De La Hoya, Arum Meet to Settle Problems : Boxing: March 5 title fight still is planned. A deal with Nelson and Mittleman is called near.

Two weeks, at least three lawyers and nearly two fight cancellations later, Oscar De La Hoya took his first firm step back into the practical world of boxing Tuesday.

With his long-awaited first title fight March 5 close to being pulled off the table, De La Hoya met with promoter Bob Arum for two hours in an attempt to sort out his fighting future and resolve his legal tangle with estranged co-managers Steve Nelson and Bob Mittleman.

Afterward, De La Hoya and Arum said the bout against World Boxing Organization junior-lightweight champion Jimmy Bredahl is still scheduled. That fight will reopen the refurbished Olympic Auditorium.

Bredahl’s manager, Morgens Palle, had threatened to call off the fight if De La Hoya did not make a definite commitment to the fight by this morning. De La Hoya’s silence on the matter, until Tuesday, seemed to signify paralysis and confusion.

Arum and De La Hoya said Tuesday that a cash settlement with Nelson and Mittleman, brokered by Arum, might be near, freeing De La Hoya to return to action. Arum said he hopes to persuade Bredahl that De La Hoya will sign for the fight, possibly as soon as this week.

“There’s no confusion,” said De La Hoya, who was accompanied to the meeting by his father, Joe; his trainer, Robert Alcazar, and his father’s cousin, Gerardo Salas. Not in attendance was businessman Raynaldo T. Garza, although sources say he is still involved with De La Hoya.

“It’s just that we have to get everything straightened out,” De La Hoya said. “Right now, we have to settle with Mr. Mittleman and Mr. Nelson.”

Arum said he foresees getting the settlement completed rapidly, now that he has spoken to De La Hoya for the first time since the management turmoil began early this month.

The biggest deal left unfinished is the $7.5-million, five-fight package that Arum negotiated for De La Hoya with HBO. The Bredahl fight was not a part of the package, but was to trigger the deal by getting De La Hoya a title.

“We know HBO is an excellent deal,” De La Hoya said. “We’re not going to let that go by because of the problems we’re having. But we have to decide what we’re going to do.”

Will he remain with Arum?

“Oh, I’m going to stay with him,” De La Hoya said. “No doubt about that. I mean, you have Don King, you have Dan Duva (rival promoters), all of them are crooks. . . . Bob Arum is the straightest and nicest crook of all of them.”