Did you know that Oscar De La Hoya was just 19 years old when he became an Olympic gold boxer? That’s right. This good-looking, charismatic boy rocketed to prominence, eventually garnering eleven world titles. But were things as shiny as they seemed?
Thanks to this new HBO Sports documentary, we might finally get a proper glance into his prominent career – and what was truly behind the facade of one of the more exceptional boxers to ever step into the ring.
Who Is Oscar De La Hoya, aka The Golden Boy?
Oscar De La Hoya is an American former professional boxer. If you turned a TV on in the 90s, you’ve probably come across this hometown hero, nicknamed by the media as “The Golden Boy of boxing.“
De La Hoya has had an impressive career. At age 15, he won the National Juniors Olympics. As an amateur, he amassed an impressive 234 wins – 163 of which were by knockout! Then, in 1989, he won the National Golden Gloves title and in 1990, at the tender age of 17, he secured the U.S. National Championship as featherweight.
After he tragically lost his mom to cancer that same year, he became determined to one day become an Olympic gold medalist. Something he achieved in 1992. By 1995, he was one of the top-rated fighters in the world, generating more than $700 million in pay-per-view income (significantly more than his counterparts Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao). He retired in 2008, after an impressive 16-year career.
The HBO Sports Documentary
Premiering July 24, 2023, HBO Sports’ new documentary, called “The Golden Boy,” tells the story of De La Hoya in his own words. You will be able to see candid interviews of both the boxer and his closest friends and rivals, as well as fascinating and rare archival footage.
The documentary doesn’t just explore De La Hoya’s victories, though. It also delves into the champion’s struggle to remain the golden boy – and, you could say, the burden of excellency. For example, it touches on his losses to Sugar Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins, as well as his defeat when facing Floyd Mayweather.
Was Oscar De La Hoya a brilliantly marketed fighter? And were his performances as impressive as those wanting to unearth talented boxers and bring them to the professional ranks desired? If you watch this docuseries, which slowly peels back the layers of this complicated figure, you might have a chance to find it out.
The Golden Boy is directed by Fernando Villena and produced by Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Mario Lopez, David Wendell, Archie Gips, and Jeffrey Stearns in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio (UTAS) and ViaMar Productions.
