TRUTH ABOUT OSCAR WILL RILE SOME
Las Vegas, NV- Oscar De La Hoya stands as the last big mainstream boxing name that draws millions of dollars and millions of spectators. While he never matched the PPV numbers of Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, he trumps any non-heavyweight fighter since his arrival to the professional ranks. However, if De La Hoya was not the ?Golden Boy? and marched through the ranks the tradition way, fighting real #1 contenders and legitimate champions in each division, would De La Hoya have even made it to the big money Pay-Per-View bout with Floyd?
MATCHMAKING KEY FOR OSCAR EARLY!
Unlike Floyd Mayweather who lost in the 1996 Olympics, De La Hoya was already a star without even putting on eight once gloves. Winning the gold medal in 1992, De La Hoya was the perfect transition from ?Sugar Ray? Leonard, one of the most popular athletes of the 1980?s. Elongated, and with only 11 fights, somehow Oscar managed to shrink himself down to 130 lbs. and challenged for the WBO title. His opponent, Jimmy Bredahl, was an unknown fighter (see Danish pastry) from Denmark who had a belt. Bredahl could not match De La Hoya?s power and size. For Oscar, the goal was to capture that WBO title, further raising his marketability, this was more important than his experience, learning and ability.
TOO BIG & STRONG AGAINST OLDER FIGHTERS!
De La Hoya would continue his progression fighting top names at the lightweight division. At 135 lbs., he defeated Jorge Paez, John-John Molina (might have gotten a gift decision here), Rafael Ruelas, Genaro Hernandez, and Jessie James Leija. In 1995, De La Hoya won Ring Magazine?s ?fighter of the year? honors. Against those fighters, De La Hoya was clearly the faster, stronger, and bigger man. There was no doubt that at lightweight (135), De La Hoya was virtually unbeatable. However, what separated De La Hoya from Mayweather was the manner in which he won those bouts. Although Oscar never fought Ozubek Nazarov, the real World lightweight champion, he thrilled audiences and scored spectacular stoppages on the big stage against mostly inferior competition.
PRESSURE WAS ALWAYS ON DE LA HOYA
Like Mayweather, De La Hoya always had the advantages in youth, power, and speed over smaller competition. However, all of Oscar?s bouts were in Las Vegas and were major sporting events. The arenas were sold out and each bout had a major viewing audience. All eyes were on Oscar to succeed, even in his early development. When Mayweather was fighting on the undercards of heavyweight bouts against Jose Luis Castillo, De La Hoya was already on PPV fighting pound for pound fighters like Pernell Whitaker Over ten years ago, De La Hoya?s youth and strength was just enough to win a unanimous decision, though many people had the slick boxer winning that bout. Mayweather is the closest thing, stylistically in terms of the defensive mastery, to Whitaker (maybe even better at this stage of his career) Oscar will face.
?TOSS UP? IN SOME MEGA BOUTS
De La Hoya is the star, no doubt, and when he faces other top fighters, the entire world tunes in and the buzz is tremendous. Already a PPV cash cow, De La Hoya has fought six mega bouts, in the eyes of the hardcore fans and the casual boxing observer?Ike Quartey (1999), Felix Trinidad (1999), Shane Mosley (2000), Fernando Vargas (2002), Shane Mosley II (2003), and Bernard Hopkins (2004). Oscar barely won a life and death bout against the ?Bazooka? jabbing Ike Quartey in a very exciting bout. In the ?Fight of the Millennium?, De La Hoya masterfully boxed Trinidad until he ran away in the last four rounds, giving the fight away. Even with a new attitude, De La Hoya failed to out hustle and out punch a faster Shane Mosley. In an emotional grudge match, Oscar withstood a strong (enhanced) onslaught by Vargas and stopped his bitter rival late in the bout. Simply having his number, Mosley, who landed the harder punches, once again won a close decision over De La Hoya. Finally, against Bernard Hopkins, Oscar tried his best to out smart the savvy veteran, only to find himself knocked out for the first time in his career (via body shot). De La Hoya went 2-4 in those bouts and could have easily lost that bout against Quartey (you can also say Oscar should have beaten Trinidad and the second Mosley bout).
FLOYD WON?T PUT ANY SCARE IN OSCAR
Mayweather compares very nicely to when Bernard Hopkins fought De La Hoya. Of course, the money they received by fighting De La Hoya trumps all other goals. However, Mayweather has felt like Hopkins that he has never received the attention and recognition a fighter like himself should and must receive. Mayweather and Hopkins are both the smartest fighters in boxing and if they chose to, a stink out the joint in a winning effort. The difference between the two lies within Oscar. Simply put. De La Hoya was just happy to be in the ring with Hopkins. Technically, he had already won his sixth alphabet title in as many weight classes and came into the Hopkins bout with the mentally similar to the Orlando Magic in this year?s NBA playoffs?an eighth seed just happy to make it. Against Mayweather, a smaller fighter with not as much punching power, De La Hoya will be charging like the Golden State Warriors, another eighth seeded team who believes like they, that he can pull off the unexpected upset.
THOSE DARN INTANGIBLES FAVOR OSCAR
Boxing, unlike other sports, has always been about the little details that could make or break a fighter even before stepping into the ring. As seen in HBO?s 24/7 documentary, there has been some turmoil in the Mayweather training camp. Floyd?s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr. , wants and believes he should be the head trainer over his brother, current head trainer, Roger Mayweather. Maybe against Carlos Baldomir, Mayweather can handle distractions like Roger not being in his corner because of a suspension. However, with the drama playing out on television (Mayweather blamed the series for his departure), this could have a mental effect on the flamboyant fighter who puts his entire reputation on the line. This will be Mayweather?s first ?mega? fight and while his outbursts, money flashes, and cheap shots may fuel the PPV revenues, does it prove that Mayweather can handle the big event?
GAVE ?LIMITED? GATTI UNDUE RESPECT
Even against Arturo Gatti, Mayweather never disrespected and showboated as much as he has for this bout. To De La Hoya, Mayweather?s antics only motivate the veteran and give him the confidence that Mayweather could melt under the pre-fight promotional heat. Mayweather will be forced to wear the Cleto Reyes gloves. Floyd complained that he hurt his right hand, wearing Grant gloves (a hybrid glove for padding and power), in his last bout. Oscar has been in these types of bouts six times previously and Mayweather does not rank as Oscar?s toughest opponent as that was Bernard Hopkins.
I?LL TAKE THE EASY PICK!
The intangibles of this event all favor Oscar, making the underdog the ?sexy? pick. Monetarily, a gambling man should drop major bucks hoping that Oscar will pull off the upset. However, like I wrote earlier this week, Mayweather?s talent has breezed him through 37 fights. He?s hard to hit cleanly and has a very good chin. Jr.?s been in the boxing game since he was born and can handle the hundreds of possible situations that he may face. Let?s say De La Hoya was able to knock Mayweather down, Floyd has the ability to brush that off and continue the fight without a mental breakdown.
JUDAH FIGHT SPOKE VOLUMES ?BOUT FLOYD
Look at his bout against Zab Judah. When Mayweather was hit low, everyone lost their cool, Roger Mayweather, Zab Judah, Yoel Judah, the entire entourage, all expect for one man, Floyd Mayweather, who calmly waited in the corner and never lost his cool, even after his trainer was ejected from the bout. In the mega bouts, De La Hoya has never been able to adjust; there were no plan B?s. As stated earlier, Mayweather and Hopkins both share the same style problems against Oscar. Pedro Fernandez was willing to eat a piece of paper on ?Ring Talk Radio? if De La Hoya would have beaten Hopkins. Says Pedro, May 5th won?t be a ?paper? bout because of the lack of punching power by Floyd, and the fact Oscar could get a Las Vegas gift, but it?s not that far off. Therefore, I expect Mayweather to handle the heat IN THE RING and defeat De La Hoya in 12 rounds.
QUICK JABS?
FILIPINO FIGHTERS TREATED WELL! The hotel prices in Las Vegas are off the roof. Expect every room at the MGM Grand to be sold out this week. It would not be unreasonable to send some of the undercard fighters to a different hotel, but Golden Boy Promotions gave the Pinoy?s first class accommodations. Undercard fighters, Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista and A.J Banal, checked in to their rooms at the MGM this past Sunday. Gerry Penalosa, who fought on the undercard of a PPV bout, last March, received a couple of suites at the Mandalay Bay by GBP. I write this because flashes of Manny Pacquiao?s small MGM room back in March 2005 constantly enter my head. TORRES FIGHTS THE DAY BEFORE?Manny Pacquiao?s childhood friend, Vernie Torres will fight undefeated Mike Oliver 18-0 (7 KOs) in Connecticut on May 4th. Torres, 27-9 (15 KOs), has digressed from flyweight (112) contender to club fighter/journeyman. Torres claims that he lacked the support and motivation that fighters like Pacquiao and Penalosa received. Taking the fight on very short notice (he signed the bout in San Antonio during the Pacquiao fight), Torres is not expected to win but will pocket a respectable purse. MAY 5th FIGHT I DON?T WANT TO SEE: Here in the Bay Area, the mega fight has not been the hot topic of the week. That belongs to the Golden State Warriors, who are one win away from pulling off the second biggest upset (GS title sweep of Washington Bullets in 1975 was tops) in NBA playoff history. As I write, the eighth seeded Warriors, 42-40, are ahead of the best team in the league Dallas Mavericks, 67-15, three games to two. The sixth game is scheduled to take place at the ruckus Oracle Arena in Oakland this Thursday night (after the game, flocks will head to movies theaters around the Bay to watch the release of Spiderman 3). Heaven forbid, the Mavs win this Thursday, a seventh and deciding game will take place in Dallas on May 5th, at 6:30 PST, right smack in the middle of the PPV telecast. Warrior fans in their homes could be in dilemma should the game take place. You?re best bet? Go to Ricky?s Sports Bar on Hesperian Blvd. in San Leandro, where tens of big screens will be available to watch all the sports you need in Hi Def! And the best part, Pedro will be hosting the event. GO WARRIORS! WE BELIEVE!
