in six different weight classes.
But De la Hoya has struggled to remain competitive this decade, and after a string of high-profile losses, the baby-faced boxer is expected to call it quits.
His departure from the ring would likely deal a crushing blow to the sport; despite his decline, he remains boxing's biggest draw and his pay per view fights are the sport's highest rated.
De la Hoya also founded Golden Boy Promotions, which, among other things, promotes and develops the next generation of boxers.
