De La Hoya Issues Apology for His Remark About Arum

His Golden Boy image tarnished, his tolerance questioned and his marketability potentially damaged, Oscar De La Hoya apologized Friday for remarks he made a week earlier about promoter Bob Arum, remarks that involved ethnicity and religion.

“In an interview last week with a reporter at La Opinion,” De La Hoya said in a written statement, “I made certain remarks regarding my former promoter, Bob Arum, that I sincerely regret. I did not mean to insult Bob Arum and his family or any ethnic or religious group in any way. I humbly apologize to anyone the remarks may have offended. . . . I never forget I’m a Mexican-American, born and raised in East Los Angeles by a wonderful mother and father, brought up God-fearing and having deep respect for all humankind, no matter what their race or religion.”

In a story in last Saturday’s edition of the Spanish-language newspaper, De La Hoya said that Arum, who is Jewish, resented De La Hoya’s success because he is Mexican. De La Hoya, who won the legal right to break his contract with Arum, boasted he had “defeated one of the biggest Jews to come out of Harvard.”

On Wednesday, Richard Schaefer, De La Hoya’s business manager, questioned the accuracy of the quotes, saying he couldn’t imagine his fighter making such remarks.

As De La Hoya’s remarks were repeated in the national media, he has been amid a firestorm of criticism. Some in his own organization have expressed concern about his image and marketability.

In Friday’s statement, De La Hoya said, “I am grateful to Bob Arum for the years he acted as my promoter. He helped me achieve the success I have enjoyed in my boxing career. I have called Bob to tell him that and to apologize personally to him.”

As of Friday afternoon, Arum, in Fort Worth, Texas, to promote a fight, said he had not heard from De La Hoya. A spokesman for the former welterweight champion said De La Hoya called Arum’s Top Rank office in Las Vegas Friday morning and left word for Arum to return the call.