De La Hoya scripts triple ring farewell in 2008

Ten-times world champion Oscar De La Hoya wants to end his boxing career with a bang, scripting three fights in a farewell campaign this year.

First up for De La Hoya is former IBF super featherweight champion Steve Forbes on May 3 in Los Angeles. He plans to follow that with a September title re-match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. before a final fight in December.

"This is my last year," De La Hoya, who has held titles in six weight classes, told a news conference in New York.

"I have a plan in my boxing career. I've studied fighters. I've studied the game of boxing, why is it that fighters cannot retire?

"I want to retire when those signs, those physical signs are starting to creep up on me. I want to retire at a perfect time, at the perfect age. And my body is asking me to retire."

The quick but light-hitting Forbes has a 33-5 record, while fellow American De La Hoya is 38-5 with 30 knockouts. The fight, at a catch weight of 150 pounds, is set for 12 rounds.

De La Hoya, 35, is enjoying his life outside the ring as president of Golden Boy Promotions, one of the foremost promoters in boxing.

This year, however, he will be focusing on the ring.

His main priority is to avenge his split decision defeat last May by Mayweather Jr. in a WBC light middleweight title bout.

De La Hoya was asked what he thought about Mayweather Jr. agreeing to take on 7-foot World Wrestling Entertainment performer Big Show for a reported $20 million in a March 30 Wrestlemania extravaganza.

"It's like the tables have turned," De La Hoya said. "Let him do all these other things besides boxing.

"I'm going to be in the gym, making sure I can go out with a big bang so I'm glad he's doing it."