Oscar on the road back

Oscar De La Hoya (left) - things to prove

By BBC Sport Online's Kevin Asseo

Oscar De La Hoya is a busy man. After all, the task of regaining his place at the top of boxing world is a difficult one, and he knows there is still a lot of work to do.

The "Golden Boy," who has enjoyed more success as a pop star than as a boxer in the past two years, is back in the ring on Saturday 23 June against WBC 154-pound champion Javier Castillejo.

The fight could give De La Hoya a place in the record books next to some elite company.

With a win, he would join Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns as the only fighters to win world championships in five different weight divisions.

Hopefully I can be appreciated after I get my revenge for the two losses that I have

  Oscar De La Hoya

But as a victory over Castillejo is seen as almost a foregone conclusion, that achievement is not what will gain back the respect De La Hoya is so desperately seeking.

Instead, the only way to do that, as he well knows, is to avenge his only two professional losses, to Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley.

"Being part of boxing history is very important to me," said De La Hoya.

"I feel that a lot of athletes who stand out during their careers are sometimes appreciated after their careers, so maybe that can happen to me.

"Hopefully I can be appreciated after I get my revenge for the two losses that I have."

While he has slipped well below both Mosley and Trinidad on most pound-for-pound rankings, De La Hoya is quick to point out that he still holds more drawing power than either of his rivals, and he is right.

"What's going to happen is, in order for them to make big money, they're going to have to fight me," he said.

"The way I gave them the opportunity, now they have to give me the opportunity, on my terms, where I want to fight, how much I want to pay them, which is going to be more than they make, but they just have to understand that."

For the time being, Mosley seems the more likely target.

His schedule is fairly open, and there is less difficulty with weight than there is with Trinidad, who is already at 160 and has said he will move to 168 following his next fight, much to De La Hoya's dismay.

It will be a totally different fight, whether it is with Mosley or with Trinidad, because of the training style that I have now

  De la Hoya

"Why wouldn't he want to wait for me at 160? Even if he fights Roy Jones he's not going to make the same money he would fighting me," De La Hoya said.

"So if it's not the money, it has to be that he's dodging me."

De La Hoya swears he is training harder than he ever has, possibly thanks to his less-than-heroic late round efforts against Trinidad and Mosley, and will be ready for whoever agrees to a rematch first.

"It will be a totally different fight, whether it is with Mosley or with Trinidad, because of the training style that I have now, and I have more knowledge inside the ring. I know how to do more things."