Oscar De La Hoya, the 10-time world title winner and boxing legend has been in the spotlight, yet again. The focus this time though, isn’t on one of his monumental matches, but rather his controversial comments directed towards rising boxing talent, Ryan Garcia. De La Hoya has recently reacted to the Ryan Garcia beef that saw him come under fire from the boxing community.
De La Hoya’s tweet, seemingly doubting Garcia’s mental health issues, was met with significant backlash. Commenting on this controversy, De La Hoya said the boxing world was “quick to judge” his seemingly insensitive tweet. The tweet, according to him, was misunderstood and taken out of context.
“Never would I intend to minimize or question the trials of anyone, especially their mental health issues,” De La Hoya clarified. He took a step back from the furor, explaining his tweet had been misread by the public.
The tweet, which has been deleted amidst the public outcry, was made in response to Garcia’s decision to pull out of his much-anticipated fight with Javier Fortuna, due to mental health reasons. Garcia has been open about his battles with anxiety and depression and chose to prioritize his mental health over his boxing career.
De La Hoya felt his words were not completely understood and reiterated his intent was to highlight the prevalence of the issue. As a seasoned combatant of the ring himself, he emphasized how mental health problems are unfortunately an underbelly of professional boxing.
“This sport we love can be ruthless at times”, De La Hoya expressed. This was meant to address the extent of the strain fighters are forced to bear during their careers, created not only by the battles they fight in the ring but also those they fight against themselves.
In recent years, the thunderous applause, uproarious fans, and the bright lights have shadowed the harsh reality of mental health struggles faced by athletes. The subject of mental health in sports is increasingly becoming an urgent issue, warranting critical discussions among professional circuits. Garcia had shown immense strength in bringing this topic to the fore of conversations, and many within the boxing world lauded his decision to put his mental health first.
De La Hoya also added, “The times we are living in are complicated. Mental health issues are very real. I am thankful that today we are more open to discussing and learning how to cope and support each other.” Always a pillar of the boxing community, De La Hoya spoke like a seasoned veteran well aware of the pressures of the squared circle.
Oscar De La Hoya’s reaction to the Ryan Garcia beef and his subsequent statement on mental health revealed his stance on one of the most pressing issues in contemporary sports. The row around his controversial tweet emphasized the critical role of sensitivity and understanding when communicating about mental health issues.
Though his initial remarks on Twitter attracted criticism, De La Hoya turned the incident into a conversation starter around mental health in the boxing world, and the wider sporting community. His sentiments seem to mark a shift in sports culture when addressing mental health, providing an opportunity for open discussions about the often-ignored psychological aspects associated with sports.
