By Chris LaBate
Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya is the only man to have fought both Pernell Whitaker and Floyd Mayweather Jr. In 1997, De La Hoya won a twelve round unanimous decision over Whitaker, and then a decade later he lost a close twelve round split decision to Mayweather in 2007. Not only does De La Hoya consider Whitaker the more difficult of the two, he feels very strongly about Whitaker also having faced the better variety of opponents.
"Pernell Whitaker [was more difficult]. He has the better resume obviously. He fought the better fighters. Whitaker was very slippery, but Whitaker actually always stood his ground and fought you. he was just very elusive in the waist. different styles , but Whitaker obviously had the better resume going into [our] fight," De La Hoya said.