Oscar De La Hoya becomes latest to speak out against Donald Trump

By Greg Hadley

July 9, 2015 6:47 PM PT

It might not come as a surprise, but Oscar De La Hoya is not a fan of Donald Trump.

De La Hoya, the Mexican-American former boxing champion, was at a news conference Thursday promoting a fight between Mauricio Herrera and Hank Lundy as the founder of Golden Boy promotions, when he was asked about Trump’s recent comments on immigration.

De La Hoya laughed at first, but then strongly chastised Trump.

“You know, it’s terrible, terrible what’s he saying, what he stands for. I’m shocked. I’m really shocked,” De La Hoya said.

When announcing his candidacy for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Trump made the following comments regarding immigrants:

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. ... They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems.... They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

In response, companies such as Univision, NBC, ESPN, NASCAR and the PGA have all cut ties with Trump, while political and cultural figures from Hillary Clinton to celebrity chef José Andrés have condemned him. He has repeatedly stood by his comments and even predicted that he would win the Latino vote

De La Hoya, who was born in the United States but whose parents are Mexican and has dual citizenship, is the first Mexican-American to own a national boxing promotional firm. He disagreed with Trump’s prediction.

“In this country, there’s 50 going on 60 million Latinos all across the board, and especially him running for president, how can he say something like that? How can he even think something like that? Or how can he even feel something like that?” De La Hoya said.

De La Hoya has not endorsed a candidate for president in the past, and he did not do so Thursday. But he did make it quite clear who did not have his support when asked what he had to say to the Latino community.

“Go out and vote, because your vote counts. And obviously, do not vote for Donald Trump.”