DE LA HOYA TRAINED TO LISTEN TO DAD.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL / Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya said recently that he makes the final decisions when it comes to his boxing career. ``I'm my own man. I call my own shots,'' he declared.

Not so.

In one of the biggest decisions of his career, whether to retain trainer Emanuel Steward, De La Hoya apparently caved in to the wishes of his father because he wanted to avoid conflict.

Steward was dismissed amid training for Saturday's bout against Wilfredo Rivera in part because Steward helped arrange for De La Hoya to go to Las Vegas to see the Evander Holyfield-Michael Moorer fight on Nov. 8.

Apparently, De La Hoya's father, Joel De La Hoya, was annoyed that his son had broken camp without his OK.

``Let's put it this way,'' the fighter said, ``I hate arguing with my father. I don't want nothing between us. I love my father, I love my family. Blood is thicker than water. I just feel that it would've just made us kind of angry with each other.

``. . . I didn't want my family destroyed over a little situation.''

Bob Arum, De La Hoya's promoter, said Steward was dismissed because he wouldn't play by the rules: All decisions must go through the fighter's adviser, Mike Hernandez, and father.

``The problem with Emanuel, and he admits it himself, is he best trains fighters he also manages,'' Arum said. ``That was the problem here; he didn't manage Oscar.

``. . . When fighters reach a certain level, they get pulled in many directions. And it can be very confusing. With Ali, Hagler, Leonard, everyone knew there had to be a chain of command so the fighter wouldn't get confused. Oscar's camp is like that. Every request is funneled through Mike Hernandez and ultimately goes to the fighter.

``. . . Emanuel couldn't function in that type of situation.''

That makes sense. However, not to a point where you jettison one of the best trainers in the business.

Before Steward, De La Hoya seemed to be searching for a boxing style. With Steward, he evolved back into the aggressive, hard-punching De La Hoya of old. He seemed to blossoming.

And then Steward's gone over what De La Hoya himself called ``a little situation.'' De La Hoya is going to miss him.

``He was giving me confidence,'' he said. ``I was happy, feeling stronger. The little combinations that he was teaching me, the little tricks up in the ring. It was a good experience.

``. . . He really understood the power I had. He always told me every fighter should try to knock out his opponent. That's what I like about him.''

Clearly, De La Hoya would prefer to be working with Steward. And he should be. He's a grown man, he should trust his own instincts. And, if those closest to him truly love him, they'll support him.

Alcazar II: De La Hoya originally dismissed Roberto Alcazar as his head trainer because his development seemed to have slowed down.

Jesus Rivero was brought in to take the fighter to the next level. Ultimately, that didn't work out, so Steward, one of the best in the business, was brought in. Once again, De La Hoya and Co. decided it was necessary to turn to someone else.

So where do they go? Back to Alcazar, the guy without the knowledge or experience it takes to guide one of the best fighters in the world.

``Robert has been on board the whole time,'' said De La Hoya, who retained Alcazar as an employee while Rivero was on board. ``He has had someone above him (Rivero and Steward) teaching him what to do.

``Emanuel was there for half (of this camp) and now I feel Robert can handle it.''

Look for Alcazar to be replaced one more time.

Gil Clancy, another veteran trainer, has been hired to work with De La Hoya in the days leading to Saturday's fight and work his corner. After Saturday, De La Hoya implied, a new full-time trainer - perhaps Clancy? - could be brought in.

``We'll see who I hire, who I'm comfortable with,'' he said. ``I feel comfortable Robert Alcazar will do the job right. He's learning, but there's so many years of learning still to do, more experience to pick up.

``I'm always trying to pick up experience, to learn more, to have Robert learn more.''

Clancy was offered the job but turned it down before Steward was hired. In fact, Clancy recommended Steward.

Wrong victim: Many of those in the boxing world are calling for an investigation in the wake of Shannon Briggs' controversial victory over George Foreman.

One promoter, Don Elbaum, told the New York Daily News without reservation: ``That was a fix.'' And it doesn't seem far-fetched.

Any investigation would center on Briggs' manager, Marc Roberts, who some believe conspired with Larry Hazzard of the New Jersey Athletic Commission to bring in the two relatively unknown judges - Calvin Claxton and Lawrence Layton - who scored the fight in Briggs' favor.

Roberts reportedly has joked that his fighters don't lose in New Jersey. He denies that and the contention that he played a role in the decision.

Meanwhile, the credibility of New Jersey as site for boxing has suffered. An investigation would serve everyone involved.

RING RICHES

Three of the five athletes who earned the most money in 1997, as estimated by Forbes in its Dec. 15 issue, are boxers: Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson. Of the 40 athletes listed, seven are boxers. Basketball players claimed 11 spots. Seven baseball players were on the list. Figures are in millions.

Name Sport Income

1. Michael Jordan Basketball $78.3

2. Evander Holyfield Boxing $54.3

3. Oscar De La HoyaBoxing $38.0

4. Michael Schumacher Auto Racing $35.0

5. Mike Tyson Boxing $27.0

6. Tiger Woods Golf $26.1

7. Shaquille O'Neal Basketball $25.4

8. Dale Earnhardt Auto Racing $19.1

9. Joe Sakic Ice Hockey $17.9

10. Grant Hill Basketball $17.0

Others:

14. George Foreman Boxing $14.7

22. Naseem Hamed Boxing $12.0

35. Lennox Lewis Boxing $9.7

36. Michael Moorer Boxing $9.6

COMING UP

Tonight: Ed Mahone faces Ernesto Yety in a 10-round heavyweight bout at the Pond.

Tuesday: On USA Network, Charles Brewer defends his IBF super middleweight title against Joey DeGrandis in Philadelphia.

Friday: On Showtime, Mauricio Pastrana faces Manuel Herrera for the vacant junior flyweight title in Pompano Beach, Fla.

Saturday: On pay-per-view, Oscar De La Hoya defends his WBC welterweight championship against Wilfredo Rivera in Atlantic City, N.J. Also, Terry Norris faces Keith Mullings for Norris' WBC super welterweight title, and Raul Marquez defends his IBF junior middleweight title against Yory Boy Campas.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, 2 Boxes

PHOTO DE LA HOYA

BOX: (1) RING RICHES (see text)

(2) COMING UP (see text)