OSCAR'S PLAN: RETURN AS WELTERWEIGHT.

Byline: ROBERT MORALES Boxing

It may be next fall before we see Oscar De La Hoya in another fight, and when we do, it will probably be in the 147-pound welterweight division.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, last week mapped out a very tentative plan for De La Hoya. It includes taking a full year off and dropping down two weight classes from middleweight.

Schaefer's revelations beg two questions: Can De La Hoya, who will be 32 next month, afford to take a year between fights without getting so rusty that he not only gets beaten, but hurt? And can De La Hoya again campaign at welterweight after not having fought there for nearly four years?

``When you look at other fighters who have taken off a long time, for instance Felix Trinidad Jr., I think if you have the right lifestyle and don't abuse your body, and you're not out partying and drinking all night, you can do it,'' Schaefer told the Daily News.

``Since Oscar got married to Millie, they live in Puerto Rico, and they are basically homebodies.''

It's true about Trinidad. He came back Oct. 2 from a two-year, five- month retirement to knock out tough Ricardo Mayorga in the eighth round. By all accounts, Trinidad looked better and meaner than ever.

That doesn't mean De La Hoya will be better, or even rejuvenated, if he takes a long layoff. Schaefer believes that no one but De La Hoya can be the best judge of that.

``I can advise Oscar on many things,'' Schaefer said, ``but when it comes to boxing, he is definitely smarter than me.''

Schaefer said that possibilities at welterweight include a fight with Kostya Tszyu, the current International Boxing Federation junior welterweight champion. By the time De La Hoya is ready to rumble again, Tszyu could be at welterweight. If not, a big-money offer could lure him there.

``Oscar has definitely mentioned Kostya Tszyu's name,'' Schaefer said. ``He realized he can make 147 (pounds) when he was training for Hopkins.''

Schaefer was referring to De La Hoya's most recent fight, Sept. 18 against Bernard Hopkins for the undisputed middleweight championship. De La Hoya was stopped by ninth-round technical knockout.

When De La Hoya moved up from junior middleweight to middleweight last June and defeated Felix Sturm to win the World Boxing Organization middleweight championship, he gained blubber, not muscle, and barely got by Sturm.

De La Hoya trained much harder for Hopkins and walked around the week of the fight at well under the 160-pound middleweight limit.

De La Hoya just doesn't seem to have much power past 147. He's had four fights in the 154-pound junior middleweight class. He is 3-1 in those fights with two knockouts, but one of the knockouts came against Yory Boy Campas in May 2003, and Campas was so bad by then, that doesn't count.

At middleweight, De La Hoya (37-4, 29 KOs) is 1-1 with one knockout loss. He showed little power against Sturm and Hopkins.

Schaefer said De La Hoya already has given up a May HBO date, further cementing his plan to stay out of the ring until September. De La Hoya could be coaxed back sooner if the right opportunity presents itself.

``A lot of it depends on the opponent,'' Schaefer said. ``If it were to be Trinidad, maybe things could change.''

It was pointed out to Schaefer that Trinidad is at middleweight and probably would never move back down to welterweight, where he began.

``If Trinidad really wants to fight Oscar, we can fight at a catch-weight of, say, 150,'' Schaefer said.

Trinidad won a majority decision over De La Hoya in September 1999.

--De La Hoya with Leija: De La Hoya is currently with Jesse James Leija in San Antonio. Leija, who fights under the Golden Boy banner, on Jan. 29 will challenge World Boxing Council super lightweight champion Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City, N.J. HBO will televise.

``I love watching him fight,'' Leija said of Gatti. ``He only fights one way, and that is full forward. And I'm going to be right there giving it right back.''

According to Schaefer, Leija has talked about fighting Gatti since signing last year with Golden Boy.

``This is the fight Leija has always wanted,'' Schaefer said. ``He is really motivated.''

Leija, 38, is a former WBC super featherweight champion. In his most recent fight, on July 24, Leija defeated Francisco Bojado on a split decision.

``Arturo likes to box more now, but his strong point is still his power,'' said Leija, who is 47-6-2 with 19 knockouts. ``But I've fought tough fighters all my career. I've been asking for this fight for five, six years.''

Leija is in tough against Gatti. He has won championships in the super featherweight and super lightweight divisions. Two of his three fights with ``Irish'' Micky Ward were selected Fight of the Year by Ring Magazine.

Gatti, of Jersey City, N.J., via Canada, is 38-6 with 29 knockouts. He is making the second defense of his belt.

Gatti, 32, is brimming with confidence.

``Leija is the wall, and I'm going to climb it,'' he said. ``But I have a lot of respect for Jesse James. You can't overlook someone with that experience and that desire to win.''

--Navarro-Kawashima: Jose Navarro of South Central Los Angeles takes on WBC super flyweight champion Katsushige Kawashima tonight in Tokyo.

Robert Morales, [phone], Ext. 2213

robert.morales(at)sgvn.com

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