Oscar De La Hoya (born February 4, 1973) is a former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. He holds dual American and Mexican citizenship. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy," De La Hoya represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in the lightweight division shortly after graduating from James A. Garfield High School.
He was born in Los Angeles, California, and comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr. and brother Joel Jr. were all boxers. De La Hoya was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine in 1995, and was their top-rated fighter in the world, pound for pound, in 1997 and 1998. He officially announced his retirement in 2009, after a professional career spanning sixteen years.
As a professional, De La Hoya won ten world titles in six different weight classes, including the lineal championship in three weight classes. He also generated approximately $700 million in pay-per-view income, making him the top pay-per-view earner before being surpassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. In 2002, De La Hoya founded Golden Boy Promotions, a combat sport promotional firm. He is the first American of Mexican descent to own a national boxing promotional firm and one of the few boxers to take on promotional responsibilities while still active.