Oscar de la Hoya says he is seriously contemplating a comeback to the ring and there is a possibility that will take place sooner than people think. 

In an interview with CBS Los Angeles’ sportscaster Jim Hill that aired Thursday night, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions revealed that he is currently in training. The 47-year-old did not go into specific details of how often he trains, but admitted to wanting to make a comeback.

“I’ve been thinking about it (a comeback) more and more each day,” said De La Hoya in an interview from his Downtown Los Angeles office. “I’ve been actually training and actually running. Who knows if it (a fight) will take place at the end of the year or early next year, but I’m getting there. I feel really good.”

“I start sparring in two weeks. Maybe we can have this interview in a couple of weeks. We’ll see how I feel with a black eye.”

De La Hoya (39-6, 30 knockouts) has not fought since losing by knockout to Manny Pacquiao in December 2008. After winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, the popular Mexican-American from East Los Angeles carved out a Hall of Fame career, winning world title belts in six different weight classes.

Some of De La Hoya’s most notable bouts have come against Floyd Mayweather (2007), Julio Cesar Chavez (twice), Bernard Hopkins (2004), and Shane Mosley (twice), and Ike Quartey (1999). 

Since retiring, De La Hoya has had battles with alcohol and drug abuse. Over the last couple of years, De La Hoya has been more involved with the day-to-day operations of the company he started in 2002. He currently promotes Ring Magazine middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, IBF junior lightweight titleholder Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz, lightweight contender Jorge Linares, unbeaten welterweight Vergil Ortiz, Jr., and unbeaten lightweight Ryan Garcia, among others.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing