De La Hoya Draws Praise

Seated ringside for the U.S. Olympic boxing trials in the Tunica Arena and Exposition Center on Wednesday night, Emanuel Steward, national coaching director for the U.S. squad, shook his head in disbelief.

It wasn’t because of the action in the ring, but his reaction to the news that Oscar De La Hoya had agreed to move up from 154 to 160 pounds to fight undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins on Sept. 18.

“It was one of those things you hear, and you think it must be a mistake,” Steward said. “Wow, I’m shocked. I can’t believe he took this on. I have to take my hat off to Oscar. You can’t say this guy ever dodged anybody.”

The deal, expected to be formalized next week, will be worth between $41 million and $50 million.

De La Hoya’s guaranteed share will be $30 million for a June 5 match against World Boxing Organization middleweight titleholder Felix Sturm, followed by the Hopkins match. Hopkins will get $1.25 million to fight mandatory challenger Robert Allen on the June 5 card and $10 million to face De La Hoya. De La Hoya and Hopkins must win their preliminary matches for the second fight to occur.

They would get additional revenue if the pay-per-view audience exceeds stipulated projections, which could swell De La Hoya’s take to more than $35 million and Hopkins to more than $14 million.

Although the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the front-runner to land both fights, Staples Center, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego and Reliant Stadium in Houston have expressed interest in the June 5 matches.

“It’s a done deal,” Hopkins told the Philadelphia Daily News, referring to the two-fight agreement. “Oscar’s already signed. He’s just waiting on me.

“All praise to Oscar. He didn’t need to make this happen, but he did. He knows boxing is in the intensive care unit. It needs a big fight like this to resuscitate it.”