American Son: My Story » (Bargain)

Oscar De La Hoya is one of the most beloved athletes in America and one of the greatest boxers of all time. He was born in Los Angeles and now divides his time between Puerto Rico and southern California.

Oscar De La Hoya es uno de los deportistas más queridos de Estados Unidos, y uno de los mejores boxeadores de todos los tiempos. Nació en Los ángeles, y ahora reparte su tiempo entre Puerto Rico y el sur de California.

Born into a boxing family, the son of Mexican-born parents, Oscar "the Golden Boy" De La Hoya has lived the American Dream—achieving unparalleled success in everything from athletics to business, from the recording industry to numerous charitable ventures. The winner of six world titles and an Olympic gold medal, he has defeated more than a dozen world champions and has left a positive mark on the sport of boxing, inspiring many who had all but given up hope.

American Son is his story—a quintessentially American story—a frank, touching, and revealing memoir from one of the most celebrated fighters in the history of boxing. It is the thrilling tale of an immigrant's son—the chronicle of an amazing life's journey that offers new insight into the private world and remarkable career of a gentleman, an athlete, and a true national icon.

Los Angeles Times

“This memoir, his first literary glance in the rearview mirror, is a revealing and solid read.”

Preface     xiii
A Promise Made     1
A Promise Kept     7
The Cleanest Window in Mexico     23
My Last Fight, at Age Four     27
Comback at Six     31
Food Stamps and Muggers: Life in the Hood     37
My Roots     53
Tacos at Dawn     59
Noise Monitor for Budweiser     73
Shysters on My Doorstep     77
Neon Warrior     85
Starving for Recognition     99
The Men in my Corner     107
The Biggest Bra I Ever Saw     119
Chavez: The Myth and the Man     125
Straddling the Border     135
Anguish to Rage     143
Searching for Love     153
Tito     161
Shooting for the Moon     167
Enter Richard Schaefer     177
Losing the Gold     193
Burned     203
Golden Boy Takes on the Big Boys     211
The Love of My Life     223
My Guardian Angel     237
Cashing in My Chips: A Gambler Reforms     245
More Men in My Corner     249
Baring My Soul     259
Acknowledgments     267