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Racy pics of De la Hoya surface
16/02/2008 21:41 - (SA)
New York - A former stripper who says she photographed boxer Oscar de la Hoya in racy women's undergarments showed up at court to confront the former champion, only to learn he wasn't there.
Milana Dravnel filed the lawsuit last year, contending De la Hoya defamed her character and caused her emotional distress by claiming the photos were phony.
"I've been hurt by what Oscar said," she said. "This was my only option."
Photos of De la Hoya in a fishnet bodysuit and a woman's wig appeared on the front page of the New York Post on Saturday.
The boxer's lawyer, Judd Burstein, said the pretrial hearing in US District Court on Friday was procedural and there was no need for his client to be there. He added that Dravnel was simply trying to drum up publicity.
Dravnel's lawyer, Salvatore Strazzullo, said outside the Manhattan courthouse he looked forward to when his client would not have to face cameras. Asked why he then put out a news release that attracted cameras, he said: "No comment."
De la Hoya won titles in five weight classes and is 38-5 in a pro career that began after he won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. The 35-year-old boxer is the biggest non-heavyweight draw of his generation.
- AP
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