There's no way that Mayorga at his best beats a ready-to-rumble Oscar.

Anyone who picked Oscar to win had to be speculating big-time about him not 'being hungry' or being 'too rusty' or being 'too old.'

There's no other reason in the world to expect Oscar to lose to such as Mayorga.

All Oscar had to do was be there, be ready, and care. He obviously did.

What I want to know is what was the basis, besides sheer imaginative speculation, for anyone reasoning that DLH was not hungry, or was rusty or was too old?

Not a thing. Not a gosh-durn thing. :P