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| Wednesday, August 30, 2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal Breaking away De La Hoya attempts to sever his ties with Top Rank's Arum By Kevin Iole
Review-Journal Former welterweight world champion Oscar De La Hoya, arguably boxing's No. 1 attraction, filed suit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in an effort to break a promotional agreement with Las Vegas-based Top Rank.
Top Rank has been De La Hoya's only promoter since he turned professional in 1992 after becoming the only American to win a gold medal in boxing at the Barcelona Olympics.
De La Hoya, who has made more than $150 million in purses, more than any non-heavyweight in history, did not seek monetary damages. He is, in effect, said attorney Stephen B. Espinoza, declaring his free agency. Espinoza said he is unsure whether De La Hoya will attempt to promote his own fights or sign with another promoter.
De La Hoya cited a number of issues as possible breaches, including that the length of the agreement does not comply with California State Athletic Commission regulations and that the agreement is in violation of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.
Espinoza said California law provides that services contracts not exceed seven years. The contract De La Hoya signed with Top Rank is in its eighth year.
In a statement, De La Hoya said recent comments to the media by Top Rank president Bob Arum, in which Arum suggested that De La Hoya retire if his fledgling music career is successful, also are behind the split.
"I was very surprised and disappointed by Bob's recent comments to the press stating that I should retire from boxing," said De La Hoya, who discussed retiring after his June 17 loss to Shane Mosley in Los Angeles. "I am as committed to boxing as I ever have been, and I want my next fight to be a rematch with Shane Mosley. However, it would be very difficult to go forward with my career without the unconditional support of my promoter."
De La Hoya said he is hopeful of arranging a rematch with Mosley for early next year. Arum was targeting Jan. 20 at the MGM Grand for the rematch, though the Mosleys have given Top Rank a deadline of this week to finalize a deal.
Arum said Top Rank will file a counter claim against De La Hoya, likely today in District Court. He said De La Hoya is subjecting himself to a multimillion dollar damage claim with his actions.
"I think they have this crazy notion that they can do all this stuff themselves," Arum said. "When they asked me for a preposterous amount for the Mosley rematch, which isn't in the cards, I told them I wasn't going to do it. This is the reaction to that. First, they asked (for a purse of) $20 million, and then he asked me for $15 million.
"And $15 million is what he got for the first fight. Mosley got $5 million, and we made a couple of million dollars on the fight. Who the hell knows whether (a rematch) would do as well, worse or better? So I proposed paying each fighter $10 million. Well, $10 million to Oscar is chump change, and that started the whole thing."
The suit also charged that Arum's admitted payments to ex-International Boxing Federation president Robert W. Lee, for which he was fined and sanctioned by the Nevada Athletic Commission, contributed to a breach of the contract because Arum's admissions in the Lee trial diminished Top Rank's "legitimate and moral standing essential to effective promotion."
The first fight is likely to be over location, as Top Rank wants the case heard in Nevada and De La Hoya wants it in California, where he has resided all his life. The promotional agreement states that California law will apply, but Top Rank is expected to argue that much of the activity took place in Nevada.
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Top Rank president Bob Arum has promoted Oscar De La Hoya since 1992.
Photo by Clint Karlsen.
Oscar De La Hoya has made more than $150 million in his boxing career.
Photo by Jeff Scheid.
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