Only an elite few fighters could be in a position whereby a multimillion-dollar bout might hold more risk than reward.
At 29, Oscar De La Hoya is one such fighter. He is a millionaire dozens of times over, a newlywed nearing his first anniversary with Puerto Rican pop singer Millie Corretjer, and a champion who has added five professional titles to his 1992 Olympic gold medal.
On Saturday night he will put his considerable prestige on the line against an angry Fernando Vargas, a fellow 154-pound champion who is five years younger and proclaims himself hungrier for the brass ring.
Theirs will be a duel for ethnic pride and neighborhood bragging rights between fellow Mexican-Americans from Southern California.
Vargas keeps raising the ante in machismo. Claiming to be truer to his Mexican heritage, he declared Wednesday, “I would rather die in that ring than lose to him.”
De La Hoya refused to be baited, calling it a stereotypical appeal to hot Latino temperament.
“He says those things to get the Latin crowd against me,” De La Hoya scoffed.
Rather than respond in kind, De La Hoya said: “I’m sure nobody in their right mind would want to die in the ring. I would never say that.”
Vargas has stated his intention to marry the mother of his two children. He criticized De La Hoya for marrying a woman who did not give birth to his two children, saying, “He has kids, but obviously he’s not a father.”
That seemed to sting more than Vargas’ other insults. “Calling me a bad father, he has no right to say that,” De La Hoya said.
While De La Hoya will earn a guaranteed $8 million, win or lose, with a potential eight-figure payday, that was not enough to make him take on Vargas. His avowed first priority is rematches against Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley, who handed him his only two losses in 36 pro bouts.
“It’s a fight I never wanted,” he said of the showdown with Vargas, who has taunted him for years. “It’s like him riding a wave, getting all this attention and making a lot of money off of me.”
So what finally sealed the deal for Saturday night’s “Bad Blood” main event that figures to reward Vargas with $3.8 million to $6 million, his biggest boxing payday?
Two things, De La Hoya said.
First, “There’s a point where you can only take so much,” he said, referring to Vargas’ brash declarations of disrespect for him and his considerable accomplishments.
Second, he believes that a convincing victory over Vargas will be a “stepping stone” toward the rematches through which he’ll earn his place in boxing history.
When Trinidad recently announced his retirement, De La Hoya didn’t bemoan a lost opportunity. “It’s going to take money to bring him back,” he said. “If the money is right, I think he’ll come back.”
Regardless of whether that happens, he said his plans include a rematch with Mosley and then a move up to 160 pounds to challenge middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.
Despite his wealth and celebrity, De La Hoya insists he’s hungrier than his opponent can imagine.
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To his credit, he has not shied away from tough fights throughout his career, from Rafael Ruelas, James Leija and Pernell Whitaker early to Ike Quartey, Trinidad and Mosley later.
And now that “Golden Boy” De La Hoya is beginning to envision his golden years after boxing, he’s risking his very finite boxing plans and his legacy in the sport by taking a grudge match against a fellow champion, a proven powerhouse with 20 knockout victories in 23 fights.
Conceding that Vargas “is obviously the stronger fighter,” De La Hoya said his boxing skills would prevail and his opponent’s style “is going to make me shine. His style is suited to my style.”
Vargas cannot entertain the thought of losing. De La Hoya can, but only the fight. Even if he loses Saturday–“Not going to happen,” he declared–he’ll still have his Olympic gold medal, his titles in five different weight classes and his popularity beyond boxing.
Vargas “can only beat me, he cannot claim my position,” De La Hoya said. “It’s like when other golfers beat Tiger Woods. Beating Tiger doesn’t make them the man.”