Plenty of candidates to be next opponent for Oscar De La Hoya

Richard Schaefer, chief executive of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, said today that representatives for five-time world champion Roy Jones Jr. are among those interested in beginning talks.

"Every fighter in the world wants to fight Oscar," Schaefer said.

Talks with Pacquiao's representatives stalled this week after De La Hoya stood firm on a 70% share of the purse, rather than agree to the 60-40 split Pacquiao was seeking.

De La Hoya, 35, perhaps the sport's most popular boxer, has said he would retire after his next fight.

According to Schaefer, other potential opponents for De La Hoya include the winner of the Sept. 13 super-welterweight rematch between Vernon Forrest and WBC champion Sergio Mora, which is on the undercard of the Joel Casamayor-Juan Manuel Marquez fight at the MGM Grand. Mora defeated Forrest in June to take his title.

A fight with Forrest would match De La Hoya against his 1992 Olympic teammate. A fight with Mora would match two fighters who hail from East Los Angeles.

"He looked up to Oscar," Schaefer said of Mora, who also gained notoriety by winning the first season of "The Contender" TV show.

Another Southland native, Shane Mosley, is a possibility, Schaefer said. Mosley has twice defeated De La Hoya, the latest a controversial decision in September 2003. It was later reported that Mosley had unknowingly used steroids and human growth hormone prior to the fight.

"Was he taking steroids, was he not?" Schaefer said. "The only way to settle this is to see who is the best in the ring."

First, Mosley would need to beat Ricardo Mayorga in a Sept. 27 fight at the Home Depot Center. Even so, Forrest would also be a strong candidate to fight De La Hoya because he twice defeated Mosley.

Among boxing fans, the popular choice to be De La Hoya's next opponent is Tijuana, Mexico native Antonio Margarito, who upset WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in impressive fashion July 26 in Las Vegas.

"You can make a pretty good case for Margarito," Schaefer said.

Two problems could arise from that possible matchup, however. De La Hoya has stated he will never fight a Mexican because of the backlash he has received from the Mexican community. Paul Williams could also stand in the way. Williams defeated Margarito by unanimous decision last summer at the Home Depot Center to win his WBO welterweight title.

"You can certainly make a case for Paul Williams," Schaefer said.

Schaefer also mentioned popular Englishman Ricky Hatton as a viable opponent for De La Hoya. However, Hatton is already booked for a Nov. 22 junior-welterweight unification bout against Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas.

De La Hoya is expected to arrive in the Southland on Sunday and will participate in a charity golf tournament Monday in Burbank. Schaefer said he plans to discuss the list of candidates during De La Hoya's 10-day stay.

Unlike the negotiations with Pacquiao, Schaefer said, he plans to keep the next round of talks under wraps.

"It doesn't really help the cause if everything is publicly discussed," he said. "I wish I wouldn't have discussed the Pacquiao negotiations."

dan.arritt@latimes.com