The WBC super welterweight champion, has said that he wants to take on Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins before he stops fighting.

De la Hoya believes that the best fighters should take each other on to establish which one is the best.

"In order to making boxing history and to be respected in the boxing world, you have to take on the legit champions," De la Hoya said.

"The legit champion right now is Hopkins. He's making all the noise, not taking anything from Mosley."

Hopkins beat Trinidad in their middleweight unification bout on 29 September.

Mosley scored a split decision against De la Hoya on 17 June 2000.

De la Hoya made the comments at news conference to promote his 8 December title defence against Roman Karmazin at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

"If he (Hopkins) wants to move up to 154 (69.853kg), it's not going to be the same thing that night when I fought him," said De la Hoya, who turns 30 on 4 February, 2003. "It's going to be a whole different story."

De La Hoya said he would like to fight again 5 May, the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo; 16 September, Mexican Independence Day; in December of 2002, and on his 30th birthday.