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Oscar de la Hoya ... thanks for the memories
Now that Oscar has retired, I thought I'd try and sum up how I regard him as a fighter, his place in history and what his legacy might be.
I remember when he won his gold medal, he was the only US Olympic gold that year and he was getting the sort of press coverage that I hadn't seen since Ray Leonard went pro. Times have changed now, with even olympic silver and bronze medallists getting headline billing and hitting the national press ....... but things were different then. The past is another country, as they say.
Stylistically, Oscar was unique - he wasn't a slick boxer, nor was he a brawler (and Mexicans never really forgave him for this). He held his hands high, quite stiffly really, and he would move in and out in a straight line. I hardly ever saw De La Hoya circle an opponent, he was always a straight line fighter. Inevitably, he would be the aggressor - though he would use steady pressure rather than an all out assault.
He had solid technique, and that is one of the reasons he lasted so long -relfexes go, the chin gets shot, speed dips ....... but a solid technique stays with fighters all their lives and they often eke out wins later in their careers simply through the remnants of their muscle memory. Oscar had excellent technique and a solid chain. It goes without saying that a six weight world champ had a good chin. He had a wrecking ball of a left hook and - despite the allegations that he was just a 'pretty boy' (Ray Leonard again, anyone - Oscar De La Hoya always had a fighters instinct and the heart of a true champ.
To his eternal credit, I don't think people in years to come will be predicting fantasy matchups of who he may have fought and how he would havedone. De La Hoya fought EVERYONE. I don't think he ever ducked anyone in his entire career.
People often 'hate' on Oscar, and I've often wondered why. Having gathered my thought over the past few weeks on this, I think he suffered from 2 things:
1. As the saviour of boxing, the 'Golden Boy' he inevitably drew detractors who felt that everythiung was handed to him on a plate and then he never had to pay his dues. Rubbish - the guy was a dedicated boxer from the age of seven. His image was not a typical fighters image either - this was no banged up, cauliflower eared old pro but a scientifically tones, trimmed and honed fighting machine for the new millenium.
2. Oscar further broke the stereotype by being the first fighter to set up a worldwide promotions banner. Again, people don't like to see their fighters display an IQ or ambitions over and above being hit in the face for our entertainment. The established promoters never took him seriously until it was too late and they njow compete with Golden Boy Promotions as an equal. That is to say, they say that he is an evil cheating bastard who has no regard for his fighters ........ just like them.
Weaknesses - Oscar never had good stamina. This cost him at least three of his big defeats, and he never seemed to be able to accurately judge whether he was ahead on points at any time. Not many fighters could do this, which is one of the reasons why they have cornermen - but the true legends of the game could raise themselves above the tactical blood and sweat of a fight and see it strategically, in the whole (Ali, Johnson and others spring to mind here. Mayweather was better at this than Oscar as well.)
I also throught that once fatigue set in, Oscar could be slighly robotic. That chainsaw like linear style could become predictable and smart boxers could work him out. I think Mosely, Mayweather and, yes, Pernell Whitaker, all worked him out and that he would never have the legitimate beating of any of them. It says a lot for Oscar's chin that the only was a terrifying hitter like Trinidad could beat him was - ironically - by outpointing him! It also has to be said that - while De La Hoya fought absolutely everyone, he arguably did lose his biggest fights.
Watching a clearly shot, and weight drained Oscar getting his ass handed to him by Pacquiao remined me so much of the ageing Chavez getting cut to pieces by the young buzzsaw that was De La Hoya. The wheels of boxing always turn in slow circles, my friends.
So, goodbye to Oscar the fighter and hello to Oscar the promoter.
At this point, I have to admit that I was never an Oscar fan. I never quite forgave him for beating the remnants of Julio Cesar Chavez. I never managed to warm to Oscar .... he presents a face that is impenetrable to me .... I never FELT every blow as true fans do, and as I did with people like Nigel Benn. maybe Oscar was just too good for me to be a fan of his?
Oscar De La Hoya, a great fighter who dominated the media throughout his career. Unfairly labelled a 'pretty boy', here was a warrior in the proud tradition of Hispanic fighters through history. Tough as nails, super competitive and frightened of no man. I don't think he was an all time great (perhaps controversially) ...... but as a man and as a fighter, this was someone who would have been competitive with anyone in his weight class who ever lived. he may not have won all his fights, but he would have stood his ground and fought until nothing was left.
There can be no greater compliment to a fighter than that .... and, yes, Oscar was a fighter.
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Originally Posted by boozeboxer
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