De La Hoya – Mayweather II?

Mayweather vs. De La Hoya II: Mayweather vs. Hatton Too?

By Michael Herron: It appears that De La Hoya and Hatton just can't get enough of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Oscar calls him out and gets beat; Ricky calls him out and gets KTFO. What’s surprising is that both of them have excuses, and both claim they want to fight him again. What’s with these guys? Did Mayweather do such a number on them mentally that their pride is hurt? It’s obvious they both want retribution.

Hatton blamed the ref, the weight, the water, and global warming for his loss; and De La Hoya is convinced that if he would have listened to his corner and jabbed more, he would have won.

Let’s go back for a moment. Mayweather gave up every term to De La Hoya—ring, and glove size, weight, fight location, everything--and still won. Hatton had the promotion in his favor; he was the clear fan favorite and media darling both at ringside and in the build-up to the event--and still loss.

Many fans often point out Oscar's strengths: his size, skills, speed, big left hook, etc. –but in facing Mayweather, his weaknesses are overlooked. For one, Oscar can’t take body shots; secondly, his stamina is less than perfect; and lastly, he does not use the Mayweather defensive style very well. Even Fernando Vargas was able to break through his so-called improved defense. Ricky’s defense, on the other hand, is likely to see no vital improvement in regards to a Mayweather rematch. As expected, these weaknesses were clearly shown in the original match-ups. Mayweather effectively landed body shots that froze Oscar, and a flurry of indefensible combinations set up the knockout of Hatton.

Now what’s the point of this article? Mayweather’s got De La Hoya II coming up, and based on recent interviews with Ricky’s team, Hatton II may be a possibility as well. So while many detest Mayweather for taking these fights, it’s not him that’s making it happen. It’s these two revenge- seeking, pride- suffering, self-centered attractions who can't accept that they loss to Lil Floyd. At least Judah was able to admit he loss to Mayweather, with no excuses.

What is mind-boggling is that many fans have accepted and internalized these excuses. Its devotees like these that make such rematches possible. Ironically, their support of intrigues like this is what gives rise to what they complain about later; non competitive matches, forgone conclusions, and Pay-Per-View scams of the boxing public. But oh no; fanatics have sympathy for the vanquished, convincing themselves that their hero didn't really lose, it was the referee, it was the jab, it was the weather, it was the weight, it was the . . . .

Interview: Floyd Mayweather Sr. looking For Respect

John Martinez, Boxingrealm.com: Moments ago, I spoke with none other than trainer extraordinaire, Floyd “ Joy” Mayweather Sr. The ever confident pugilist coach shared his thoughts on his much anticipated return to the corner of the Golden Goose in boxing, Oscar De La Hoya. Here is what the self-anointed “ best trainer in the world” had to say about his new high profiled assignment.

JM: Floyd, will you conform the rumors of your return to the De La Hoya camp and that you’ll be in his corner for his next fight May 3rd on HBO? FM: Yes. That is correct.

JM: Do you have any insight on who’ll oppose Oscar on May 3rd?

FM: No I don’t. But Oscar called me the other day and I told him that I thought Carlos Baldomir would be a good opponent for him because he’s tough and durable. I told him that I thought Baldomir would be a good test for him coming back.

JM: What was Oscar’s response to your suggestion of Baldomir?

FM: He didn’t say one way or the other to be honest with you. I think he’s looking more towards someone that’ll stand out a bit more, you know?

JM: Is this agreement between the two of you going to cover the rematch bout with your son and pound for pound king, WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

FM: We haven’t gotten that far yet. He took a trial with Freddie the Joke coach Roach and he saw what happened. Everyone saw what happened. I know that I’ll be with him on May 3rd and after that anything can happen, but I already told him you seen what happens when you go with Freddie the Joke Coach Roach?

JM: What did he say to that question?

FM: Nothing. He just smiled.

JM: In the past, Oscar has mentioned some almost disparaging remarks about how you train with pads as compared to his then trainer, Freddie Roach. Why do you think Oscar would come calling again if Roach’s training regiment was far superior to yours?

FM: Well I think when Oscar went with Freddie; he got to finally see what Freddie really knew. You know there are a lot more things that Oscar could do that he didn’t do with Freddie. You know Freddie just held the pads; he didn’t throw any hooks, uppercuts, over counters, no nothing. Freddie doesn’t know anything. He’s a good man. I’m not trying to say anything bad about Freddie; I’m just trying to be honest with you.

And also think of this, if my training was all pitty pat, then think of this, you saw who in the hell he called right? If I were all pitty pat then why would he call? I mean, it’s so plain that even Ray Charles would see that.

It is during this time that Floyd Sr. puts a young man on the phone to further his position. The gentleman’s name is Adrian Gonzalez. He is a 5’ 10’’ flyweight amateur fighter from Manchester England that is currently being trained by Floyd Sr.

His inside information that he is about to share comes from the fact that is father is the trainer of Matthew Hatton, Ricky Hatton’s brother. Gonzalez begins to recount a discussion that he had with the Golden Boy regarding the differences between Roach and Floyd Sr.

AG: I was in Ricky Hatton’s last camp and stayed in the house with Ricky during his training camp and I talked with Oscar. He said that Floyd is a technician and an all around coach where as Freddie is more about fitness.

JM: Would you like to speak on the inevitable angle that some in the media will use regarding the Floyd Sr versus Roger, or Floyd Sr versus his son storyline in order to hype the upcoming bout between your son and Oscar?

FM: Yes. It isn’t me against my family. I don’t see it like that. I have nothing against them. If this fight does go off, then it’s just business. I am not fighting my blood.

JM: What will it take for you to be in the corner of Oscar in his rematch with Floyd Jr.?

FM: I just want to be treated with respect. I’m a man that goes on his principle. If it isn’t going to be right for me, then I won’t go with it. All I want is to be treated like a man and be treated fairly. That’s all. I’m not going to be looking for the usual ten percent from him either. I don’t need the ten percent as long as I’m treated fairly. That’s all.

Floyd informed me that training camp for Oscar’s May 3rd HBO fight will begin in early March in Big Bear, CA. He promised with him at the helm, that the world would see a better, stronger, and much improved Oscar De La Hoya.

Mayweather vs De La Hoya II: A rematch that few want to see

By Cesar Pancorvo: After receiving enthusiastic ovations and being applauded last December, for his notable victory against Ricky Hatton, Floyd “Money” Mayweather is now facing the fan’s insults and hate for his apparent decision of rematching the Golden Boy, Oscar de la Hoya, in a lucrative mega event that few, really few, want to watch, and that could be described with just one word: futile.

Yes, it is futile, unnecessary, pointless, redundant and only benefits the two fighters, because the aficionados –or at least most of them– don’t want to pay money for it again, and don’t want to watch it again. (I don’t think the first fight was boring. It was, in my opinion, average, but it wasn’t anything spectacular that needs a rematch).

The first fight, last May, was a close contest that ended in a Split Decision (I think Mayweather won clearly) and that could be the only reason of why a rematch is done, but let’s be sincere: they are not rematching because their last fight was a close contest, and evidently they are not rematching because their last fight was extraordinarily entertaining, they are rematching because of the dividends that it will bring; however, this fight is not signed yet, so until the moment everything is, like Hamlet said, words, words, words.

One more detail. This fight would not happen in May 3rd, it would happen in September, so we have to wait more than six months. Oscar de la Hoya would probably want it to be in May, but Mayweather is being consequent with what he said and is taking some time off, is staying away from the rings. So it looks like Oscar de la Hoya will fight in May, for free, possibly against Steve Forbes or Paul Malignaggi, in what would be a kind of tune-up, while Mayweather rests from his turbulent 2007. Apparently, Sugar Shane Mosley will also fight in May. No potential opponents have been mentioned yet. Wait for some official announcements shortly.

Oscar De La Hoya – Fighter Or Businessman?

Matthew Hurley: As word spread that Oscar De La Hoya had decided that a rematch with Floyd Mayweather was his primary objective for 2008 a collective groan went up within the boxing community. A rematch of their May 5th ‘fight to save boxing,’ as Sports Illustrated put it, smacked of corporate account padding. The fact that their first go-round left many fight fans chugging beers to make the lack of action more palatable does not seem to enter into the equation where the ‘Golden Boy’ and the ‘Pretty Boy’ are concerned. These are not two hungry fighters seeking out the best opponents to enhance their legacy. They are savvy businessmen who don’t particularly appreciate getting hit in the mouth anymore in order to cash a check. And because they remain two of the biggest names in the sport, despite their disappointing willingness to take the path of least resistance, they have once again turned to each other for another monster pay day because they know that their names alone will sell tickets..

De La Hoya – Mayweather II is not a great fight. In fact it’s not even a fight that the public demanded. What it is is an opportunity for De La Hoya to cash out before he trades in his boxing gloves for full time promotional duties at his company Golden Boy Promotions. That may seem a bit harsh, particularly when considering all that De La Hoya has done for boxing, but somewhere along the line the fighter got lost inside all the business machinations that go on in putting on a big event and because Oscar was, and remains, the sports biggest draw the amount of money that he can pocket for almost any farce he decides to compete in has entrenched him deeper into the boardroom.

From a business standpoint it would be hard to argue with the direction the latter stages of De La Hoya’s career has taken. Money is the main objective but it also comes at a cost and it has been the boxing fan that has paid the price. Pay-per-view events have compartmentalized the sport, forcing fans to pick and choose which events they can afford. Going to a live show has become economically impossible for many fans and whether he likes it or not De La Hoya is the smiling or glaring face that stares down at these fans from promotional billboards advertising his next pay-per-view foray into the ring. Oscar has not fought on ‘free’ television since 2001 when he knocked out Arturo Gatti in the fifth round on HBO. On top of that he has lost three out of his last five fights so laymen may wonder how this guy can keep duping the public into shelling out their hard earned cash to see him fight one hand picked opponent after another. And that’s what De La Hoya – Mayweather II represents.

The danger going into the first De La Hoya – Mayweather bout, an event that garnered extensive mainstream media attention, was that the fight would not only not live up to the hype but that it would further turn off marginal fans through it’s lack of drama. The fight did exactly that so a rematch only seems to benefit those involved in the production of the fight. Wrap it all up with another HBO 24/7 promotional bow, which proved to be the most interesting aspect of the event, and fans are left with a $55 hollow piece of chocolate – it looks good on the outside but crumbles when you try to sink your teeth into it.

To De La Hoya’s credit he has decided to take a tune-up bout on May 3rd and expressed his desire to lower ticket costs and have the fight televised on ‘free’ television. Yet there’s still something disingenuous about this. First of all the names being bandied about for Oscar’s return to the ring include Steve Forbes, Paulie Malignaggi and Dmitriy Salita – all welterweights or junior welterweights. De La Hoya, still smarting from junior welterweight Ricky Hatton’s loss to Floyd Mayweather (Oscar was hoping to set up a fight with Hatton), has apparently decided to make this ‘free’ fight as easy on himself as possible. Oscar, now fighting at 154 pounds hasn’t fought at junior welterweight since 1997 and welterweight since 2000. In the words of Roger Waters, “ha, ha charade you are.” That’s not to belittle Forbes, Malignaggi or Salita, all talented fighters, but much smaller men than Oscar.

And just how much does it cost if it’s free?

According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Shaefer, Oscar wants to pay his fans back for all their support. “He wants to give something back to the fans who have supported him for all these years. He wants to make tickets affordable wherever the fight takes place. We want to have $10 and $20 tickets. If it’s in Los Angeles, it will be like a homecoming.”

That’s all well and good, if it ever comes to pass, but HBO, the cable network that will broadcast the fight is not free television. It cost upwards of $25 a month. So those who don’t have HBO but would like to see the fight will still be paying pay-per-view dollars for the privilege of watching Oscar perform against what is sure to be an underwhelming opponent. Nothing is free and the huckster in De La Hoya just proves that at this late stage in his career he has more in common with promoter Bob Arum than he does with, say, Miguel Cotto – a fighter he should be stepping in the ring with, if only to give Oscar the one knock down drag out Hagler – Hearns type war that he has been quoted as saying he wants to end his career on.

Instead he will fight Mayweather again. A fighter he knows can’t hurt him or provide the guts and glory style to make a counter puncher like Oscar look good. The stylistic match-up wasn’t particularly intriguing the first time around so what could possibly change now?

Oscar De La Hoya has been an integral part of boxing for the past fifteen years. His importance to the sport, whether you like him or not, cannot be overestimated. Boxing has always needed a flagship fighter, a star willing to press the flesh and reach people outside the confines of the boxing universe. For years, Oscar has been that guy even if he wasn’t the best fighter in the sport at any one time. But for quite a while he was a fighter first even as his marketing skills were coming into play. That’s all gone now. Oscar is now firmly fixed in the corporate structure and in September he will face a guy who is happily following his lead. Although they can still talk a good game Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are no longer professional prize fighters, they are businessmen and they believe they can con you into buying their shtick one more time. At $55 it’s a pretty steep price to pay when you’ve already seen their disappointing show once before. Let the buyer beware.

De La Hoya: Why The Opponents - Forbes, Salita & Malignaggi - Leaked For His May 3rd Tune-Up Are All Wrong

By Chris Santos: It can be deduced with not much evaluation that the short list of fighters on Oscar De La Hoya’s list for his May 3rd bout (all smallish and light punching junior welterweights) are on that very list so that De La Hoya can come out of this bout not just with an aesthetically pleasing victory, but also so he can escape somewhat unscathed with the Mayweather rematch just four months after. Nonetheless the fighters said to be on this list seem all wrong to this observer.

Stevie Forbes seems just much too small for this assignment, at barely 5’7" and having done his best work at junior lightweight and lightweight some years ago. I cheered for him during “The Contender," but if you can’t beat Grady Brewer and just get by Francisco Bojado, well then in my book, you are overmatched against a former Middleweight Championship challenger.

Paulie Malignaggi is still not experienced or steady enough for a fight of this magnitude just yet, despite the war with Cotto. Had he thoroughly dominated the tougher than expected Herman Ngoudjo, I might have a different view. And I am one who believes he’s a fantastic boxer who has the stuff of future greatness if he keeps progressing and avoids hand issues. But off the Ngoudjo fight it’s just too big of a leap.

As for Salita, he’s done absolutely nothing to merit this consideration, in that he has not one notable opponent on his ledger. Not a single one. Go google his record and check for yourself.

The fight I would love to see would be De La Hoya-Zab Judah, which would feature a good match up of two big name fighters needing a momentum shifting victory for their career…..except in reality, only Judah needs that fight since De La Hoya seems to always have momentum win OR lose. And Judah would be a live, motivated, amped & dangerous underdog so that fight won’t happen any time soon….

The three fighters that WOULD be size appropriate, experienced appropriate and ahem, appropriately beatable would be and thus SHOULD be considered are :

Vivian Harris –He has big fight experience in that he has fought in enemy territory (Germany, England) in title bouts against rabid crowds, he is a tall and lean 5’11 who, one would think, could benefit form the move north to 147, and who, while vulnerable in the chin area, would be dangerous enough to go seven rounds or so, forcing De La Hoya to favorably showcase his entire arsenal in order to dispatch with him.

Juan Lazcano, who while, let’s face it, seems spent, is still the #7 junior welterweight in the world according to Ring Magazine, is a toughly built 5’9" and has the kind of pride and balls that would force a great, short fight with fireworks –and a likely 5th or 6th round KO for De La Hoya (and wasn’t there a grudge between these guys that HBO could exploit?)

And lastly, Luis Collazo, who arguably deserves this shot more then any fighter named here or in previous accounts, who makes for tv friendly fights, who just scored a comeback win of his own on Saturday night--- yes against a meaningless opponent in an off-tv bout, but he looked good enough to get on-air props for it from the HBO team-- but who will also be a full class level, it would seem, beneath De La Hoya if you consider his performances against A-Class Shane Mosley and B+ class Ricky Hatton. And then there is also that he is not a big puncher.

In an ideal world we’d be talking about Mayweather against Miguel Cotto. I would take De La Hoya – Judah as a consolation, or even De La Hoya-Kermit Cintron. But for now, in this less than ideal world, how about De La Hoya vs Collazo with indercard bouts of Malignaggi vs Harris and Salita vs Lazcano or Forbes? Oh, Wait, then it would have to be PPV. Damn!