By Mark Vester
Two recent surveys that gathered expert opinions on the May 5 scrap between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., clearly show how evenly divided the experts are on the outcome. Half the experts think the speed and overall boxing ability of Mayweather will be too much for De La Hoya. The other half see a more experienced, harder punching De La Hoya pulling out a decision, and even a knockout.
The first batch of expert opinions were put together by Santos A. Perez of the Miami Herald.
Roberto Duran: ``De La Hoya has the stronger punch. Mayweather is not used to facing bigger men. [ Carlos] Baldomir didn't have the talent of De La Hoya and Mayweather couldn't finish him. If De La Hoya cuts him early, Mayweather is going to be limited. De La Hoya by decision.''
Hank Kaplan, Hall of Fame boxing historian: ``De La Hoya hasn't had enough activity to lick Mayweather. Boxing is a sport in which you need to be active and maintain your skills. Mayweather is too fast, has tremendous instincts and is a great counter-puncher. Mayweather wins by decision.''
Angelo Dundee, Hall of Fame trainer of 15 world champions: ``This is a great fight and we are so grateful because boxing needs that shot in the arm. Mayweather has never fought a guy as big and talented as De La Hoya. The good big man almost always beats the good little man. I see it going the distance and De La Hoya winning convincingly.''
Tommy Torino, former fighter and promoter: ``De La Hoya is a very aggressive boxer and can walk through punches. Speed, which is a Mayweather asset, is hard to nullify, but De La Hoya is very fast himself. De La Hoya by decision.''
Ed Kaplan, WQAM-AM (560) talk show host: ``Contrary to his public comments that he will fight inside a phone booth, Mayweather will not slug it out with De La Hoya. Mayweather is too better a boxer than Oscar at this stage of his career. I don't expect Mayweather to knock him out because he has brittle hands, but he will win by decision.''
Glen Johnson, former light-heavyweight champion: ``De La Hoya will do enough stuff from the outside. He is not a guy to rush in to prove a point. That's why he will use the jab, force Floyd to come inside and use his combinations. I see it going the distance with De La Hoya winning.''
Rick Encinosa, boxing historian and WAQI-AM (710) talk show host: ``Mayweather will win easily by decision or late-round knockout. Mayweather is a young, great fighter reaching his peak, and De La Hoya is a great fighter whose peak has already passed. Mayweather is too fast with better skills.''
Dwaine Simpson, former fighter and retired director of the Miami-Dade amateur boxing program: ``De La Hoya by decision. De La Hoya is the bigger man, and if he pressures [Mayweather] and works on his body and break him down, he has a chance of stopping Mayweather.''
Jeff De Forrest, 790 The Ticket talk show host: ``Mayweather by decision. He has superior speed and skills and I don't think De La Hoya can catch up to him. Although Mayweather is the smaller man, he can land enough on Oscar and get out.''
Ferdie Pacheco, author and boxing commentator: ``Mayweather wins by knockout in the middle rounds. The other guy's inactivity will prove difficult to hit Mayweather. De La Hoya's hand speed also is deteriorating, and that happens to all fighters as they age.''
The next batch of opinions were put together by Franklin McNeil of the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
James Ali Bashir, assistant trainer for IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko: "De La Hoya by unanimous decision. He's the bigger, stronger guy. He's been in bigger fights, and he takes a better punch. He's the overall better fighter. A good big man beats a good little man. The weight will bother Mayweather too. ... At some point Floyd will have to take a chance ... and when he does he's going to get hit like he's never been hit before."
Dino Duva, promoter at Duva Boxing: "Mayweather will win by decision. It's his time. He's proven he's clearly the best fighter in the world. De La Hoya can't keep fighting once every two years and maintain everything. And Mayweather is the total package."
Tommy Brooks, trainer of light heavyweight Shaun George: "Mayweather wins by knockout in eight. He has so much speed, and he's extremely strong. People don't realize how strong he is. He's a very strong young man. De La Hoya also has trouble handling guys with speed. And the way Mayweather uses angles along with that speed, De La Hoya is going to get crucified."
Nettles Nasser, trainer for middleweight Jerson Ravelo: "De La Hoya will win by decision. He's bigger and he's stronger. A good big man is always going to beat a good small man. De La Hoya's reach and height advantage are going to help him. He's going to bring it to Mayweather. And Mayweather can't hurt De La Hoya."
Harold Knight, longtime assistant trainer to former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis: "Mayweather by a close decision. Mayweather has the speed, the smarts and can outbox anybody. He's a special type of guy, who comes along only once in awhile ... every 20 years or so. It'll be a tactical match."
Bob Van Syckle, trainer for super featherweight Jason Litzau: "De La Hoya by decision. He has the size, strength and his hand speed is almost as fast as Mayweather's. And De La Hoya wants it more ... he wants to end his career in a big way. He's gotten hungry with this kid. Mayweather has made him hungry again. Watching '24/7' on HBO made me lean more toward De La Hoya, seeing how big he is and what great shape he's in."
Yoel Judah, trainer and father of former undisputed welterweight champ Zab Judah: "De La Hoya will end it in nine. The key will be Oscar making Floyd fight. If Oscar can make Floyd fight, he'll knock him out. He's going to hurt Floyd; Floyd's not going to hurt him. De La Hoya's the bigger, stronger man who can punch."
Pat Lynch, manager and assistant trainer for Arturo Gatti: "De La Hoya stops him in 10. Early on, I was on the side of Mayweather. I just didn't think Mayweather would take too many chances. I thought he'd fight a very smart, technical fight and not give Oscar a chance to get to him. That was my initial thought. But the more I've seen the way Mayweather's lit a flame under Oscar ... and it helps that he has Shane Mosley in his corner."
Lou Duva, Hall of Fame trainer: "De La Hoya by 10th-round knockout. With Mayweather's father and uncle, it'll be chaos in the corner. And Mayweather has really gotten under Oscar's skin. I know Oscar very well ... he takes everything to heart."
Donna Duva, promoter at Hall of Fame Boxing: "Mayweather will stop De La Hoya in 10. Mayweather will take a page from Hopkins and pound De La Hoya to the body. And De La Hoya is going to pull another one like he did against Hopkins and go down. Mayweather's hands are so quick, it's like having power."
Lou DiBella, promoter at DiBella Entertainment: "Mayweather by a hotly contested decision. De La Hoya is bigger and stronger. He will do more stalking. There's a bias these days against the boxer. ... So Oscar will get a lot of credit for being the bull to Mayweather's matador. But I like Mayweather's youth and speed."
