There was a time when Oscar De La Hoya seemingly could do no wrong in the eyes of the media, but the boxing star admitted to making a mistake in a recent interview.

De La Hoya was quoted in a story in La Opinion, a Spanish-language newspaper, as saying his former promoter, Bob Arum, could not handle the success of a Mexican. He went on to mention Arum's Jewish faith in what many would call a careless manner.

On Friday, De La Hoya issued an apology.

"In an interview last week with a reporter at La Opinion, I made certain remarks regarding my former promoter, Bob Arum, that I sincerely regret," De La Hoya said. "I did not mean to insult Bob Arum and his family or any ethnic or religious group in any way. I humbly apologize to anyone the remarks offended.

"I am grateful to Bob Arum for the years he acted as my promoter. He helped me achieve the success I have enjoyed in my boxing career. I have called Bob to tell him that, and to apologize personally to him.

"I never forget I'm a Mexican-American, born and raised in East Los Angeles by a wonderful father and mother, brought up God-fearing and having deep respect for all humankind, no matter what their race or religion."

The Los Angeles Times also had run a story referring to the story in La Opinion, which led to the apology above.

That story included these inflammatory remarks from De La Hoya: "I don't have blue eyes and I am not white, but a Mexican arriving on the cusp of fame," De La Hoya told La Opinion, "and that is what they do not support.

"Arum's people hope that I lose because they can't see a Mexican above them, and also that he has defeated one of the biggest Jews to come out of Harvard."

Those remarks appeared in Saturday's edition of La Opinion.

"I'm really shocked," Arum, who is of the Jewish faith and graduated from Harvard Law School, told the L.A. Times. "In eight years with [De La Hoya], I never knew he harbored those kind of thoughts. It's really shocking. I'm just disappointed. This is something that really cuts to the core. He can lash out at me and say whatever he wants to say, but when he puts that word in [referring to Arum's religion], he knows what he is saying. That [Judaism] is irrelevant."

After eight years with Arum as his promoter, a period in which De La Hoya won titles in four weight divisions and earned in excess of $125 million in the ring plus millions more in endorsements, De La Hoya broke his contract with the promoter in court two months ago.