By Mark Vester
Oscar De La Hoya is exploring all of his options. Since last Friday's unexpected retirement announcement by Floyd Mayweather Jr, Golden Boy Promotions is working around the clock to secure a new opponent for De La Hoya's September fight.
Ricky Hatton was approached and turned the offer down. The fight between WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cottto and Antonio Margarito is on for July 26, which doesn't leave enough time to make the September date with De La Hoya.
According to a recent report by MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com's Dave Sholler, some informal discussions have been held with the camp of Winky Wright for a possible fight at 154-pounds.
Floyd Mayweather Sr, De La Hoya's trainer, in a recent interview with our very own Rick Reeno, said that Wright was the one fighter who was not going to land the De La Hoya fight. Floyd Sr views Wright as a fighter with a very difficult style and a difficult fighter to beat. He would much rather see Oscar fight the winner of Cotto vs. Margarito.
"In my honest opinion, Oscar against the winner of Cotto-Margarito is a good fight. That's the best fight I can think of. Winky Wright will not get the fight. He fights in a very difficult style and who wants to fight a guy with a difficult style. He's a hard fighter to beat. He can really make it difficult. He's calling for Oscar because he knows Oscar is the big ticket. Whether they are big or small, they all want Oscar," Mayweather Sr said.
Editor's Note: There are some strong rumors indicating a change in De La Hoya's schedule. He was previously set to fight three times in 2008, that is until Mayweather retired. I hear there is some serious talk regarding the September date being pushed back, maybe as far as November, which means Oscar will only fight twice in 08.
If the date is pushed back, it would open the door for a possible fight against the winner of Cotto-Margarito in July.
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