Oscar De La Hoya Caughr on Tape Again
Oscar De La Hoya: The Aureate Years (1989 – 2009)
HBO
Oscar De La Hoya was born in Montebello, California in 1973 and is a third generation boxer after his Mexican granddad and father before him were both fighters in their own correct.
Kickoff at a young age, Oscar De La Hoya had over two hundred amateur fights. The youngster lost just a scattering of bouts earlier challenge the 1989 National Golden Gloves Bantamweight Championship.
In 1991, he was U.S Apprentice boxer of the yr. A year afterwards, he qualified for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
De La Hoya duly returned to the U.South with the Gold medal around his neck and earned himself a nickname; 'The Golden Male child.'
Inside 2 months, Oscar had his start professional competition lined up. Wasting no energy, he knocked out Lamar Williams with simply one infinitesimal xl-ii seconds on the timekeeper's clock.
De La Hoya followed up his maiden victory with 10 knockouts in his next eleven bouts. In just his 12th fight, virtually of them beingness at lightweight, he was offered the chance to drop downward a weight and fight for his first earth championship.
Unbeaten fighter Jimmy Bredahl stood in his way of destiny. Bredahl was making his second defense of the WBO super-featherweight championship he'd claimed 2 years previously.
The fight took identify on Oscar'south home soil in California on March fifth, 1994. In front of a cheering home oversupply, De La Hoya out-boxed the Danish southpaw.
De La Hoya scored a 10th-round technical knockout and claimed the coveted belt at just 21.
LAS VEGAS
De La Hoya would defend the title simply once, two months later, in the city which would ultimately become his battle home, Las Vegas. On the undercard of a Roy Jones Jr. championship defense, De La Hoya rapidly knocked out Giorgio Campanella.
After Campanella, he enhanced his weight. De La Hoya would so accept on Jorge Paez for the lightweight version of his WBO title.
Four months after challenge the super-featherweight version, he overwhelmed the experienced ex-featherweight ruler. De La Hoya picked up his second world title with a second-round KO.
Two knockout defenses followed in 1994 before De La Hoya easily out-pointed John Molina at the MGM Grand. This scenario led him into a unification battle with IBF lightweight champion Rafael Ruelas.
At 24, Ruelas had an impressive 43 wins from his 44 contests. The Jalisco human was making the 3rd defense of the championship he took from Freddie Pendleton a twelvemonth earlier.
De La Hoya was once more at his ruthless best, knocking out Ruelas within two rounds to merits the third world championship of his career in only his 18th fight as a professional.
At this point, the signs of greatness were already evident in De La Hoya. Even at a relatively tender age. The whole of America had seemingly warmed to the young skinny kid with a bright smile and the motion-picture show star'south skillful looks.
Standing his career and sensing more accolades, Oscar would immediately give up the IBF version of his title. He would instead make two defenses of his WBO Title in 1995. One was an incredible 2nd-round knockout of Jesse James Leija at Madison Square Garden.
CHAVEZ
A routine stoppage of Darryl Tyson in a February 1996 non-championship contest brought about a weight form jump: going face-to-face with his childhood idol was on the cards. De La Hoya would battle WBC low-cal-welterweight champion and all-around Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez at Caesars Palace in April.
Chavez was a Mexican national hero, with simply one loss in 98 bouts. Not to mention Chavez had 5 world titles behind him and bags of guile with abundant feel.
The 34-year-old superstar was supposed to be the toughest test of De La Hoya'due south career.
De La Hoya came into the band with a Mexican flag on his shorts. But due to his 1992 Olympic Gold Medal for the The states, the Mexicans were all for Chavez. Some even took it upon themselves to boo the new American idol.
Many people believe the fight should never take taken place in the offset place stemming from Oscar's own double nationality connections. Simply it did, and De La Hoya came out on height in a pulverizing four-round performance. Proving across doubt, he was at the top of his powers. Chavez, in contrast, was maybe at the stop of his.
Oscar had too much speed and power for the quondam 'unbeatable' Chavez. And afterward the physician took a look at his claret-stained face, referee Joe Cortez waved the fight off to crown Oscar the winner. He added the WBC title at 140lbs to his growing belt collection.
GONZALEZ
Miguel Angel Gonzalez was the next challenger to De La Hoya's crown, equally it happened another Mexican. Gonzalez was unbeaten in 41 contests and a former WBC lightweight title-holder.
Every weight Oscar moved up seemed to make him bigger and stronger. The extra five pounds almost added an extra layer of musculus to De La Hoya, which must have unnerved his opponents.
Gonzalez proved a real demanding customer, though. He took Oscar the altitude for only the second time in his career, even though the judges handed out an like shooting fish in a barrel points victory and a 23rd career win.
WHITAKER
Oscar was taking on all comers by now, moving upwardly the weights again to face one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in 1997 – Pernell Whitaker.
Whitaker had only lost one time in a contentious dissever decision. 'Sweet Pea' was also the first human being to end Julio Cesar Chavez from winning a fight at the height of his powers.
The American had also held some course of a world title for over 8 years. Pre-fight predictions expected Whitaker to button De La Hoya all the style.
Another tough twelve rounder ensued, although De La Hoya had matured and so much he could pick an opponent apart round past round. This enhancement enabled him to get points in the bag, as he did with Whitaker when gaining a unanimous triumph.
Winning his 5th earth title in a quaternary different weight division, it was clear that the man was remarkable. He proved it again just ii months later by knocking out David Kamau in two rounds. A man who had lost just once in 29 contests and never taken out.
Whatever the weight, whoever the opponent, Oscar seemed to know a manner around his challengers. He had the boxing brain, the skills, and the devastating power to get with it. All this made for an outstandingly gifted fighter.
CHAVEZ II
By the dorsum end of 1997, De La Hoya seemed settled at welterweight. After the Kamau knockout, he fabricated another six defenses, beating a 35-year-old Hector Camacho and an unbeaten Ike Quartey. He followed that upward by defeating an over-the-hill Julio Cesar Chavez in an unnecessary rematch 4 years subsequently their first meeting.
1 year on, De La Hoya had the opportunity to add a sixth world title to his haul against undefeated knockout specialist Felix Trinidad at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.
It was the biggest pay-per-view issue for a non-heavyweight competition at the time. After twelve pulsating rounds, Trinidad took a bulk decision to inflict De La Hoya's outset professional defeat in his seven-year career.
Fans clambered for a rematch between the two fighters. But after a five-month break, Oscar decided on a warm-upwards bout first. Easily defeating Derrell Colley (34-1-2) for the lowly regarded IBA welterweight title via a seventh-round KO, De La Hoya was once again ready for Trinidad. It sadly wasn't meant to be.
Before De La Hoya'south victory over Colley, Trinidad had shockingly decided to move upward to light-middleweight to claiming David Reid for his WBA Title, scuppering whatever chance of a highly anticipated rematch between the pair.
Oscar agreed on a deal with undefeated former IBF lightweight champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley in a welterweight super-fight for the WBC title.
Whether the Trinidad loss had afflicted his confidence or the preparation wasn't proper are both hypothetical theories for the outcome. Oscar shockingly lost for the second time – once more on points.
GATTI
De La Hoya moved on. He'd already battled the rugged Arturo Gatti before the Mosley competition went alee. Both sets of fans wanted to run across the fight regardless of championship involvement.
Oscar went ahead with the Gatti encounter planning a motion upward to lite-middleweight immediately after.
Due to belongings as well much overall brute strength for the onetime super-featherweight champion, De La Hoya beat an out-of-depth Gatti via a fifth-round TKO.
It was Gatti'southward penultimate fight earlier his legacy-sealing trilogy with Mickey Ward.
Around this time, Oscar decided to look at a career outside of boxing and announced the formation of 'Gilt Male child Promotions.' A venture where he would now promote his fights along with other boxers. To accept some of the slack, he enlisted the assist of Richard Schaefer as his correct-hand human and CEO.
True to his word afterwards the Gatti fight, Oscar moved upwardly to lite-middleweight to challenge Javier Castillejo for the WBC title in June 2001. In one case over again, De La Hoya constitute a habitation at the MGM Grand. Dominating the Spaniard to take his championship, a now 28 year-quondam De La Hoya won by a landslide points margin for another strap.
Information technology meant a 7th globe title in v weight divisions was in the pocketbook for the Golden Boy.
VARGAS
De La Hoya would now face an quondam amateur foe for his adjacent challenge as a unification fight with WBA Champion Fernando Vargas was in talks.
Their rivalry dated back years, and even though De La Hoya had initially said he would not fight Vargas, he finally signed the contract for early 2002.
Nicknamed 'Bad Blood,' the title said information technology all. Merely the rivalry would merely intensify as Vargas got forced to pull out of the first scheduled meeting with a hand injury. The postponement meant that past the time the fight went ahead in September 2002, Oscar hadn't fought since June 2001.
The days of Oscar dominating his opponents had now gone. 'The Golden Boy' had institute his level, and any champion over 147lbs would be a stern test for him. Vargas did not disappoint, taking Oscar long before succumbing to his power in the eleventh round.
An eighth globe championship for De La Hoya was a fantastic achievement. Later the fight, even a Vargas positive drugs test couldn't take the shine off Oscar's achievement.
Eight months later, he would render to the band. Oscar knocked out an aging Luis Ramon Campos in May 2003. Information technology was then a rematch with ane of but ii men to have defeated him.
MOSLEY Two
Shane Mosley Ii got penciled in for September 2003 at the MGM Grand.
De La Hoya had a perfect half dozen-0 record when fighting at the MGM Grand and was confident of avenging his defeat to 'Sugar' Shane iii years earlier.
Even though De La Hoya threw more punches than Mosley, information technology was once again his boogeyman opponent who came out on acme. In the process, Mosley took the WBC low-cal-middleweight championship with him.
Oscar immediately moved up to middleweight, 31 and ane quarter pounds heavier than his first world title victory. Focusing his attention on the unbeaten WBO middleweight champion Felix Sturm. The German language got looked at as ane of the weakest of the 160lb champions.
With a game programme in mind, though, De La Hoya hoped for a coin-spinning super-fight with unified champion Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins. At the fourth dimension, Hopkins was the pound-for-pound rex subsequently an astonishing run at middleweight.
Oscar knew he'd need a title to make the fight happen as 'B-Hop' held three middleweight belts (WBC, IBF, and WBA). Targeting Sturm'due south WBO Title was the perfect tactic to secure a Pay-Per-View blockbuster.
Making De La Hoya look anile and wilted at times, Sturm pushed the multi-weight ruler as the pre-fight favorite struggled to out-work the hungrier champion.
In controversial circumstances, De La Hoya somehow got the decision. In the process, he picked upwardly Sturm's crown. Judges saw it 115-113 on all three cards in favor of Oscar, while most journalists at ringside had Sturm winning the fight.
HOPKINS
If somewhat contentiously, Oscar's ninth world title in six weight divisions hit the tape books. A mega match-up with Hopkins was then able to be penciled in for September 2004, only 3 months afterwards.
Hopkins was a big, strong middleweight. Therefore, the bout got agreed at a catch-weight of 156lbs.
As usual, the MGM One thousand hosted as De La Hoya headed back to the scene of his infamous defeat to Mosley twelve months earlier.
Interest in the fight was immense. Both competitors stood to earn a staggering $thirty one thousand thousand on the night. With an array of Hollywood stars ringside, hundreds of millions of people watched on Goggle box.
SIZE
Many people saw Hopkins' size advantage as the deciding factor. It proved to be the instance equally De La Hoya took a body shot in the ninth round, ending his unification hopes afterwards a reasonably 1-sided battle.
Reassessing his situation, Oscar took nearly two years out of the ring in what proved to be a semi-retirement. He then signed on to fight Ricardo Mayorga in an endeavour to win back the WBC light-middleweight belt he held betwixt 2001 and 2003.
Mayorga showed De La Hoya a complete lack of respect in the build-up to what eventually turned out to be a full-diddled grudge match. The bout took identify in May 2006. With insults nigh his wife ringing if his ears, Oscar pounded Mayorga to the floor in the beginning round. He finished off the Nicaraguan with a sixth-round onslaught.
The win for Oscar meant an extraordinary tenth world championship in half dozen different weight divisions. It was but adding one more than layer of gloss to an already extensive legacy for the Olympic champion.
MAYWEATHER
Oscar would revel in his victory for around nine months before a confident Floyd Mayweather Jr. decided to move up from welterweight and challenge him.
Accepting the offering, De La Hoya appeared reverse Mayweather in a disharmonism branded 'The Earth Awaits.' The PPV took place on May 5th, 2007.
It would exist yet another fight against a man considered the all-time pound-for-pound fighter. De La Hoya rolled back the years at times in an impressive showing. Ultimately, he would come up up brusk against the undefeated 'Pretty Male child' – losing on a carve up conclusion despite pressing Mayweather for the complete twelve rounds.
Another nine-calendar month absence followed before the lure of the ring had him dorsum in training. A collision with diddled-up super-featherweight Steve '2 pounds' Forbes striking the table at a grab-weight of 150lbs.
The fight was a highly winnable affair that could atomic number 82 to something bigger.
There was no title on the line, but Oscar completely out-classed the smaller Forbes to take a unanimous decision. He won nearly every circular on all three judges' scorecards.
PACQUIAO
It would be an platonic warm-upwards fight to build confidence dorsum up. WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao was lying in wait just around the corner.
Pacquiao v De La Hoya was secured for December 2008. A not-title fight at catch-weight of 145lbs.
Many people doubted whether De La Hoya still had the tools to go with his desire at 35. As Pacquiao had moved up from flyweight over nine years, some thought Oscar's ability could still be a telling factor.
Pacquiao showed unbelievable forcefulness on the night. 'Pacman' cemented himself as one of the pound-for-pound all-time in the world by stopping Oscar on his stool in the eighth round. It was a dominant win for Pacquiao, and the writing was on the wall for De La Hoya from that point.
Looking like a shadow of his former self, De La Hoya was physically taken apart by the Filipino boxer, a five-weight globe champion. Pacquiao was at the superlative of his powers, whereas Oscar was at the end of the road.
After winning 10 world titles in half-dozen dissimilar weights, Oscar De La Hoya officially retired from professional boxing on April 14th, 2009.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA TITLES
Earth Boxing Organization super-featherweight champion (1994)
WBO lightweight champion (1994-1995)
International Battle Federation lightweight champion (1995)
World Boxing Council calorie-free-welterweight champion (1996-1997)
WBC welterweight champion (1997-2000)
WBC light-middleweight champion (2001-2003)
World Boxing Association low-cal-middleweight champion (2002-2003)
WBO middleweight champion (2004)
WBC light-middleweight champion (2006-2007)
*IBA not counted
To this 24-hour interval, Oscar's visitor, Gilt Boy Promotions, remains a significant actor in boxing.
WBN Editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN us on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews .
Source: https://www.worldboxingnews.net/2022/05/15/oscar-de-la-hoya-golden-years/
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