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Oscar de la Hoya is thirty-two-years-old, has more money than God and movie star good looks. He is also a six-division champion, Olympic gold medalist and hero to many. But why have so many critics been so skeptical of Oscar’s career? He has done everything the people have wanted and even challenged Adonis middleweight Bernard Hopkins, giving a brave effort |
before succumbing by a ninth round knockout. From 1995 through to 1998, Oscar gave us a dominating run into the record books, making himself the biggest draw south of the heavyweight division and capturing hearts along the way. Oscar is a man of many endeavors and not afraid to try new things, but the question remains: why come back, especially now? Well, based on my opinion, it is because he is still young and still has his legs. He has more to offer the sport than his former foes Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley and more recently on the comeback trail Fernando Vargas. What benefits “The Golden Boy” is that he has never fallen or allowed himself to be a victim of a savage ring beating, which bodes well for his mind and his legendary ring generalship. He is one of only a handful of men who could take fifteen months off and come back to take a champion’s title.
His career ledger speaks for itself; he has taken on all comers. Not convinced? Pernell Whitaker, Ike Quartey, Fernando Vargas, David Kamau, Jesse James Leija, Julio Cesar Chavez (twice), Miguel Angel Gonzalez, John John Molina, Oba Carr, Hector Camacho, Rafael Ruelas, and Genaro Hernandez. The list I just comprised for all of the critics has five Hall of Fame fighters (Whitaker, Chavez, Vargas, Molina, Camacho and Quartey) who have tested Oscar and come out on the wrong end. Bad decisions you say? Well that is boxing. It can be argued that Oscar only has two true losses in his career seeing the way he handled Trinidad in 1999 and schooled Mosley in their rematch in 2003, but came out on the short end of the decision both times. The thing about Oscar is that he was a bona fide Hall of Fame fighter before his twenty-fifth birthday; none of the recent boxing kings can say that (one exception being Roy Jones).
He possesses all the skill you could ask for, some of his skills are borderline video game crazy. His hand speed can neutralize any fighter, his chin is unmatched and his heart is up there with Muhammad Ali’s. If I were Oscar, I would bask in the limelight and taunt my former foes with all the sick amounts of money I am making and every time they call me out, I’d laugh. But boxing is in his blood, for someone who has made over 300 million dollars (and counting), he wants to restore his legacy which he feels has been tarnished by his latest defeat at the hands of Hopkins.
What haunts the great De La Hoya is the three rounds he let slip against Felix Trinidad. He wants nothing more than to get a rematch with the man who took his glory away, albeit wrongfully. He looks ahead to 2006 with Fernando Vargas, “Winky” Wright, Trinidad and Mosley all in his sights. Since the retirement of Felix Trinidad after his embarrassing twelve round debacle against “Winky” Wright, you can all but count him out for a rematch. Of all those fighters I have just mentioned he is younger than all but one (Vargas, twenty-seven) and can make a significant comeback and possibly take the 147-154-pound weight divisions by storm again.
He does not have to prove himself to the media. He just wants his revenge, he wants “Sugar” Shane Mosley without the judges’ help and he wants to put a hurtin’ on Felix Trinidad, and certainly wants to shut up “Winky” Wright who seemingly ducked Oscar for years but all of a sudden the tables have turned? I don’t think so. All this calling-out is because Oscar will make themrich men, very rich men and when he beats them, he will have his titles, his legacy and will laugh at all his detractors when it’s all said and done. For the most gifted fighter of his generation, I wish you good luck.
David Shipman can be reached at davidshipman1@yahoo.com
