http://forums.doghouseboxing.com/ind...howtopic=58035
OSCAR VS. FLOYD: CAN IT HAPPEN?
George Willis , nypost.com
May 8, 2006 -- LAS VEGAS - When Oscar De La Hoya dropped Ricardo Mayorga with a left hook in the first round of their WBC super welterweight fight Saturday night, HBO boss Ross Greenburg turned to "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and said: "It just got bigger."
Greenburg was talking about a potential Sept. 16 meeting between De La Hoya, who scored a sensational sixth-round TKO over Mayorga, and Mayweather, regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
"If that fight is made, it's huge," Greenburg said. "It harkens back to the biggest fights that we've seen. It would be like the fights we had in the early '80s like Leonard-Hearns and Duran-Hagler. It's that big."
Speculation of a showdown between De La Hoya and Mayweather began almost immediately after De La Hoya dominated the mouthy Mayorga in a performance that ranked among the best in the Golden Boy's illustrious career.
Despite a 20-month layoff since losing to Bernard Hopkins, De La Hoya used speed, mobility and precision punching to batter Mayorga from start to finish. Referee Jay Nady stopped the fight after De La Hoya peppered Mayorga with 21 consecutive punches after a second knockdown in the sixth round. The fight will be replayed Saturday at 9 p.m. on HBO.
Now the question looms: What's next? De La Hoya has said he would stage the final fight of his career on Sept. 16 and has mentioned Mayweather among a list of possible opponents that also includes Felix Trinidad and Winky Wright. Mayweather would offer the richest fight, but there are issues to be resolved besides money.
De La Hoya is trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr., who wants no part of training De La Hoya to fight his son.
"If I have anything to do with it, and I have a lot to do with it, it ain't going to happen," Mayweather Sr. said. "I know everybody wants to see it, but you have to put yourself in my shoes and be someone who trained someone else to knock your kid out. Everybody wants to see the fight. But no one else has to lay down with this burden over his head."
Mayweather Jr., who attended Saturday's fight, countered: "My daddy is entitled to his own opinion. But Oscar is his own businessman, and I'm my own businessman. The Golden Boy versus the Pretty Boy will be the biggest fight in boxing history. I think this is a fight I deserve. This is a fight the fans deserve."
Mayweather Sr. did say he would be willing to step aside if the two decided to fight, but De La Hoya insisted he won't enter the ring without Mayweather Sr. in his corner.
"If I fight again, I have to have Floyd Sr. in my corner," De La Hoya said. "He's the person who brings the confidence. He's the person who brings the game-plan together. It's a matter of having a solid team and without him we would be missing that link."
De La Hoya also revealed he fought with a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, an injury he suffered three years ago and aggravated during training. It could need medical attention that might put a September fight in jeopardy.
"That fight is not a guarantee," De La Hoya said of a duel with Mayweather. "No fight after this is a guarantee. I think people are going to be surprised at what decision I make."
What do you think he could be referring to?!
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