Oscar De La Hoya says he's coming back!!!
The 47-year-old former champ insists he's gearing up for a return to boxing -- and will begin training very soon.
"The rumors are true, and I'm going to start sparring in the next few weeks," De La Hoya told ESPN's Steve Kim.
Oscar hasn't had a pro fight since December 2008, when he lost to Manny Pacquiao.
"Look, it's been a long time, yes," De La Hoya said ... "But actually my jab feels faster than ever."
"I have to make sure that my conditioning is perfect, my health is good. And, that's going to take place in the next few weeks. So we'll see."
De La Hoya has not revealed any potential opponents yet -- but insists the fight will not be an exhibition for entertainment, he's looking to add a "W" to his long and storied pro boxing record.
Oscar finished with a 39-6 record when he hung up the gloves 12 years ago ... but famously defeated guys like Arturo Gatti, Hector Camacho, Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker.
After his fighting career, Oscar became a successful promoter -- repping stars like Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia under his Golden Boy Promotions banner.
Unretiring is the hot move at the moment ... with legends like Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather all coming back to the sport after significant breaks.