Hoya sings a different song

But he said his ventures into music, fashion and other areas actually help him become a better fighter. “It takes me away from boxing for a while,” he said. “It gives me something else to think about. When I start training, I focus on training.”

He will start training shortly for a WBC welterweight title fight against Shane Mosley on June 17 in Los Angeles. Both fighters will train at Big Bear, California, away from most distractions. To be sure, De La Hoya keeps to the task, his father will be there with trainer Robert Alcazar.

“He will stay there for six weeks. It was my idea,” De LaHoya said. “He can really push me. He is the only person I listen to. He makes me train harder.”

De La Hoya is trying to regain the WBC welterweight title he lost to Felix Trinidad on September 18 in a disputed majority decision. Trinidad surrendered the crown to move up to the super welterweight division.

He said he won’t consider himself the champion again until he beats Mosley. De La Hoya sees the fight as another step in atoning for the loss to Trinidad, the only blemish on his 33-fight record.

A seventh-round knockout of Derrell Coley at Madison Square Garden on February 26 was the first step. De La Hoya’s goal is four fights and four knockouts this year.

At 27, he figures he has three years left before going onto another career. “At 30, you’re over the hill in boxing,” he said.

De La Hoya already has started on his next career. He would not elaborate but said the venture has to do with the Internet, and he is teamed up with some “heavy hitters,” including Quincy Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He got his foot in the door in the music business with the still untitled album, which features ballads. Four of the songs are in English, the rest in Spanish.

His foot is also in the door in fashions with Hugo Boss. De La Hoya wore a beige corduroy jacket and slacks with a matching turtleneck. But boxing remains No 1.

“I train hard to win my fights, and everything else will fall into place,” he said. Mosley has a 34-0 record with 32 knockouts but has been overshadowed by De La Hoya’s presence.

“Our opponents are in a whole different league,” De LaHoya said. “His opponents are really not too strong.” For Mosley, this is the biggest fight of his career.

“Winning will be like winning a gold medal in the Olympics,” he said. De La Hoya did that at the 1992 Olympics. Mosley didn’t.

Top rank promoter Bob Arum said all but 2,000 seats at the Staples Centre have been sold for the bout.