Oscar De La Hoya ‘Voluntarily’ Enters Rehab
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Alexis Cuarezma/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya has checked himself into a treatment facility to fight his ongoing substance abuse issues, ABC News has confirmed.
The Olympic gold medalist and 10-time world champion boxer, 40, issued a statement Tuesday that said he would miss Saturday’s big match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Canelo Alvarez, a fight promoted by his company, Golden Boy Promotions.
“Canelo Alvarez and I have big fights coming up this weekend. His is in the ring and mine in treatment,” De La Hoya said in his statement. “I will not be at the fight this Saturday to cheer Canelo to victory since I have voluntarily admitted myself into a treatment facility.”
De La Hoya said that he explained his health concerns to Alvarez, a fighter under his company’s promotion, and that the boxer understood.
The Mexican-American boxer, singer and author, who retired in 2008, first admitted he had issues with drugs and alcohol in 2011.
In an interview two years ago with the Spanish-language network Univision, he revealed his struggles with alcohol and cocaine, admitting he had even thought of suicide.
“This is the biggest fight of my life,” De La Hoya told the network. “I could put all my opponents in one ring and battle all of them, but this monster is going to be the toughest fight of my life.”
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