L.A. Won’t See De La Hoya-Gatti Live

Oscar De La Hoya has reached an agreement with HBO to televise his March 24 fight against Arturo Gatti, but only tape-delayed on the West Coast.

With the cable network embroiled in a legal dispute with the former welterweight champion, HBO scheduled an original movie, “Wit,” for that night.

“We’re locked into that schedule,” said Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports.

The fight will be shown at 10:45 p.m. PST, (10:45 live on the East Coast), to be followed by a heavyweight match between Wladimir Klitschko and Derrick Jefferson in Munich, Germany.

Still in dispute, according to Greenburg, is the remainder of De La Hoya’s contract with HBO, which calls for an additional three fights.

“Right now, we’re just zeroing in on the one fight,” Greenburg said. “But this agreement is a good sign.”

De La Hoya’s next match--should he beat Gatti as expected at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena--probably will be in June, most likely against Javier Castillejo, the World Boxing Council 154-pound champion. According to one source, HBO and De La Hoya have reached a tentative agreement to show that match.

De La Hoya’s handlers have told HBO that they want all his future fights on pay-per-view.

HBO has gone to federal court in New York seeking a declaratory judgment on the validity of its contract with De La Hoya.

Last Friday, federal judge Victor Marrero denied HBO’s request for an injunction to prevent De La Hoya-Gatti from being shown anywhere other than that cable network. That decision undoubtedly speeded up negotiations between De La Hoya and HBO.

The result, however, will be frustrating to local boxing fans. Although De La Hoya will be a prohibitive favorite over Gatti, it’s an intriguing match because it comes after two losses in his previous three fights and after a nine-month hiatus for De La Hoya, who spent the time launching a singing career. Now, he returns to his boxing career, but, as far as his hometown is concerned, it won’t even be televised live, a situation De La Hoya caused by disputing his contract.

This is not exactly what De La Hoya envisioned when he switched promoters, from Bob Arum to Jerry Perenchio, and promised more exposure than ever.