In my opinion, Oscar did not look great against Steve Forbes and was KOd by Bernard Hopkins He clearly looked less than compelling against Felix Sturm. The plain fact is, he is no longer a great fighter, but like Tyson, he is an “event fighter,” and has an incredible allure. When he fights, it’s a major event that virtually transcends boxing. It’s about ultra hype ad nauseam and includes his adoring female fans, the melodramatic 24/7 reality series, the $54.95 PPV, and the so-called “bad blood” between Freddie Roach and Oscar as a left over from the Mayweather fight. It’s also about the ethnic factor, teaser trailer videos, his “improving” relationship with his father, training in Big Bear with his family nearby, his East LA background; the Olympic Gold Medal, Golden Boy Promotions, Ring Magazine, etc, etc. And like Tyson, fighting the “Golden Boy” ensures that his opponents will walk away with some real gold. In short, it’s all about business with the fight sometimes taking on a peripheral persona.

Some might call this a multi-million dollar Dream Match; I call it a multi-million dollar event. However, had Oscar chosen a Margarito, Cotto, or Williams as his opponent, this indeed would be a dream match instead of what could turn out to be a mismatch.