De La Hoya-Mayweather Pre-Fight Press & Predictions

[Sharkey]

Nope, that is not what I meant at all. This version of Oscar stands basically zero chance of beating Mayweather (and he knows that).

I don't post lame theories....

I wasn't implying you were doing so, or at least that was not my intent. I do not doubt, however, that such a theory will be put forward by a random Oscar-nut here or there should he lose.

I used to spend time on boxingtalk and they exist.

[evander]

Nope, that is not what I meant at all. This version of Oscar stands basically zero chance of beating Mayweather (and he knows that).

I don't post lame theories....

I wouldn't say that, who has ever put a boxing lesson on Delahoya? Mosley? No. Trinidad? No. Hopkins? nope! The fact is...onlly Whitaker gave Hoya a run for his money and Mayweather isn't that good. Delahoya will hit lil floyd without a doubt. Mayweather's other big problem is that he will allow Oscar to rest and choose his own pace because Mayweather is a no pressure fighter like Mosely was in their 1st fight,so Oscar will not get pushed and have to fight at a frantic pace. So this will save Hoya in the later rds. Hell! JC Castillo kicked Floyds butt and he isn't in Hoya's league

[diggity]

Sure Oscar is in a complete win-win but I know he believes he has a great shot. I think all of you who think DLH will be washed out like Baldomir are not giving DLH any credit whatsoever. Everyone acts like PBF has looked perfect each & every fight. They guy does drop rounds & he does make mistakes.

Oscar is so filthy rich, I honestly doubt he's concerned with the fallout of this fight in regard to a future match making sense. Maybe Mosely cares to some degree but he does not need PBF to make money.

[apollack]

I'm going with Oscar because I simply think he is way too strong for Floyd.
PBF has great speed and defense, but Oscar is taller, longer reach, isn't exactly slow, is vastly experienced, and WAY more powerful. Sure he won't hit Floyd all that easily, but at some point he'll hit and hurt him. Floyd will hit Oscar more easily, but his punches will feel like taps compared to what Oscar has been hit with in his career. This will give Oscar confidence to walk Floyd down and break him down. I just don't see Floyd emerging from a gut check fight, which is what I think Oscar will eventually make it.

[Nixon]

Floyd will box, box, box and he his much, much faster than De La Hoya at this stage of their careers. De La Hoya will use his jab a lot and go to the body to slow him up. The left hook is the key thereafter because that is the punch someone of Mayweather's style is susceptible to. I like Mayweather on a boring decision. I think he's not going to let De La Hoya get set and Mayweather always steps up his game in big fights.

[KOJOE90]

To be honest I find myself changing my mind on the outcome of this mouthwatering fight on an allmost daily basis.

[Rafael]

Some people are handicapping this as Mayweather vs. a late 90's/early 00's prime version of DLH, which is not what we have now. When was the last time Oscar looked really sharp in beating a high quality opponent (and no, Mayorga does not count)?

[mrbig1]

Damn Rafeal, You bring up some great points. I was going with Oscar but now I'm not sure. Thanks buzz kill.

[dongee]

Forgive an old guy's opinion, men, and try to sqeeze in what we used to call, in my day, "the human factor", because this fight reeks of it!

We saw it in the Mayorga bout, when Oscar called on his fave weapon, a short, dominant left hook. We saw it in the match with Vargas, when Oscar's superior stamina also came into play as Vargas faded. And a perfect example years ago was Tunney's startling performance against Dempsey.

It's what becomes prevalent in most major boxing upsets when one protagonist or the other makes a definitive move....the human factor. And we saw it conversely in Oscar's inexplicable shift in the last moments of the Tito fight. Remember Buster Douglas and his transformation in the Tyson fight?

Also, a larger ring will probably favor Floyd, whose legs are responsible for much of his success to date. Should he choose to engage the golden one in a smaller ring, there'll be trouble.

Speaking of Dempsey, the scenario here is somewhat like the one from the 1920s, when Jack had been away from the ring for a long time, and showed rust through the two bouts with Gene. In an engagement with speedster Floyd.....that's no place for a rusty gladiator.

Just a thought and back to my nap.

el viejo

[GorDoom]

De La Hoya-Mosley: That’s What Friends Are For
By TK Stewart from Boxing Scene

They’ve known each other since they were small boys fighting their way up and their way out. They were stars of the Los Angeles amateur scene nearly 25 years ago and those who saw them when they were teenage boys knew someday that something big was in the cards for the pair of them. But nobody could have predicted the hand they were dealt would contain a fortune of notoriety, stardom and riches.

They fought each other as amateurs and twice again as pros and although they were fierce rivals they have always had a mutual respect for one another. Eventually they would team up and become business partners. Now, as Oscar De La Hoya prepares for one of the biggest fights of his career against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. – Shane Mosley is there to lend his friend a helping hand. They are otherwise known as “The Golden Boy” and “Sugar” and together they have forged a friendship that contradicts the violence of their chosen profession.

In a move that surprised many veteran watchers of the fight game, Shane Mosley volunteered to serve as a sparring partner in order to help his friend prepare for one of his most significant challenges. He recently flew to De La Hoya’s training camp in Puerto Rico, unloaded all of his boxing gear and made his way straight to the gym.

Mosley is as nice a person as you will find in the trenches of what the great Hugh McIlvanney called “The Hardest Game”. For him, the thought of helping a friend in need was something he took no time to think about. The boyish Mosley is eager to do what he can to ensure a De La Hoya victory. “Well, I mean, we’ve always been friends”, says the affable Mosley. “I’ve been sparring with Oscar for a long time. So, I know Oscar very well…since we were kids. I sparred with him before he went to the Olympics (in 1992). I missed the Olympics and I had to help him out for that, you know, so I’ve always worked with him. We’ve always been friends and we’ve traveled around the world together as amateurs. We grew up together.”

Exactly one year ago, just after De La Hoya had separated Nicaragua’s Ricardo Mayorga from his unpredictable senses after six rounds of fury, the fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was conceived. At the post fight press conference, it was “Pretty Boy” Floyd that was making the case to anybody that would listen that it was he who should get the next shot at De La Hoya because, as he said, “If it makes dollars it makes sense.”

The fight, which will take place at The MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas in only 2 ½ weeks is going to make a lot of dollars. Many have begun calling it the biggest fight in boxing since Lennox Lewis fought Mike Tyson back in 2002. If ticket sales, which sold out in one day, resulting in the largest live gate in Nevada history, is any indication of the widespread interest the fight is generating, it should be a pay-per view blockbuster.

Mark Taffett, the guru of HBO’s pay-per view arm thinks this fight could break records. “We know we have a special event on our hands. This is a bone fide mega-fight. It’s the SuperBowl of boxing and a Hollywood movie premiere all in one. We believe that this fight is special because it’s the biggest and the best participants in the sport going at it. The fight will take its place among the biggest events in pay-per view history.”

For Shane Mosley, a champion in three weight divisions, his involvement in De La Hoya’s training camp is as a non-paid volunteer. Though he will make money off the promotion because of his partnership in Golden Boy Promotions, his actual work as De La Hoya’s sparring partner is totally voluntary.

It’s similar to the storyline in Rocky III when Apollo Creed helped Rocky Balboa prepare for his big heavyweight championship rematch against Clubber Lang. It’s a sure case of life imitating art and you can think of Mosley as Creed, De La Hoya as Balboa and Mayweather, Jr. in the role of the crude and vitriolic Lang.

As a sparring partner, Mosley is the perfect foil and he tells the story of how this unlikely scenario came to be. “It originated a while back, way before they even signed the fight”, explains Shane. “They kind of thought, you know, ‘What do you think about sparring with Oscar and kind of helping him?’ Because I’m basically similar to Mayweather with the speed, I told them, ‘No problem.’ Then, when it came up again after they signed the fight, I was like ‘Just send me out there and I’m ready to go, you know, no problem.’ I love to be in the ring, I love to workout, I love to train and I love to help out a fellow friend.”

Mayweather, Jr., who fancies himself as the new age fighter in this villainous era of hip-hop, predictably sneered at the idea of Mosley serving as a sparring partner for his boyhood friend. Floyd has never been one to mince words and he’s also a world champion of trash-talking. Nobody escapes Mayweather’s forked tongue and he likes to get his licks in verbally whenever the opportunity presents itself. “If Shane Mosley is a sparring partner, then that’s what he is”, barked Floyd. “That’s all Shane Mosley’s ever been, was a sparring partner. I can’t really say nothing bad about Shane because he’s not his own boss. If I’m going to say anything or talk about Shane, I’m gonna talk to his wife or I’m gonna talk to Oscar because they’re his bosses. So all I can say is Shane ain’t nothin’ but a sparring partner.”

Mosley, ever the diplomatic gentleman would not be drawn into Mayweather’s crass war of words. When asked what he thought of Floyd’s comments, Mosley took the high road. “I really don’t care about what Mayweather said. I’ve always worked with Oscar. I’ve sparred with him a lot of times. I spar with a lot of world champions to get them ready for their fights. So, those comments really don’t bother me. I’m having a good time in Puerto Rico. I came out here to help Oscar to sharpen up his tools so he can be ready to fight with Floyd.”

De La Hoya should surely benefit from working with Mosley. The conundrum in preparing for a fighter of Mayweather’s unique talent is finding someone that can match his eclectic blend of reflexes, speed and quickness. Mosley, among his many talents, is a skilled mimic when it comes to imitating fighting styles and he possesses the same savvy that Mayweather does.

“I’m just as fast as Mayweather and that’s going to help Oscar”, says Mosley. “That’s going to help him be able to think when he gets in there with Mayweather who is not as strong as I am, but I’m not out here throwing hard shots. I’m out here doing nothing but speed, a lot of speed, a lot of movement, a lot of what Mayweather will do. Anything and everything that Mayweather does, I’m trying to give it to him where he can have it. Left hooks, fast jabs and right hands. I’m giving him the works where he’ll be prepared when he gets in the ring.”

The book on how to beat the 30 year-old Mayweather has not yet been written. At 37-0 (24) knockouts, he has never been off his feet and he has barely been tested in his 11 year pro career. Along the way he has won titles at 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds and he’ll be going for a title in a fifth weight division when he meets De La Hoya at 154 pounds. Mayweather is a physical marvel and disciplined taskmaster who is never out of shape and is continuously training to hone is body to a fine point.

Mosley has been watching his friend training under the auspices of trainer Freddie Roach, and so far he is impressed with De La Hoya’s progress. “Oscar has been looking very sharp and I think Freddie is working on making sure that he has more confidence in his right hand. His right hand is very hard. I felt it the other day. I think Oscar wants to make it a physical fight and he wants to stay close and cut off the ring and stuff like that but fight a physical, smart fight – not a fight where he’s just walking into punches. It’s the type of fight where he’s giving him angles as he’s coming in and cutting off the ring and giving him that sense of presence that he’s bigger and stronger and he’s going to knock him out.”

For the 33 year-old De La Hoya, now in the certain twilight of a brilliant career, it’s one of the first times that he’ll go into a fight as an underdog. The betting odds against him on May 5th are 2 ½ to 1 and he’ll have to draw on all of his ring experience to overcome Mayweather’s spastic style. That’s part of the reason De La Hoya asked his friend to come to his training camp and help him. “You can’t get any better sparring for him and for myself”, says De La Hoya as he smiles. “So, it’s like killing two birds with one stone. You know, we’re working together and obviously he’s a great champion. He’s gonna’ get great work out of it too, just like myself. It’s perfect that he can come down here and do me the favor.”

Only one question remains: “Who will win on May 5th?”

Well, Shane Mosley thinks he has the answer to that question and of course it’s no surprise that he’s in his friend’s corner. He and De La Hoya have known each other for nearly 25 years and he knows his friend well. “When Oscar gets to Vegas he’s going to do an absolutely great job”, says Shane. “Without giving too much away, I think that Oscar is probably too big and most likely is going to catch Floyd later on in the fight.”

Helping a friend train, becoming a loyal business partner and offering moral support. That’s the special relationship that Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya have developed over their lifetimes in this game they call boxing – and that’s what friends are for.

[apollack]

All of this is brilliant calculated marketing strategy by Floyd to get the most people tuned into this fight as possible and to generate as much buzz and discussion as possible. He is wiilling to play the villian because he knows that will generate more interest, cause more people to plunk down their hard earned money to see him get his comeuppance.

They are providing the most reasons possible to tune into this one - some because they like Oscar, some because they hate Floyd, some vice versa, and some because they want to see a great fight between two of the best in boxing.

You have the likable gold medalist who has won multiple champoinships over many weight divisions, who has fought everyone, but is in his waning years, giving him an even more sympathetic aura, particularly in these years where the interest in boxing is at a lull and there are few mega fights. You even have the added bonus of him sparring with Mosley, giving the impression that the fight means so much, that these vets are joining forces.

You have the undefeated pound for pounder with a chip on his shoulder, who although respected for his skills, who has also won many belts over many weight divisions, feels he needs a mega win to get the esteem he's always wanted, taking a chance by moving up in weight yet again. Oscar is more of a puncher, Floyd more of a defensive specialist. One's cocky, the other's confident. You even have the little-spoken-of racial angle, but we know it is there and will influence final financial totals.

Boy this fight has it all. Win or lose, Floyd knows this is his chance to earn a monstrous payday the likes of which he will never see again, and he is making the most of his opportunity. Mouthy fighters sell, and he knows it. And the more trash he talks, the more people are going to tune in to see Oscar beat him.

Oscar too is training hard and promoting hard, because he also knows that this might be his last monstrous hurrah. He may feel that he needs this win more than any other. Otherwise, he will have lost too many big ones when the historians look at the overall record. Pride is a big motivator.

The stakes are high. The promotion is at full speed. It's going to be huge. Now let's just hope boxing doesn't get stained yet again by crap judges, a crap referee, or extra-curricular shenanigans.

[KOJOE90]

They have just shown the first De La Hoya - Mayweather 24/7 program here in the UK.

It lasted 30 minutes, is this how long it was in the USA and is it a weekly series?

[diggity]

Its only 30 minutes & it's once a week for 4 weeks supposedly.

[kikibalt]

By: Korosh
March 15, 2007

De La Hoya vs Mayweather Jr- Bad for Boxing?
Let me start off by saying, I love Boxing. I love the sport. I love the Sweet Science. I love everything about it. I can sit on any night and watch any two competitors Slug it out; Box; Dance around the ring; etc, Whatever. I enjoy the sport. Let me also say that I consider Floyd Mayweather Jr. the pound-for-pound best boxer on the planet today. He is the best, far and beyond everyone. I also consider Oscar De la Hoya to be one of the greatest fighters of our generation. He is a definite Hall of famer in the ring, and his work as a promoter is just as spectacular. I say these things because I don't want this article to be taken the wrong way. I'm afraid that Mayweather Jr.-De La Hoya could be bad for boxing.

In no way shape or form am I trying to degrade what Floyd Mayweather Jr. does in the ring. In my eyes, he is as close to flawless there is. He has unmatched speed, a tremendous body, his movement in the ring is excellent, and I don't think I have ever seen him hurt or in any real danger. In the ring, he out classes and out box's' his opponents. What he did to Arturo Gatti was a boxing clinic. I can go on and on, but my point is that he is the best. To paraphrase Roy Jones Jr. "It's not that he fights nobodys, he just makes them look like nobodys".

Unfortunately, the regular sports fan only reacts to the knockout. The same can be said in almost every sport. Baseball fans go to the games for Barry Bonds and home runs. They don't go to games for Greg Maddux and his work ethic. NBA fans flock to see Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant. They overlook Tim Duncan and his 3 Championship Rings. This is exactly why this fight can be bad for boxing.

Boxing has become somewhat of a cult sport. Fight nights do not carry the same glamour and hoopla that they once did. Household names like Tyson, Ali, Hagler, and Hearns have been replaced by Wright, Hopkins and Cotto. Boxing is no longer constantly in the spotlight. But on May 5th, the world will be watching. This fight can save boxing. The entire boxing community is buzzing for this fight. This is the biggest fight in years, a mega fight. THE Mega fight. Tickets sold out in minutes. There were thousands of pre-requests for tickets. Singers, Actors, Politicians, boys, girls, Everyone will be watching on May 5th. But what will they see?

Ideally, we would all like to see two warriors slug it out for 12 rounds. We'd love to see back in forth action in the middle of the ring that would make Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed blush. We'd love to see Ward - Gatti, Morales - Pacquiao, Ali - Fraser, all rolled up and put together in the ring May 5th. A fight like that, a true blood and guts brawl, would put boxing back on top of the pedestal, where it belongs.

But on May 5th, boxing can be knocked to its knees if after the fight we hear: "That was boring"

[Crold1]

De La Hoya-Mayweather: The Olympic Tradition


By Cliff Rold


A four-part, two hour HBO commercial; a feature article in Vibe magazine…we are only at the beginning of the hype machine towards Oscar de la Hoya versus Floyd Mayweather. It’s boxing’s biggest star versus arguably its best fighter. While some use this moment to wax poetic about days gone by, about the lost days of regular superfights, about the times when boxing truly was still king, still others celebrate it as a chance to breathe new life into a game that needs it. In that sense, it is like so many ‘last great superfights’ that boxing has had or will have; the heir of a great tradition.

An overlooked feature of this ‘superfight’ is its link to boxing’s foundation. When Oscar (38-4, 30 KO) and Floyd (37-0, 24 KO) touch gloves at center ring, it will be only the 34th battle between former U.S. Olympic medalists. Oscar’s Olympic moment is the more celebrated, his 1992 Gold Medal at the Barcelona Games a tribute to his recently deceased mother. Floyd settled for a Bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Games, a victim of the notorious amateur scoring system. Still, it was a medal and with it Floyd, like Oscar before him, joined a select fraternity.

This bout will be Mayweather’s first against a fellow medalist. It is Ocsar’s second. His first came on April 12, 1997, the night he captured the lineal World Welterweight Championship from 1984 Gold Medalist Pernell Whitaker. In a tactical battle, de la Hoya’s power met Whitaker’s style and produced a scoring controversy that purists still argue about to this day. Many, myself included, felt Whitaker had narrowly retained his title but it was Oscar who would walk away with a questionably wide unanimous decision. It was the sort of fight many are expecting, but hoping against, on Cinco de Mayo 2007.

So how grand is the U.S. Olympic tradition that has given us the “Golden Boy” and the “Pretty Boy?” Since being introduced as an Olympic sport in 1904...Read the Rest Here...

[Nixon]

The best possible scenario for the good of the sport in this fight is for Mayweather to completely dominate De La Hoya. Make De La Hoya quit on his stool, or land so many unanswered punches round after round that the ref has to stop it. I honestly don't think that will happen, but if De La Hoya pulls of the win it isn't as good for the sport. He's past his prime, he's lost a lot of his big fights and is known for coming up short. The only area where he has reigned supreme is with PPV numbers and that's why this fight is happening.

[kikibalt]

Robert Morales: De La Hoya-Mayweather also a meeting of the minds


Roger Mayweather believes his nephew, Floyd Mayweather Jr., not only is the most skilled fighter in the world today but the most intelligent.

"First off, Floyd has been fighting since he was a baby, so there ain't much you can teach him about boxing because he understands boxing very well," uncle Roger said.

"You don't have to tell him, `You need to do this, you need to do that.' Because he is going to do that anyway."

Uncle Roger trains Floyd Jr., so he may be a bit biased. Then again, Floyd Jr. is 37-0 with 24 knockouts and has won world championships in four weight classes. It's difficult to argue with uncle Roger's assessment.

Oscar De La Hoya also is very smart, in and out of the ring. He is the fighter who patiently waited for the right moment before knocking out Fernando Vargas in September 2002. De La Hoya also is the fighter who brought in Freddie Roach to train him after things fell apart with his former trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr.

De La Hoya also was bright enough to see the sense of using Shane Mosley as his main sparring partner for his May 5 junior middleweight title defense against Floyd Mayweather Jr. at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Mosley possesses great speed and terrific ring smarts, just like Mayweather. Mosley also has won two decisions over De La Hoya. According to Roach, this has brought a special competitiveness to their sparring, which has reached 40 rounds since Mosley arrived last month at De La Hoya's camp in Puerto Rico.
"It actually reminds me of when they fought each other," Roach said Wednesday from Puerto Rico. "Each guy is trying to set the other up. Very intelligent. It has been great."

Mosley and De La Hoya have known each other since their amateur days. They got to know each other better from a professional standpoint when they squared off twice in world title fights. Today, Mosley is a partner in De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

Mosley was only too pleased to lend a hand to a man who has become a good friend. In Mosley's mind, his becoming De La Hoya's sparring partner was a clever move.

"I think that it's very important because, you know, you get into a fight and you all of a sudden get in there with somebody that's so fast and you're like, `What's going on?' " Mosley said. "You don't understand. And it's hard to get your shots off the way you want to.

"But now with me being there, you know I'm just as fast as Mayweather. And that's going to help him to be able to think when he gets in there with Mayweather. I'm out here doing nothing but speed, a lot of speed, a lot of movement, a lot of what Mayweather will do."

None of it is going to matter, Roger Mayweather said.

"Oscar was an Olympic gold-medal winner," he said. "So, of course, he has an opportunity. He has a good chance, but the only real chance he's got is the (expletive) judges because it ain't going to be on skill level that he's got a chance.

"De La Hoya ain't a bad fighter. But the thing about this is, he's fighting the best fighter ... out there in this generation today. He's fighting the best fighter out there, period."

Roger Mayweather recently was released from jail after serving time for assault.

Before he got out, Floyd Mayweather Sr. was helping Floyd Jr. prepare for De La Hoya. Once uncle Roger was released last month, he was back at the controls and relegating Floyd Sr. to little more than a spectator at his son's camp in Las Vegas.

During a conference call Wednesday, uncle Roger sounded a bit peeved when asked about the presence of Floyd Sr. and whether he is being called upon for advice on how to beat De La Hoya. Floyd Sr., after all, trained De La Hoya for the better part of six years.

"I don't train Floyd based on his daddy," uncle Roger said. "I fought more fights (72 compared to 36) than my brother has, so I don't have to ask his opinion. Floyd got to where he is because of me, not because of what (Floyd Sr.) did. He set the groundwork, but I'm the one who got him on pay-per-view."

Uncle Roger then became more irritated.

"Did he (Floyd Jr.) beat Zab Judah with Floyd or did he beat him with me?" uncle Roger said. "Did he beat Sharmba Mitchell with Floyd or did he beat him with me? Did he beat Jose Luis Castillo with Floyd, or did he beat him with me? All right. Then what the (expletive) do I need to ask his opinion for?"

Uncle Roger then was asked if he felt uneasy having Floyd Sr. in camp, perhaps looking over his shoulder.

"It don't bother me one way or another," he said. "I'm not uncomfortable with that.

I'm more uncomfortable being in jail."

Floyd Sr. crashed Wednesday's conference call during Roach's time on it and identified himself as "Jim." He asked Roach about the strategy he will employ to help De La Hoya "beat Mr. Mayweather."

Realizing who was on the line - everyone knew because of the distinctive voice of Floyd Sr. - Roach said he would not divulge his plan of attack. He then told Floyd Sr. to "speak English."

Floyd Sr. then was cut off.

Juan Diaz and Acelino Freitas will square off in a lightweight title unification bout April 28 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.

Freitas, of Brazil, is 38-1 with 32 knockouts. Diaz, of Houston, is 31-0 with 15 knockouts. HBO will televise.

Golden Boy Promotions on Wednesday formally announced the lightweight fight between Joan Guzman and Michael Katsidis that will take place May 26 at Anaheim Convention Center.

Guzman, of the Dominican Republic, is 27-0 with 17 knockouts.

Katsidis, of Australia, is 22-0 with 20 knockouts. He has fought all but one of his fights in Australia against unfamiliar competition, so it's difficult to say what he will bring.

HBO will televise.

[HE Grant]

I would love to see Oscar win but simply don't see it happening ... the Mayorga fight aside he has been highly inactive, he has not looked good and there is no compensation for speed and stamina. I don't ike Floyd's style as a person at all but I see him out punching and out hustling Oscar fairly easily.

[Nixon]

I would love to see Oscar win but simply don't see it happening ... the Mayorga fight aside he has been highly inactive, he has not looked good and there is no compensation for speed and stamina. I don't ike Floyd's style as a person at all but I see him out punching and out hustling Oscar fairly easily.

I see it basically the same as you on all counts. One thing that does come to mind though is that Oscar is old enough and patient enough to set traps now, and can drop a bomb late in the fight if Floyd takes his eye off the ball. He has that power. It is Floyd's job not to let it land. This is Floyd's fight to lose. He is the better fighter at this stage of their careers.

[Kid Dynamite]

Oscar De La Hoya gets non ejaculatory Sex, chases Chickens and swims naked with Men for Floyd Mayweather Jr
By Doghouse Boxing (April 20, 2007) Doghouse Boxing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The title may sound strange, but it's all in a the day of a Professional training camp for Oscar De La Hoya. In a recent article by Zeferino Jackson for blacksportsonline, Jackson writes about his recent time he spent visiting at Oscar De La Hoya's camp at Wilfredo Benitez Gym located in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Jackson tagged along De La Hoya's camp for eight days to see first hand what kind of training De La Hoya is doing in preparation for his May 5th battle against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Jackson learned first hand what kind of intense training regimen unlike most that Oscar De La Hoya was utilizing. Some
of the interesting things Jackson came across was that De La Hoya chases chickens in training and also during his training, De La Hoya enjoys non-ejaculatory sex with wife, Millie Corretjer and spends his nights in a special pool with other sparring partners and trainers in the nude.

In an excerpt from Jackson's article, he discusses what De La Hoya does from the early hours to mid afternoons in training camp.

Jackson writes: 7:00 to 8:30 am - Calisthetics (push ups, sit ups, etc.) Chases chickens for a half hour. 9:00 am - Breakfast (egg whites, oatmeal, and mango.) 10:00am to 2:00pm- Rest

3:00 to 4:00 pm - Family time with wife Millie Corretjer. According to one of Oscar’s entourage, Oscar enjoys non-ejaculatory sex with wife (rejuvenates the spirit). Freddie Roach does not discourage sexual contact during training as long as the fighter does not climax or reach orgasm. Roach declined to comment on exactly what Oscar does from 3:00pm to 4:00pm but he did share this: “Let’s just say, when a fighter is pent up from having sex with no release, this increases his aggression and ferocity in the ring. This is why Manny is champ right now and this is why Floyd Mayweather’s getting knocked out on Cinco de Mayo..” He was referring to his other charge, Manny Pacquiao, a ferocious fighter from the Phillipines and current lightweight champ.

6:00-8:00 pm - Jackson's writes that during this time period in the day, Oscar De la Hoya works the pads with Freddie Roach and engages in intense sparring sessions.

Excerpt: 8:00-9:00 pm – Freddie Roach performs the full nude body greasedown massage technique on Oscar de la Hoya while fight strategy is discussed. The full nude body greasedown is a well documented boxing training tool used mostly before the 1970’s by fighters like Joe Louis and Willie Pep. It has been hailed by fighters like Demarcus Corley, Lennox Lewis, and Archie Moore. It is making resurgence among today’s trainers and currently trainer Joe Goossen is considered the most adept at it. In my opinion, Freddie Roach is the least adept as his Parkinson’s affected hands don’t seem to allow him to perform the gentlest massage. For those not familiar with the deeper fundamentals of boxing training, the full nude body greasedown consists of the trainer rubbing a combination of oil, vinegar, and sometimes salt over the completely nude body of a boxer. This seems to increase concentration and cause a bond between the fighter and the trainer.

9:00-10:00 pm – Jackson writes that Oscar De La Hoya and his sparring partners go for a swim in a special thermal pool. The pool is designed to relax muscles and allow them to recuperate from the day’s training. Apparently as Jackson reports, only the fighters and trainers are allowed in the pool. There is no clothing or any type of swimwear that is allowed during the swimming. Jackson confirmed the environment was completely professional and not paramount to “skinny dipping” as some in Floyd Mayweather’s camp have alluded to.

[Rafael]

Great stuff.....

[diggity]

A bit more than I needed to know.

[Nixon]

Oscar is probably now poised to start an investigation or a lawsuit.

[Phillyfan]

A bit more than I needed to know.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Sharkey]

Is this Access Hollywood?

[Phillyfan]

just watched replay of judah/mayweather. nice job by richard steele keeping order.He stopped roger before he got to judah which probably saved the fight. After the melee, was that a smile on floyds face? I think he's completely at home in the ring and likes the big show. the grander the better.
I think delahoya has 2 major problems.
first of all, he's a surgeon in the ring. He looks for any opening and stuns his opponent with a stiff,precise jab. With floyds oversized gloves, it will be tough to find any opening.
second of all, he can train with mosely and as many chickens as he wants. He is training at mach 4 and mayweather will be fighting at mach 5. At his age, he can't get any faster, but floyd can get stronger.
I'm enjoying the hype of this fight. I'm really looking forward to it. Floyd by decision. delahoya can't get past floyds defense and floyd can't knock DLH out.

[dongee]

A Tale of Two Styles:

Stick and move= Mayweather breezes.

Lure PBF into trading punches at close quarters=Golden Boy prevails.

DLH needs this win as a golden broach to a great career.

Ditto PBF.

Only sure winners here are the viewers.

hap navarro

[kikibalt]

A vote for Oscar

By Robert Morales


Peers and boxing fans always ask why I am picking Oscar De La Hoya to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Most experts are picking Mayweather, the logical choice.

I tell people that De La Hoya is going to win because Mayweather went too far in his disrespect of De La Hoya during their press tour, as did Fernando Vargas and Ricardo Mayorga, both of whom were knocked out by De La Hoya.

I say to them that When De La Hoya is in this rare frame of mind,
he does not lose.

But there is another way that De La Hoya can win that has nothing to do with his mind-set.

The judging.

If you read this space last week, you'd know that there have been some very poor decisions in Las Vegas, especially of late. De La Hoya is known as the Golden Boy, a nickname he has earned in and out of the ring. Mayweather is looked upon as the bad-boy of boxing, warranted or not.

It would therefore seem that the Mayweather camp should be very concerned about getting a fair shake from the judges against De La Hoya. Mayweather's uncle and trainer, Roger, seems wary.

"Oscar was an Olympic gold-medal winner," he said. "So, of course, he has an opportunity. He has a good chance, but the only real chance he's got is the (bleeping) judges because it ain't going to be on skill level that he's got a chance."

In fairness, this response from Roger Mayweather did not come from the question: Can Floyd Jr. get a fair decision? It came from the question: Do you think Oscar has a chance?

But Roger Mayweather's answer did beg the question: If Floyd Jr. does not stop De La Hoya, how badly does he have to batter De La Hoya over 12 rounds to ensure victory?

Interestingly, but not surprisingly, neither Floyd Mayweather Jr. nor his longtime friend, adviser and assistant trainer, Leonard Ellerbe, believe they have anything to worry about in this regard. So they said Tuesday.

Initially, Floyd Jr. was asked if he had seen the terrible decision in the Demetrius Hopkins-Steve Forbes junior welterweight fight last month in Las Vegas. That awful display of scoring that saw the judges give Hopkins a fight he obviously lost a victory by very wide margins has really burned the backside of yours truly - and many others. Floyd Jr. is of the same mind.

"They took the fight from Steve Forbes," he said.

Floyd Jr. was then asked if he was concerned about the same thing happening to him against De La Hoya. And he sang a self-serving tune.

"The Nevada commission is the best commission in the world, and I'm not just saying that because I live in Nevada," he said. "They have always treated me fair. And I know May 5 will be the same thing. I'm not really worried about them treating me fair."

Well, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has not made himself a living legend at the age of 30 by being stupid. He is not about to bite the hands that feed him on the eve of the biggest fight of his life.

Thus, it was even less surprising to hear Ellerbe almost mimic what Floyd Jr. said when it was his time to answer the question: Is he worried about Floyd Jr. being able to get a just decision?

"No, not at all," Ellerbe said. "Like Floyd touched on, the Nevada commission is the best commission out there. There are some outstanding officials that have been assigned to the fight. That is the least of our concerns. The fight is going to be decided in the ring."

Ellerbe was keeping his cool, but you could tell he was a bit bugged by the whole line of questioning. In closing, he let everyone know that the judges can't take this fight from his protege. Because they won't be needed.

"There is no way Floyd is going to lose to a one-handed, part-time fighter," Ellerbe said. "It is not going to come down to the judges' decision. If Oscar decides to come and fight - and since it is on Cinco de Mayo, I believe he will - it's not even going to go the 12 rounds."

Floyd Mayweather Jr. seems to realize that there are a lot of people who would like to see him lose this fight. Say what you want about De La Hoya, but he never talks trash unless provoked. Mayweather, on the other hand, seems to love getting under the skin of his opponents - especially that of De La Hoya.

But Mayweather is absolutely right when he says that no matter what he says outside of the ring, it should have no bearing on anything that takes place inside of it. Like journalists, judges need to separate their like or dislike for a fighter from the job they are assigned to do - score a fight right.

"I just want to be treated fair," Mayweather said. "Don't judge me for my trash-talking, judge me how I do my job."

Mayweather then likened the scenario to a construction worker who might come to work singing his head off every day, annoying his co-workers.

"If he is the best at digging a hole," Mayweather said, "then let him do what he gotta do."

The judges for this fight are Chuck Giampa, Jerry Roth and Tom Kaczmarek. All veterans. They better do a good job. The world is watching.

[kikibalt]

De La Hoya takes aim at pay-per-view record
By Robert Morales Staff Writer


OSCAR De La Hoya has been involved in plenty of big pay-per-view events during a career in which he has won world titles in a record six weight classes.
Only heavyweights Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield have generated more pay-per-view revenue at $545 million and $543 million, respectively. De La Hoya is at $492 million.

According to Richard Schaefer, CEO of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, if De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. can sell at least 965,000 buys for their May 5 super welterweight showdown at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, De La Hoya would then take the lead.

"This, by far, has to be the biggest," De La Hoya said Wednesday from Puerto Rico. "Just being involved in the whole promotion, obviously, because we are promoting it.

"It just feels and seems bigger than any other fight I've been involved in. With all the interviews I've been doing and photo shoots for various magazines. And people just wanting to go to the fight, like celebrities. It just feels really big."

It will be difficult to break the record for pay-per-view buys, which is 1.99 million for both Tyson-Holyfield II and Tyson-Lennox Lewis. But De La Hoya-Mayweather could surpass the 1.4 million buys sold for De La

Hoya-Felix Trinidad Jr. in 1999. That is the largest non-heavyweight pay-per-view event.
De La Hoya, however, said his fight with Trinidad could have been even bigger had it been promoted by him. At the time, De La Hoya was not yet a promoter and he was fighting under the Top Rank Inc. banner.

"When I fought Trinidad, we didn't have all this," De La Hoya said about the hoopla. "This is the way boxing should be promoted. If Golden Boy Promotions was promoting the Trinidad fight with me, we would have easily done more than 2 million homes.

"If other big events were promoted through Golden Boy, we would have gone through the roof. It just feels different, working with my staff and working with other staffs in the past. We just bring something new and fresh to the table."

Most of De La Hoya's pay-per-view numbers were amassed while fighting for Top Rank's Bob Arum. De La Hoya also did 1 million buys for his fight with Bernard Hopkins in 2004, a fight that was co-promoted by Arum and De La Hoya.

De La Hoya did get 935,000 buys for his fight with Ricardo Mayorga last May, and that was a Golden Boy event.

But it seems strange that De La Hoya would go out of his way to take a shot at Arum in this regard. Yes, the two have been feuding since they parted ways. But most experts believe that in the 40-plus years Arum has been promoting, his best job came with De La Hoya.

De La Hoya said that all of the sponsors he is bringing into the fold - one beer company is advertising his fight with Mayweather on every can - give the promotion a substantial boost.

That may be true. But it is the opinion here that Arum's strong performance during the many years he promoted De La Hoya is playing a large part in what De La Hoya is doing today both as a fighter and promoter.

Make no mistake. De La Hoya is a brilliant young man. His matchmaker, Eric Gomez, once told reporters that we would be amazed at how hard De La Hoya works as a promoter. But De La Hoya must have learned something from the master.

Arum could not be reached for comment. His publicist, Bill Caplan, said Arum is vacationing in the Caribbean.

Since De La Hoya is going to easily be the crowd favorite, it will be interesting to hear the judges' scores if the fight goes 12 rounds. Judges are often swayed by fan reaction. In other words, if De La Hoya throws five punches and lands maybe one, the crowd will go wild, as if he landed all five.

That, and the knowledge that some of the worst decisions in recent times have come out of Las Vegas, make one wonder if Mayweather can get a fair decision. He is, after all, considered the bad guy in this equation, what with all of his promotion talk.

Mayweather (37-0, 24 KOs) said that he does not want to be judged on his trash-talk, but rather the work he does in the fight. He is looking only for fairness.

"I don't want to be treated like (Ike) Quartey and I don't want to be treated like (Pernell) Whitaker," Mayweather said. "Oscar De La Hoya knows he got beat by Whitaker, he knows he got beat by Quartey."

Both of those fights, won by De La Hoya via decision, were in Las Vegas. This reporter had De La Hoya winning both fights, but there were reporters who had him losing both fights.

De La Hoya (38-4, 30 KOs) said that he expects judges Jerry Roth, Chuck Giampa and Tom Kaczmarek will be above board when scoring the fight. De La Hoya also said that if everyone in the stands is against Mayweather, he has only himself to blame.

"If fans are cheering me on more than they are him, that's probably his fault," De La Hoya said. "The way he acts, the way he carries himself. He didn't choose to be the villain. He is the villain. That's the way he is. But that has nothing to do with any outcome, leaving it in the judges' hands.

"We have to fight. Nevada is very competent in having good judges in their state."

Tell that to Steve Forbes and Gerry Penalosa. Both were victims last month of horrendous decisions in Las Vegas in their respective fights with Demetrius Hopkins and Daniel Ponce De Leon.

Incidentally, Roth and Giampa were two of the three judges who scored De La Hoya the winner in his fight against Whitaker in 1997.

Acelino Freitas (38-1, 32 KOs) of Brazil and Juan Diaz (31-0, 15 KOs) of Houston will meet in a lightweight title unification fight Saturday in Mashantucket, Conn. Freitas is the World Boxing Organization champion, Diaz holds the World Boxing Association belt. HBO will televise. ... Steven Luevano of La Puente will fight for his first major championship July 14 in London, where he'll square off with Nicky Cook for the vacant WBO featherweight title. Luevano, 26, is 32-1 with 14 knockouts. Cook, of Dagenham, England, is 27. He is 27-0 with 15 knockouts. ... Michael Anchondo, a past WBO junior lightweight champion from La Puente, on Friday will take on Darling Jimenez in Washington D.C. Anchondo, now fighting as a lightweight, is 27-1 with 19 knockouts. Jimenez, of Bronx, N.Y., is 22-2-2 with 13 knockouts. Their fight will be televised by ESPN2. ... Tommy Morrison (47-3-1, 41 KOs) will fight Dale Ortiz (3-1, 2 KOs) on Friday in Houston.

The Spanish-language station Telefutura will televise.

[Todd]

Boxing is almost down for the count
By Bill Simmons

The De La Hoya-Mayweather fight feels like a trip down memory lane, back to the days when boxing still mattered and people asked questions like "Where are we watching the big fight this weekend?"

Before May 5, most every group of pals will force the one guy with the biggest TV to host a pay-per-view party, either by guilting him into it or by going through the charade of pretending someone else with a much crummier TV is hosting, knowing full well the buddy with the giant plasma will step up in the end.

Sounds just like the old days, right?

When was the last time boxing captured the attention of casual sports fans? Consider this: When A-Rod turned into Roy Hobbs, somewhere between his ninth and 12th bombs, my mother (the most casual sports fan alive) innocently wondered on the phone, "Hey, what about this A-Rod?" I knew it was coming. And within the next two weeks, she'll definitely weigh in on the Mayweather fight, even if it's a hard-hitting analysis like "I hope Oscar doesn't get hurt; he's so handsome," or "Somebody needs to wash Floyd's mouth out with soap."

Unquestionably, it's the biggest fight in years. It's also the last Big Fight, period. Here's a top-10 list of boxers who could be described as popular and famous right now: LINK