I wish to meet Oscar de la Hoya
C.J., 16
Brain tumor
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado

By Justin Schmid

Virtually all wish kids make it through their entire experience without a scuffle breaking out. Then again, few wishes involve boxers who will square off in the ring within 24 hours.

Sixteen-year-old C.J. wished to meet his hero, Oscar de la Hoya. The boxing icon turned entrepreneur invited C.J. to attend the pre-fight weigh-in for Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. C.J., his family and his friend, David, traveled from Colorado to meet De La Hoya, who’s Golden Boy Promotions staged the bout.

Though C.J. is being treated for brain tumor and has lost sight in one eye, he still studies martial arts and kickboxing. He looks up to De La Hoya as a model of boxing excellence. And De La Hoya greeted C.J. enthusiastically, taking him up to the podium for the weigh-in. A hug from De La Hoya set the tone for the meeting, and let C.J. know his hero was thrilled to meet him, too.

De La Hoya also introduced C.J. to legendary fighters, Bernard Hopkins, Winky Wright, Sugar Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez before taking him to the weigh in stage. 

"He was speechless," said Karen White, the program services coordinator for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada. 

De La Hoya delighted C.J. and all the assembled media and fans by introducing him as a wish kid before the weigh-in.  Shortly after, a bit of pushing and shoving broke out between Hopkins and Wright, completing an afternoon of spectacle for C.J.

The next evening, he was at the Mandalay Bay Events Center for the main event. De La Hoya provided C.J. and his entourage incredible seats surrounded by celebrities and high-rollers. Before the main event, De La Hoya escorted him into the ring for the pre-fight ring entrances of Hopkins and Wright before the first bell rang.

"C.J. was just on cloud nine the whole time," said Make-A-Wish Foundation volunteer Ed Wetzel, who was the wish escort.

Hopkins and Wright went the distance in a close, entertaining bout. Hopkins edged ahead on the judges' scorecards in the late rounds to win by unanimous decision.

For C.J., though, the real main event was not only meeting De La Hoya, but finding out that he chose his wish wisely. De La Hoya and his promotions staff showed a personal touch throughout the wish that elated C.J. Even Wetzel, who's granted many celebrity wishes, noticed how eager De La Hoya and his staff were to create an incredible experience for C.J.

"This ranks up there with some of my best celebrity wishes," Wetzel said.