Oscar postpones fight after hand injury

Dean Juipe

Friday, April 5, 2002 | 11:16 a.m.

Top Rank announced Thursday that Oscar De La Hoya has an injured hand and has been forced to pull out of his May 4 fight with Fernando Vargas at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

They were to take part in a pay-per-view bout before what was expected to be a capacity crowd and with the World Boxing Council's 154-pound championship at stake.

Promoter Bob Arum said the fight would be rescheduled for sometime "between July and September" and that De La Hoya suffered the sprain to his left hand while training last week at his camp in Big Bear, Calif.

Vargas' promoter, Gary Shaw, immediately questioned the injury and De La Hoya's motivation, speculating that "Oscar is afraid" to fight Vargas.

Arum dismissed Shaw's comments and reiterated that the injury is "legitimate" and that it would take four to six weeks to rehabilitate.

De La Hoya, 28, is to receive $14 million (plus a percentage of the pay-per-view receipts) for the fight, while Vargas, 24, is in line for $6 million (plus).

The injury will extend De La Hoya's absence from the ring, as he has not fought competitively since beating Javier Castillejo last June at the MGM Grand.

Vargas last fought in September at Mandalay Bay, defeating Shibata Flores.