Who Is Oscar De La Hoya's Girlfriend? All About Holly Sonders

Oscar De La Hoya and Holly Sonders went Instagram official in 2021

Oscar De La Hoya is focusing on his relationship with his girlfriend, Holly Sonders.

The six-division world champion and Olympic gold medalist retired from boxing for a second time in 2022, telling BoxingScene.com, “I can’t imagine myself in the ring anymore. I’m hanging up the gloves for sure and calling it a day." On the topic of Sonders, who De La Hoya has been romantically linked to since 2021, the former pro boxer said he feels “complete now.”

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“I have a woman by my side who makes me feel like King Kong,” he continued. “It’s motivating. It really is.”

De La Hoya first met Sonders when she interviewed him at a boxing event in 2021. The event marked Sonders' return to sports broadcasting following her exit from Fox Sports in 2019, where she worked as a golf analyst and football sidelines reporter. Prior to Fox Sports, Sonders was one of the leading reporters for the Golf Channel.

Sonders remained by De La Hoya's side when an April 2022 lawsuit was brought against him, accusing the former boxer of sexual assault and battery. A woman who was previously employed by De La Hoya's tequila brand, Casa Mexico, accused him of sexually assaulting her twice in March 2020 during a company trip to the brand's distillery in Mexico. The case is still open, and De La Hoya has denied all allegations.

So, who is Oscar De La Hoya’s girlfriend? Keep reading for everything there is to know about Holly Sonders and her relationship with the former boxer.

She spent a decade as a sports broadcaster

Sonders was the face of Morning Drive on the Golf Channel for five years before she signed a contract with Fox Sports in 2015. She was brought on to lead Fox Sports’ newly-acquired USGA coverage alongside Greg Norman, who was let go after one season, according to Golfweek. At the sports network, Sonders covered the USGA championship, U.S. Opens and U.S. Women’s Opens.

In 2018, Sonders said goodbye to golf and announced that she would be transitioning to one of Fox Sports’ college football studio telecasts.

“I’m incredibly proud to have been a part of Fox Sports’ USGA coverage. The entire golf team has become like family and I learned a lot working alongside them,” Sonders told Golfweek at the time.

A year later, Sonders walked away from Fox Sports altogether.

She met De La Hoya at a boxing event

Sonders and De La Hoya first crossed paths at Bally’s Fight Night in June 2021. As host of the event, Sonders interviewed boxers, both current and retired, which is how she and De La Hoya ended up getting to know one another. De La Hoya was also heavily involved in the event, having co-created it with KO Entertainment.

Related: Retired Boxer Oscar De La Hoya Announces He's Making a Comeback 13 Years Since His Last Fight

The former broadcaster marked the special occasion on Twitter, sharing a photo of herself interviewing The Golden Boy on stage. “Boxing is LIVE right now on #BallysFightNight #KOEntertainment having so much fun with this event created by @OscarDeLaHoya,” she tweeted.

In August 2021, the pair were spotted on a date at Nobu in Malibu, in photos obtained by TMZ. However, the couple didn’t go Instagram official until that November.

Sonders still attends boxing events with De La Hoya, including the highly anticipated match between her boyfriend's client, Ryan Garcia, and Devin Haney in April 2024. After the match, Sonders shared her thoughts about Garcia's win in a video shared by Pro Boxing Fans on YouTube.

"He was spectacular," she said. "From the first punch that he threw, people were on their feet. We're really proud."

That night, she also shared a video from the match on Instagram as she walked through the backstage area of the venue with De La Hoya at her side.

She has a tattoo of De La Hoya

Sonders showed her love for De La Hoya in a very permanent way. In November 2021, she unveiled a new back tattoo inspired by the viral photograph of De La Hoya winning a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

“You have everything in life. There is nothing I can give you that you haven’t received already … except for this,” Sonders wrote on Instagram. She paired the message with a set of photos showing off her new ink, including a side-by-side of her tattoo and its sketch design.

“This tattoo signifies the day you became The Golden Boy. The moment you won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics and looked up at your mother who had passed a few months prior,” she continued.

Sonders added that she enlisted the help of De La Hoya’s brother-in-law, a professional tattoo artist, to bring “this moment to life.”

De La Hoya called her “the most caring, sweetest and selfless person"

In an April 2023 birthday tribute to Sonders, De La Hoya praised her for being “the most caring, sweetest and selfless person” he’s ever met. In addition to being “hot as hell,” De La Hoya said Sonders’ heart is what truly makes her one of a kind.

“You took your time in knowing me and caring for me, you go out of your way to always put me first and make me always feel like your king, you are so so selfless and I truly appreciate everything you do for me and others,” he penned.

De La Hoya ended his caption, “I love you to the moon and back, only we know what we have and I’m proud to say that you will be my legacy. I’ve done it all in life from winning Gold to championship belts but the one thing my life has been missing is love and I finally have it with you and I promise I will love you and take care of your heart forever.”

She was previously engaged to a famous sports gambler

Sonders’ whirlwind romance with Dave Oancea (also known as “Vegas Dave”) ended in 2020, a year after their December 2019 engagement. During the first six months of their engagement, Sonders said she tried to cut back on work and “just be home more.” However, the COVID-19 pandemic only made her feel restless and “so miserable.”

Related: Pro Gambler 'Vegas Dave' and Host Holly Sonders Are Engaged: I 'Fell in Love with Him Instantly'

“I tried to be there and I tried that whole thing, he goes to work and I’m there, and for the first time in my life, for about six months, I tried that and I was so miserable — not because of him — just because I need to have my own thing,” Sonders explained to the New York Post.

Oancea eventually moved out of their home, and Sonders went on to explore new career ventures. They went their separate ways sometime in 2020.

Prior to Oancea, Sonders briefly dated Kliff Kingsbury, who was coaching the Arizona Cardinals at the time of their relationship. In 2016, Sonders split from her then-husband and former Golf Channel co-host Erik Kuselias.

She and De La Hoya were Grand Marshals at Las Vegas Pride

In October 2023, Sonders and De La Hoya, who wore matching rainbow-colored ensembles, served as Grand Marshals at the Las Vegas Pride parade.

"Be proud of who you are. Thank you for welcoming us to your circle @pridelasvegas. Oscar I am so proud of you for opening your heart you are so amazing. I love you," Sonders wrote on Instagram.

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