De La Hoya trades boxing gloves for microphone

VIDEO CNN's Paul Vercammen reports on what may be an unheard of combination: a rise to the top of the boxing and music charts Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

HOLLYWOOD, California -- His punches sting like a bee, but his voice floats like a butterfly. Five-time world boxing champ Oscar De La Hoya has scored a knockout with his self-titled debut album, which is hovering near the top of Billboard magazine's Top Latin 50.

"Oscar De La Hoya" was released October 10 and debuted on the Latin charts at No. 3 and currently is at the No. 9 spot. De La Hoya's first album is a mix of songs in Spanish and English -- a reflection, he says, of his multicultural background. De La Hoya was born in East Los Angeles, but his parents are natives of Mexico.

The boxing champ hasn't forgotten his roots, despite his success inside the ring as well as outside it. He established the Oscar De La Hoya Youth Center in Los Angeles, which helps children with geometry as well as jabs.

But De La Hoya isn't giving up the gloves for good. He says he'll probably be back in the ring by the middle of 2001 and is eager to do battle again with Sugar Shane Mosely, who beat De La Hoya in his last match in July.

CNN correspondent Paul Vercammen contributed to this report.

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Billboard Latin 50 Albums

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