De La Hoya on His Demons, Regaining Golden Boy Control

By Carlos Arias

LAS VEGAS --- Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya said he understands how Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer could find him unreliable because of his bouts with drug and alchohol addiction.

"Absolutely, that's very understandable," De La Hoya said. "Listen, everybody has their troubles. Everybody in this world has trouble and issues that they have to deal with. Now, I'm dealing with them. "Everybody in this world has troubles. I’m not running away from them anymore. See, the easy part for me was running away. I'm not running away anymore. I’m getting the bull by the horns. What matters the most to me right now is obviously my family, but this company, boxing. That's what matters to me the most behind my family. The fans, they want to see great fights. This is important to me. I had a little derailment, a big one. I did. I don't want to stay down. I'm tired of staying down. I'm a fighter and I'm going to fight."

De La Hoya said he is back and he wants to take control of his company.

"The bottom line is that I was not well," De La Hoya said. "I got caught up with stuff, and I was down and out. I really was, so I decided to get back up, to fight for me, to fight for my family, to fight for boxing, the sport I dearly love, the sport that gave me everything I have. I’m here now. You can’t take me out anymore. I’m here, and I have my plans, and my vision, and no one’s going to stop me, that’s for sure. The company is named Golden Boy for a reason. This is the fight of my life right now. I love it. I can win."

What is he fighting?

"Life! Life," De La Hoya said.

Contact Carlos Arias on Twitter @PunchyMcGee.