Boxing Preview: Oscar De La Hoya – Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Is 154 Too High For Floyd?

The fight looks a dead-cert to happen (although in boxing you never know for sure until the two fighters are in the ring together) and we fans can’t wait.

Of course, I’m talking about the boxing extravaganza that is Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya, set for May next year. A bigger super fight you will be hard pressed to find at present and as such both “The Golden Boy” and “Pretty Boy” must be applauded for agreeing to terms so as to make the fight.

Boxing is always much the richer for mega events like this bout will be, and surely there will not be a single ticket going spare come fight time. Who wouldn’t want one?

Looking ahead to the action, however, I can’t help but feel as though Oscar will have a big advantage with the match being held at 154 pounds. De La Hoya, to my mind, has already won the negotiations battle by getting Floyd to agree to move up yet another weight class.

Could this be “Pretty Boy’s” undoing? Let’s face it, he is certainly pushing his luck, at least somewhat, by fighting Oscar at a poundage that “The Golden Boy” has grown accustomed to.

Oscar is strong at the weight and by the time he enters the ring with Floyd he will most probably tip in at around 157 pounds or so. Whereas Floyd, who barely weighed 149 pounds by fight time in his last showing, against Carlos Baldomir at welterweight, will be hard pressed to even get as high as 154 for the official weigh-in.

Both men may have started their championship careers at super featherweight, but Oscar is by far the more naturally bigger man today. When the first bell rings in May, De La Hoya could well have something like a seven or eight pound weight advantage on his side.

As good as he is, this will surely tell on Mayweather at some stage in the fight, especially if the action does as expected and reaches the later rounds.

At this embryonic stage of developments, however, my money would still have to go down on Floyd to win. Supremely fast and at his absolute peak, “Pretty Boy” has less wear and tear on his body than does Oscar. Problems with his shoulder and one of his elbows not withstanding, De La Hoya has been fighting a good deal longer than Mayweather and his peak years passed some time ago. Still, he is one truly great fighter in his own right – possibly the finest opponent yet for the current welterweight king.

Whoever wins though, the fight should be a memorable encounter – one that has a glittering all-star cast of celebrities sitting at ringside. Quite simply, Mayweather vs. De La Hoya will be a massive Event. One that will help to put boxing back where it belongs: on the front page.

The real winners will be the fans though. The eighties had Leonard vs. Hearns, the nineties had Chavez vs. Taylor and the year 2007 will have De La Hoya vs. Mayweather. I can’t wait!