Ex-Boxing Champion Oscar De La Hoya Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI In California

by Pablo MenaJanuary 26, 2017, 3:12 pmNews, Opinion >

Oscar De La Hoya was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of drunk driving after he was stopped for speeding in Pasadena, officials stated.

Ex-Boxing Champion Oscar De La Hoya Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI In California

The 43-year-old former world boxing champion and Golden Boy Promotions chairman, who has struggled with post-retirement addiction issues, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08.

According to the California Highway Patrol, De La Hoya failed several field sobriety tests.

“As for his [blood alcohol content], he was over the legal limit of 0.08%,” said Officer Xavier Bejar, a CHP spokesman in Altadena.

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The Land Rover De La Hoya was driving at the time of his stop for speeding, according to local authorities, also had mechanical violations, although the CHP report did not describe those.

While the officer spoke to De La Hoya, he “detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from inside the vehicle,” according to the CHP.

The Hall of Famer, who holds dual Mexican and American citizenship, was scheduled to attend a press conference Wednesday in Indio, California for his World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Francisco Vargas, who will fight Saturday at Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino, although a spokesman said Wednesday that De La Hoya was no longer expected.

De La Hoya has entered rehab at least twice since retiring after his loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Although he declared himself clean in an interview with the LA Times in 2015, he has appeared intoxicated in a few recent video interviews on TMZ.

In one interview, De La Hoya slurred his words while describing a mythical fight between his star fighter, Canelo Alvarez, and UFC star Conor McGregor.

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 01: Oscar De La Hoya promotes a fight between Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan during a press event at the Hard Rock Cafe on March 1, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)