With Greatness Gone, Golden Boy Retires

Final images are iconic. Final images are irrevocable. They are our initial remembrance. They are a narrative’s origin.

On Tuesday, Oscar De La Hoya retired. “This is the love of my life, boxing is my passion, boxing is what I was born to do,” said De La Hoya. “When I can't do it anymore, when I can't compete at the highest level, it's not fair. It's not fair to me, it's not fair to the fans, it's not fair to nobody.”

“Now I understand why athletes have such a tough time retiring from something that you feel so passionate about, from your sport that you're always thinking you can try one more time,” he continued. “I can still train hard and I can still compete, but when you're an athlete that has competed on the highest level for a lot of years, it's not fair. It's not fair to step inside the ring and not give my best.”

During his career, De La Hoya accrued a 39-6 record. He amassed WBO Middleweight, WBC Super Welterweight, WBA Light Middleweight, WBC Welterweight, WBC Light Welterweight, IBF Lightweight, WBO Lightweight, and WBO Super Featherweight championships. He garnered the Lightweight Olympic Gold medal. He vanquished Hector Camacho, Julio César Chávez, Ike Quartey, Fernando Vargas, and Pernell Whitaker.

De La Hoya’s career was memorable. His final image was unfortunate. Bloody, decimated, and past his prime.