Oscar De La Hoya to make big announcement
By Lance Pugmire
LATimes

Oscar De La Hoya has scheduled an April 14 news conference at the Star Plaza downtown, where he will make an announcement about his future in boxing, his business partner Richard Schaefer told The Times on Monday night.

Schaefer declined to reveal what De La Hoya has decided, although the boxer was soundly beaten by Manny Pacquiao in a Dec. 6 fight and confided to former trainer Freddie Roach that his best days were over.

A source, who sought anonymity because the decision has not been made public, said the scheduled announcement would not include an opponent or date for an upcoming De La Hoya bout. And the site of his announcement, the Star Plaza, is not far from his statue at Staples Center.

When The Times last spoke with De La Hoya in February, he was 60-40 on retiring.

"I'm torn between saying, 'It's over. 'Bye. I don't have it anymore,' and knowing if I'll be able to live with that," Oscar said then. "It's a tough decision, not easy at all."

De La Hoya (38-6, 30 knockouts) has increasingly worked to build his Golden Boy Promotions empire, which includes Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and rising star Victor Ortiz in its stable.

"Oscar De La Hoya to make big announcement"

Oh, if only this tiresome sort of drama would stop. I can only assume that Oscar will "be in the best shape of his career" for the announcement....and that he is "very focused".

Whatever.