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 Oscar De La Hoya, left, looks like a fierce warrior again while pounding on Steve Forbes Saturday night on HBO. |
De La Hoya revs his engine
in tuneup for Mayweather
of TheColumnists.com
What's not to like about Oscar De La Hoya? He's rich, handsome, articulate, superbly conditioned, a good sportsman at all times and ambitious as all get out. And he's undeniably one of the greatest prizefighters in the history of that much-maligned sport.
As an amateur, he went all the way to the Olympic Games and won a Gold Medal for the U.S. In the pros, he's a former world champ in the junior lightweight, lightweight, superlightweight and middleweight divisions--and a two-time world champ in the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions. His record is 39-5 with 30 wins by knockout.
Last year, he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr., widely acknowledged as the best fighter in the world at any weight, and lost a split decision by a measly two points. While he was at it, his fans supported him so loyally that the bout set the all-time record for money earned, becoming the richest prizefight of all time.
Last Saturday night, he returned to the ring for the first of what he claims will be his last three fights--and drew an amazing 27,000 fans to an outdoor soccer stadium in Carson, Calif. He defeated his opponent--former 130-pound champion Steve Forbes--so decisively that it was virtually a blowout. Two of the judges gave Forbes only one round. My scorecard agreed with that of the third judge: 120-108 De La Hoya, meaning he won every single round.
Some observers say this victory doesn't mean much because Forbes is a light hitter with only nine knockouts among his 33 wins. His greatest triumph, they say, was coming in second in the recent annual boxing tournament on TV's "The Contender" boxing series, which earned him $75,000.
After the bout, HBO's venerable Larry Merchant asked De La Hoya if he was a billionaire yet. Oscar said he wasn't there yet, but, with a big grin, said he was still hoping to get there eventually.
I believe him. I also believe he looked great in that Saturday fight. Like Larry Merchant, whose opinions I really respect, I think we saw De La Hoya practicing all the skills he will need to avenge his loss to Mayweather. He has the best left jab in boxing today and he kept it in Forbes' face for most of the 12 rounds they fought. He also finished strongly, which, at age 35, isn't all that easy to do.
What's more, Forbes was no pushover. He's clever and fast, like Mayweather, and he's exceptionally tough. He's not only never been knocked out in his ring career, but he's never even been knocked down. He landed several solid shots flush on Oscar's face, but Oscar brushed away scores more. Oscar was working hard to improve in every area where he was vulnerable against Mayweather.
Better yet, De La Hoya still fights like a hungry youngster. He will need to pressure Mayweather exactly the way he did Forbes Saturday night. He will need to block Mayweather's lightning strike punches. He will need to stay upright and use his superior height, forcing Mayweather to reach too far with his punches. He will need to dance a little, never letting Mayweather have a stationary target. And he must get his timing so quick that he can land his punishing left hooks and right crosses right behind that gate-crashing left jab of his. More than anything, though, Oscar will need to want a victory over Mayweather so badly that he just won't take no for an answer.
As you may suspect by now, I just love watching De La Hoya fight because he has all the skills of the greatest of them all--the immortal Sugar Ray Robinson--and the smarts to alter his strategy even when a fight is furiously engaged. And he can take you out with one shot, usually a blazing left hook to the jaw. I will see that happening to the arrogant Mayweather in my dreams all the way until they finally meet up for the rematch, probably next September.
De La Hoya will retire with honor even if he never gets past Mayweather to the big money fight he envisions next December as his farewell to the ring--a victory over undefeated World Boxing Assn. welterweight king Miguel Cotto. He has given us an exemplary career in the ring. He treats even his meanest foes with respect and never gloats in public. Two men who defeated him soundly--Shane Moseley and Bernard Hopkins--are now his close friends and partners in his business, Golden Boy Promotions, one of the most successful enterprises of its kind in the world.
Like Oscar De La Hoya says himself, I don't think we've seen everything he can do quite yet. He's no "shot" fighter, hanging on to make an extra million or two. He's still a phenomenal athlete and if Floyd Mayweather doesn't take his new challenge as seriously as he did the last one, he may be in for a very big surprise come September.
©2008 by Ron Miller. The fight photo is courtesy of the Los Angeles Times. This column first posted May 5, 2008.
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