A new HBO documentary unpacks the troubled past of a boxing legend.
By Al Alexander/For Boston Movie News
Outside Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, no recent pugilist has reigned more supreme than Oscar De La Hoya. On the surface, he seemingly had it all: great looks, a strong business sense, a fantastic back story, and a left hook that could fell opponents with the power of a sledgehammer. But appearances can be deceiving, as he bravely reveals in the two-part HBO documentary, “The Golden Boy.”
As you would expect, the 155 minutes are packed with De La Hoya’s achievements, which are many, from his 11 world titles spanning six weight classes to his tremendous success as an advertising pitchman and savvy sports promoter. But what gives this doc —executive produced by Dorchester’s Mark Wahlberg —its punch is De La Hoya’s eagerness to explore his torments and triumphs. And there are many of the former —almost too many.
If there is a glass jaw, it’s director Fernando Villena’s reluctance to thoroughly examine his subject’s myriad faults, including substance abuse, alleged sexual misconduct, philandering, and being an absentee father. Yet, his ability to get De La Hoya to so freely take stock of a life strewn with regret and embarrassment is refreshing, especially in the wake of many similar profiles pulling punches to secure authorization. From the stark black-and-white opening in which De La Hoya appears in close-up warning us of a life marred by hidden darkness, it is clear this will be an honest retelling.
And so it is, with three of his estranged children, two ex-wives, an exotic dancer, and a disgruntled trainer invited to weigh in on the most unflattering of terms. Even De La Hoya is unsparingly candid in self-reflection. For someone used to clean and polished bio-docs, it’s startling to hear an international hero rip himself to shreds. It makes you uneasy. But gradually, you’re won over by his unabashedness. Just imagine yourself, the psychoanalyst, and De La Hoya, your deeply troubled patient.
If, like me, you’re the most casual of boxing fans, the revelations will knock you for a loop. But I believe even his most ardent fans will be caught off guard by De La Hoya’s frank criticism of his behavior. Even more unexpected is how his openness induces you to not just empathize but like him, really like him. Still, he’s not getting off easy as he attempts to knock himself off his pedestal with one of those legendary left hooks.
At first, we are made privy to how he ascended said pedestal. And for a kid from a neighborhood as rough as East L.A., it wasn’t easy. But it was clear from an early age that boxing was both a ticket out and a breakaway from parents who were anything but loving. At one point, De La Hoya divulges that while swinging at a foe’s face, the mug he saw was that of his late mother, Cecilia, who never missed an opportunity to slap him silly. He says it got to the point where he became numb to her blows, which might explain his remarkable ability to absorb a punch.
His disdain for Cecilia might shock those who embraced the myth of De La Hoya winning his Olympic gold medal in 1992 to fulfill his mom’s dying wish. Turns out it was a cock and bull story that the media —even President George H.W. Bush — latched onto like a junkyard dog sinking its canines into an intruder. It got De La Hoya on Leno and helped hasten his first championship fight as a pro. But why lie? Now 50, De La Hoya says it was a last-gasp attempt at connecting with a mother who seldom showed him affection. To hear him tell it, as Mexican immigrants, Mom and Dad both subscribed to the belief that it’s weak for men to show emotion or vulnerability. It was machismo or the highway.
This, of course, is heartbreaking and defies explanation as to why De La Hoya became such a chauvinist in adulthood. Or why he treated his siblings, friends, and handlers in such a transactional manner. But when you’re the self-proclaimed “Golden Boy,” you sit back and let the adulation envelop you. And as his ego grew, so did his craving to be the badass his macho reputation demanded. Regrettably, his wives and kids paid the highest price.
First wife, actress Shanna Moakler, discovered she was about to be KO’d when she saw her hubby walk the red carpet at the Latin Grammys with her replacement, singer Millie Corretjer. De La Hoya fathered children with both women. There was also a son he didn’t know about, born of a one-night stand. De La Hoya cops to never setting aside time for them, choosing instead to further his career in the ring and as an entrepreneur by starting his own sports-promotion company, Golden Boy. We hear from wives and three of his progeny, and what they describe hardly befits a “Golden Boy.”
Much of what is gleaned is cringeworthy (like the night he was caught in women’s clothing), but never less than riveting, as the 155 minutes fly by in a wink. Credit that to Villena, who is masterful at coordinating clips from De La Hoya’s most significant bouts with commentary from a host of talking heads, including De La Hoya’s father, Joel Sr., also a boxer in his day, and longtime trainer, Jesus Rivero. Most affecting is De La Hoya’s younger sister, Cici, whose recounting of how her brother abandoned her when she needed him most is positively heart-wrenching.
Abandonment becomes a common theme throughout. Even De La Hoya concedes he only made time for himself, never thinking about how his self-absorption destroyed the people who loved and cared about him most. Ultimately, De La Hoya proves to be a work in progress. Yes, pound for pound, he is one of the finest boxers to ever step into the ring. He also remains incredibly intelligent and articulate, not a given in a sport littered with brain-damaged peers. But as a man, especially a father, he has a long way to go. Whether he gets there is an open question. As of this moment, it’s a split decision.
‘The Golden Boy’
Rated: TV-MA
Cast: Oscar De La Hoya, Bob Arum, Joel De La Hoya Sr., Cici De La Hoya, Shanna Moakler, Jesus Rivero and Millie Corretjer
Director: Fernando Villena
Runtime: 155 minutes
Where to see: Part 1 premieres at 9 p.m. July 24 on HBO, and Part 2 premieres at 9 p.m. July 25 on Max. After each debut, it can also be found on Max.
Grade: A-
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