Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya has been hospitalized with Covid-19, according to social media posts from the fighter.
De La Hoya, who says he is fully vaccinated, also announced that his planned return to the ring after nearly 13 years away will be put on hold.
“Preparing for this comeback has been everything to me over the last months, & I want to thank everyone for their tremendous support,” De La Hoya, 48, wrote on Twitter.
“I am currently in the hospital getting treatment and am confident I will be back in the ring before the year is up. God bless everyone and stay safe.”
In a video that accompanied the statement, De La Hoya says, “I mean, what are the chances of me getting Covid? I’ve been taking care of myself, and this really, really kicked my ass.”
De La Hoya, nicknamed “The Golden Boy,” was scheduled to fight Vitor Belfort on September 11 in Los Angeles.
Fight promoter Triller confirms that the fight between the two is off due to De La Hoya’s condition.
Instead Belfort will fight Evander Holyfield.
De La Hoya is a 10-time world champion in six different weight classes, according to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, which inducted De La Hoya in 2014.
He was named best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by The Ring magazine in 1997 and 1998.
He won a gold medal as a lightweight in Barcelona in 1992, the only US fighter to be Olympic champion that year.
He fought in some of the most memorable professional bouts in history, fighting other Hall of Famers 10 times, according to BoxRec.com.
He defeated Julio Cesar Chavez (twice), Hector Camacho, Arturo Gatti and Pernell Whitaker.
But he lost to “Sugar” Shane Mosley (twice), and Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Felix Trinidad.
He also lost to Manny Pacquiao, a likely Hall of Famer.
His record in world title fights is 24-5, according to BoxRec.com.
De La Hoya formed Golden Boy Promotions in 2002.
Source: CNN
