Oscar De La Hoya Admits to Addiction and Adultery
Oscar De La Hoya has admitted to having an addiction to drugs and alcohol during an interview with the Spanish-language network Univision published Wednesday morning.
The former boxing champion told Teresa Rodriguez of “Aqui y Ahora” that he has been addicted to cocaine and alcohol for the past two years.
“There were drugs, my drug of choice was cocaine and alcohol, hmm. Cocaine was recent. The last 2 years, last 2½ years and I depended more in the alcohol than the cocaine,” De La Hoya said.
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“It took me to a place where I felt safe, it took me to a place where I felt as if nobody can say anything to me, it took me to a place where I just can reach out and grab my mom.”
De La Hoya contemplated suicide when his dependency with drugs hit “rock bottom.”
“Within couple of years, just thinking if my life was even worth it. I don’t have the strength, I don’t have the courage to take my own life but I was thinking about it,” he said.
De La Hoya also confessed to cheating on his wife, which led to the couple separating for some time.
“We are obviously not talking a Tiger Woods here, but I was unfaithful,” De La Hoya said.
The “Golden Boy” has been sober for three months after enrolling in rehab and joining Alcoholics Anonymous.
De La Hoya’s problem with drugs and alcohol developed after his notorious lost to Manny Pacquiao. He retired in 2009, after a 16-year career in which he won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games and six world titles in six different divisions.
De La Hoya left the sport of boxing with a record of 39-6 and 30 knockouts. After retiring, he founded Golden Boy Promotions and is reportedly the first American of Hispanic descent to own a national boxing promotional firm.
