Dubai: Former boxer Oscar De La Hoya headlines Team USA’s line-up against The Rest of the World in the 2015 Icons Cup all-star golf tournament at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club this week, from Wednesday to Friday.
The 42-year-old Mexican American won 10 world titles across six weight divisions with 39 wins in 45 fights, 30 by knock-out, in a professional career which spanned 16 years from 1992 to 2008.
De La Hoya is also just one of five fighters to have faced both Floyd Mayweather Junior and Manny Pacquiao, ahead of their May 2nd mega-fight in Las Vegas, losing against them both.
The Icons Cup is a three-day 13-a-side Ryder Cup-style celebrity golf tournament. The Rest of the World will be captained by Europe’s 2016 Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke, with the likes of footballers; Gabriel Batistuta, Robbie Fowler, Andriy Shevchenko, Dwight Yorke and Fifa presidential candidate Luis Figo, present. Cricketers Kapil Dev, Brian Lara and Shane Warne are also in the line-up along with rugby’s George Gregan, Brian O’Driscoll, Mike Tindall and rowing’s Steve Redgrave.
Two members of Team USA are still to be unveiled with De La Hoya, so far the biggest name set to attend. Former Masters champion Fred Couples will captain, with baseball players; Tom Glavine, Ken Griffey Junior and Greg Maddux joining him. Also on the list are American footballers Marcus Allen and Eric Dickerson, ice hockey players Brett Hull and Mike Modano, basketball’s Ray Allen and surfing’s Kelly Slater.
The Icons Cup is in aid of Faith’s Foundation, which raises funds in support of the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice in Sheffield, UK, and SpecialEffect, an Oxfordshire-based charity that supplies technical equipment for disabled children to enjoy their leisure and game time.
Free entry to this event is strictly by registration only via the tournament website www.iconscup.com.
