Los Angeles, CA (AP) - When Oscar de la Hoya isn't sparring and chopping wood in preparation for his June 23 bout with WBC super welterweight champion Javier Castillejo, he's eating. And eating. And eating.

De La Hoya is stuffing himself up to six times daily for his first fight at 154 pounds, a move up from 147 pounds, where he won seven titles.

``I'm moving up to 154, a weight class I shouldn't probably be in,'' he said. ``I'm having trouble making 154 because I have to eat more meals. I'll probably have to weigh in with rocks in my pockets.''

On Wednesday, De La Hoya formally announced the 12-round fight with Castillejo of Spain to be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

It'll be De La Hoya's first bout - and second in 11 months - since beating Arturo Gatti on March 24. At stake is a title and a bit of history. De La Hoya is bidding to join Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns as the only boxers to win world titles in five weight classes.

De La Hoya has collected titles at junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight. The 28-year-old fighter could become the youngest to win titles in five weight classes, and he could do it faster than either Leonard (who was 32) and Hearns (who was 33).

``It's a big deal,'' De La Hoya said. ``When I set my goals in boxing, that's what I originally wanted to do, win different weight classes. This is another step for me. Eventually, I want to go up to 160.''

Castillejo (51-4, 34 knockouts) has successfully defended his 154-pound title five times. He's undefeated since 1996, winning 14 straight fights, including 11 by knockout.

``Oscar is moving up and I'm going to make it very hard for him,'' Castillejo said through a translator. ``He's going to really feel the difference between punches and power that I'll bring to this fight.''

Four of Castillejo's defenses didn't go the distance, including his most recent on Oct. 21 when he stopped Javier Martinez at 1:43 of the fourth round.

``Castillejo has been fighting at 154 a long time. I started at 130 and I've been fighting everyone,'' De La Hoya said. ``I've seen his tapes. It's going to be a real test for me.''

De La Hoya is looking to regain some of the luster he lost in defeats to Shane Mosley last June and Felix Trinidad in September 1999.

``I have to get the defeats back. That's in my plans,'' he said. ``I don't think I can stop until I do so. I feel in my heart that I'm the only one who can beat those guys.''

De La Hoya has been motivated by comments from former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who said distractions have kept De La Hoya from training hard.

``He said, `Oscar can beat Trinidad and Mosley or anybody he wants, he just has to go back to the old school,' '' De La Hoya said. ``That's so true. It's going back to the old school, working hard the way the past champions did.''

Before he can move up to 160, however, De La Hoya knows Trinidad and Mosley figure in his future. ``I want to be in a league of my own,'' he said. ``To do that I have to face Felix, which I'm willing to do. I want them both so I can already retire. I want to make history and I want to get revenge on those fighters who beat me.

``Maybe a different weight class will be good for me,'' he said. ``In time, the respect will come back. Let it happen by itself.''

After the June bout, De La Hoya said he'll consider fighting in September or October, possibly in Los Angeles against Fernando Vargas or Mosley.