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Salsa Circuit
Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya went on Aquí y Ahora Tuesday night to spill the beans on his struggle with alcohol and drugs, and Teresa Rodriguez had the scoop. This is the first time he has given such a candid interview since he voluntarily checked himself into a rehabilitation center earlier this year. After 3 1/2 months of silence, he has decided to come clean about the demons that have been haunting his life.
The star boxer explains how he suffered from a cocaine and alcohol addiction. He is now on the road to recovery and taking the necessary measures to lead a sober life. At one point he had no idea how he was still alive, and was sure he would end up either dead on in jail. Retired at 33 years of age, he had felt too much responsibility and pressure and had no idea how to cope any more.
After 6 world titles in 6 weight classes, you'd think de la Hoya would be on top of the world. His world actually fell apart when his mother died of cancer when he was just 17 years old, and he has not been the same ever since.
At one point during the interview, he even admitted he would probably not have gone down the reckless path he chose had his mother been alive. She would have straightened him out with "la famosa chancle," referring to the dreaded chancleta all Latin kids fear. All joking aside, the death of his mother took quite a toll on his personal life and his career.
Oscar confessed he started experimenting with alcohol when he was 9 years of age. Adults would ask him to get them drinks at family gathering and parties, and he used this opportunity to sneak drinks. This contributed to him developing a taste for alcohol at an early age. The emptiness he felt throughout his life contributed to his addictions, and when he lost his mother, alcohol became an escape. He was shocked at how dependent he had eventually become on alcohol, explaining how you can't be a good athlete when you take tequila shots before a fight.
The fighter came clean about his cocaine addiction during this special interview, explaining how he never did it in front of many people. He became tired of lying to everyone and decided to give rehabilitation a chance. It had become tiring being a father and husband, but he was determined to turn his path around and fight for his life. He was tired of coming home at 3 and 4 in the morning only to have to go train the next morning.
By age 32, his lifestyle had taken a toll on his physical and mental state, and he had spiraled out of control. He didn't care about his wife or kids, just coke, drinking, and partying.
De la Hoya also admitted to taking those racy photos of him that surfaced back in 2007. The photos of him and stripper Milana Dravnel had been previously dismissed to be fakes. Oscar said they were, in fact, real and a result of the drugs and the alcohol that had taken a hold on his life. He is ashamed of this and all other indiscretions he committed by betraying his wife, Puerto Rican singer Millie Corretjer, the love of his life.He admitted to cheating on her on several occasions, but said all that is in the past and all he wants is to move on.
At the time of the interview, it's been 109 days since he has had alcohol or cocaine. He is living day to day and says he feel great. He has dedicated his life to his wife and kids, as well as his philanthropic endeavor Golden Boy Productions, looking for new talent in the boxing world. Oscar even offers some words of advice for young athletes: stay humble, never forget where you come from, and stay healthy and live a clean life.
The Oscar de la Hoya who gave this interview is a different Oscar than the one who entered the rehab center back in May. He feels he has been given a second chance and is determined to make the most out of his life. He equates his recovery to the hardest training, for a fight he is never going to have.
Source Ikam Acosta
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