By Mark Vester
Oscar De La Hoya does not plan to retire for quite some time. The former six-division champion told BoxingScene.com's Bill Emes, among others, that he plans to continue his career as an active fighter beyond the upcoming Dec. 6 bout with WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao. At the start of the year, De La Hoya announced that he would fight three times in 2008 and then retire. The first bout in May was a decision win over Steve Forbes, the planned September rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was shelved when Mayweather retired from the sport. Then came the December fight with Pacquiao, originally the date for De La Hoya's final career bout.
De La Hoya admits that he made a mistake by telling the public that he planned to retire, and won't even mention retirement again - until he actually retires.