De La Hoya Wants to Organize a Tournament

Hoping to build up the credentials of upcoming opponents and eager to build up his own promotional company, Oscar De La Hoya is forming a junior-middleweight tournament, which would consist of himself and three other fighters.

De La Hoya will select the participants from a group that includes Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas, Vernon Forrest, Winky Wright, Javier Castillejo and Daniel Santos.

The tournament, which could stretch over the next year, would consist of three fights, two semifinals and the championship. The fights would be shown on HBO and staged in either Las Vegas or at Staples Center, the selection to be based on highest site fee.

“They are all invited,” De La Hoya said. “We are not excluding anybody. Before we decide who is in, we have to see who wants to be in. In a couple of weeks, we should have all the details. It’s exciting. Things are happening.

“These are the defining moments of my career. There is all this talk about who I should fight. Let’s give these guys credibility and name recognition. This tournament is the way to do it.”

Vargas, of course, already has the name recognition. He also has a problem that could keep him out of the tournament. After losing to De La Hoya in September, Vargas tested positive for steroids. He will have a hearing Wednesday in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The commissioners are expected to suspend Vargas for six months to a year.

Vargas’ relationship with De La Hoya is no longer a problem. Although Vargas has been badmouthing De La Hoya for years, part of his campaign to land a fight with the biggest moneymaker outside the heavyweight division, the two met earlier this week at a Pasadena restaurant.

Who paid for dinner?

“We didn’t even eat,” De La Hoya said. “We just hung out and tried to patch things up. We are cool with each other now.”

The fights involving De La Hoya would be a co-promotion between De La Hoya’s growing company, Golden Boy Promotions, and promoter Bob Arum. The semifinal fight not involving De La Hoya would be promoted solely by Golden Boy, which already has plans to promote about 50 shows next year.

“I hope to see Golden Boy become among the best of the promotional organizations,” De La Hoya said.

So will this tournament become a reality? Not if a certain retired fighter in Puerto Rico decides to make a comeback. Felix Trinidad remains De La Hoya’s first choice as an opponent. Trinidad has name recognition and credibility and he doesn’t need a tournament to prove it. In the unlikely event he signs with De La Hoya, the tournament will be history before a punch is thrown.