Oscar De La Hoya, the legendary boxer has been accused of sexual assault by a former employee of his company, Casa Mexico. Apparently, he forced a sexual object into her against her will.
De La Hoya’s response
The legal battle is set to play out in Los Angeles in Civil Court. Oscar De La Hoya had allegedly forced himself upon the woman in a hotel in 2020, De La Hoya had this to say in his defense “Unfortunately, with the twenty-four-hour news cycle, we find ourselves today, more often than not, as the recipient of vindictive and unjust accusations that are interpreted and spread as truth — without any evidence to support erroneous claims. I am confident my legal team will resolve this matter and prove my innocence.”
The incident allegedly took place in March 2020 and at the time De La Hoya was visiting a distillery that belong to Casa Mexico Enterprises, where he is a business partner.
Former Controversies
His confidence in his claim has many people questioning the efficacy of the claims against him, however, this isn’t the first time the former boxer has been accused.
Back in 1998, at the age of 25 he was accused of raping a 15-year-old, The lawsuit was filed in San Bernardino but the investigation took place in Mexico, with the Mexican authorities’ investigation turning up no evidence, De La Hoya maintained his innocence and the case was settled out of court.
The former boxer also admitted publicly to his substance abuse problem, causing some controversy after a photograph of him cross-dressing had been leaked online. De La Hoya initially denied the authenticity of the photographs and drew out a lengthy legal battle. He however did admit to having cross-dressed in that photograph and attributed it to his cocaine addiction. He was also arrested over a DUI and charges were dismissed after he pled not guilty.
Boxing History
De La Hoya was named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year in 1995 and was the top-rated fighter in the world, He was one of the highest-earning and most-watched fighters and is considered to be the 29th best boxer of all-time pound for pound, by BoxRec. In a career spanning 16 years, he earned the title “The Golden Boy of Boxing” It was a title he held throughout his boxing years. Earning a very impressive 11 titles in 6 different weight classes, He’s had nothing short of a stellar career.
Mexican Citizenship
De La Hoya has held a dual American Mexican citizenship since 2002, it was granted to him to reflect his Mexican heritage, This however brings up an interesting issue since the legal support for victims of rape or sexual assault in the country is reportedly terrible. It’s a well-known fact that courts are biased when it comes to celebrity cases, when the average joe could get off easy, the question stands, will the courts and authorities be a little too lenient when dealing with the “Golden Boy: of boxing?
The boxer claims the woman is just a ruffled former employee bitter over being fired from her job. If that is indeed true then it would stand to reason that it is a dangerous environment when allegations of sexual assault can tarnish a man’s reputation irreparably.
But with the history the Golden Boy has had, it wouldn’t come as a surprise.
