At first glance, picking the winner of the upcoming super fight ?The World Awaits? between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya seems like a no-brainer. Top dog vs. top draw. An undefeated phenom vs. a four-time defeated fighter as famous for his movie star looks as his future hall of fame left hook. A prime pugilist vs. a legend in the twilight of his career. On paper, this is simply the age-old tradition of passing the torch from old star to new. But beneath the surface of a deep ocean of ?Mayweather? answers to the question of who will win come May 5th, a murky stream of questions lie waiting to be answered.
Can this fight be exciting?
For all the pomp and circumstance leading up to the May 5th showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, the simple question of ?can this fight live up to the hype and simply be exciting? must be addressed. Oscar De La Hoya has been accused of many things as a fighter. He has been called a coward for running from Felix Trinidad; the winner of gift decisions against Pernell Whitaker and Felix Sturm; and a fabricated figment of Bob Arum?s marketing genius. One thing he has never been accused of is being boring between the ropes. Whether he was wrestling victory from the jaws of defeat against Ike Quartey in the 12th round or knocking out Fernando Vargas and Oba Carr late in tough fights, Oscar De La Hoya has for the majority of his career brought it when he needed it most.
