De La Hoya hit with $100 million lawsuit

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A New York model has filed a $100 million lawsuit against boxer Oscar De La Hoya, alleging fraud, defamation and infliction of emotional distress.

Milana Dravnel, 22, claimed to have photographed De La Hoya during an alleged affair. She said in the lawsuit, filed in New York County, that the fighter's attorney, Stephen Espinoza, made false representations to get her to recant her statements about the photos showing De La Hoya embracing her.

Dravnel sold a photo to a Web site in September showing De La Hoya in women's clothing. She was paid $70,000 for the photo, the Times reported.

Dravnel agreed to take back statements about the photos and the relationship, and agreed not to sell any other photographs, the lawsuit said. Any violation of the agreement would expose her to damages, the newspaper reported.

The lawsuit says Dravnel was "portrayed as a liar to the press."

A spokesman for De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions, told the Times the fighter had no comment on the lawsuit.

Dravnel's lawyer told the newspaper Dravnel was De La Hoya's mistress from January 2006 until May, when De La Hoya broke off the relationship because "he's a married man who's regarded very highly, with this perfect image."