Raised on Pride : De La Hoya Credits His Family and Heritage for Success in the Ring

The upcoming Cinco de Mayo weekend will be highlighted by the lightweight title fight Saturday matching two of the Southland’s Latino luminaries, Garfield High product Oscar De La Hoya , the World Boxing Organization champ, and Sylmar-based Rafael Ruelas , the International Boxing Federation titleholder. The 22-year-old De La Hoya, who usually enters the ring brandishing the flags of both the United States and Mexico, discusses the role his heritage has played in his career leading up to the biggest fight since the East Los Angeles native won the gold medal in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. De La Hoya, who is single and now lives in Montebello, was interviewed by City Times Staff Writer Mark Sachs at the fighter’s Big Bear Lake training site.

Q. When you won the gold medal in ‘92, people seemed charmed by the fact that you celebrated your dual heritage. Do you sense any backlash in today’s climate of Proposition 187 and the anti-affirmative action forces?

A. I don’t take pride in my heritage because I think it will please other people, so if it bothers some people now, that doesn’t affect me either, except to maybe make my pride even stronger.

No one is going to change my mind about how I feel about myself and about being Mexican American. I am not intimidated by anyone about that. I feel proud and that’s it.

Q. You have mentioned that your parents, Joel and Cecilia, played a major role in instilling that level of pride in you. But while you were preparing for the ’92 Olympics, your mother passed away after battling breast cancer. How did you find the strength to go on with the task at hand?

A. My first reaction was that I wanted to forget about everything and quit boxing. I was angry and frustrated that she wasn’t there anymore. Your mother means everything to you when you are growing up, and suddenly, I couldn’t handle her being gone.

But as the days went by, I began to realize that I had to go on with my life and what I wanted to do. That’s what she had prepared me for.

I started to look at things positively instead of negatively. I decided that I would devote myself to working even harder in her memory, because that’s how she would have been most proud of me.

When I looked at it that way, working toward the gold medal became even easier for me because I was totally focused on winning for my mother.

But even though I was able to get through that period, I am still not over being without her. You don’t recuperate from a loss like that in days, weeks or even years.

Q. Your family really helped cultivate your interest in boxing as a young boy. How did that come about?

A. Actually my older brother, Joel Jr., was the one who got me interested. He was boxing before I was and I would follow him to the gym, which was about two miles from our house in East Los Angeles. But then it was my father who would take me every day after he saw how much I enjoyed it. I was only six when I first picked up the gloves, but I learned very quickly.

Q. Were you known for your boxing skills while you were attending Garfield High?

A. You know what? I really tried to keep it to myself. I never let anybody know that I was a boxer. But during my last year, after I qualified for the Olympic trials and had to start missing some school, people had to know why I was gone, so word got out. But even then, I would just tell some of them that I was going on vacation or something.

Q. If boxing had never entered your life, what would you be doing now and what would we be talking about?

A. I would definitely be in school full time, dedicating my time to becoming an architect. And we would probably be talking about golf. I love it, but not enough to quit boxing.

Q. And what might we be talking about if we could schedule another interview 10 years from now? How would you like your life to be?

A. The way I see it is me living in my dream home that I would have built eight years ago, just having my family set financially. I would be happy and I would be retired, never having to work again. I was smart enough to get out as soon as I could.

My goal is to win six titles in six different weight classes, or to make $100 million for myself. Whatever comes first, that’s it for me and boxing. It’s too hard a life to continue beyond accomplishing either of those things.

I will be satisfied with either goal, but both would be nice too.

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The De La Hoya-Ruelas fight at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Saturday is also available on pay-per-view through most local cable systems.