By Robert Morales

Oscar De La Hoya on Tuesday stood on the apron of a makeshift boxing ring at Placita Olvera, an area behind the famed Olvera Street in Los Angeles. About 200 feet away is the beginning of the Mexican tourist spot filled with shops and eateries cooking the most delicious taquitos one could ever taste. 

Fans strained to see over all the reporters and photographers as fighters such as Victor Ortiz, Carlos Baldomir and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez lightly worked out in preparation for their fights on Saturday's undercard of the "Sugar" Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora junior middleweight main event at Staples Center (on HBO pay-per-view).

It was a bit chaotic, as there really wasn't enough room for all the media on the platform on which the ring was erected. But even though the quarters were cramped, De La Hoya had no trouble conveying his feelings about what he believes was the effect of Mosley's one-sided loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May.

As a lead into a question inquiring about this, De La Hoya was reminded that Mosley is a very prideful fighter. 

"Oh, absolutely, I think he was crushed," De La Hoya said. "And Shane Mosley is a fighter who is very, very personal. He's very sensitive when it comes to his training, his boxing, his career. He doesn't want people talking, ''Well, Mayweather beat you easy,' and, 'Mayweather did this and that.' He doesn't want that. It crushes his ego.

"Mosley's a fighter who is very proud of what he's accomplished, of who he is inside the ring." 

De La Hoya said Mosley will use all this as motivation. 

"He loves boxing," De La Hoya said. "He's a fighter for life. So if he even hears one person talk about that, it makes him work harder, it makes him want to really prove to the world that he can really come back and fight even harder and be himself. So it's going to be very interesting to watch if he did grow old, like a lot of people are saying, or if he still has it." 

Mosley was reached Tuesday via telephone at his camp in Big Bear. He didn't seem perturbed at what De La Hoya had to say, but he did not agree with him.

"No, it didn't really hurt me because I knew what the problem was before I even entered the ring," Mosley said. "He was the better man that night and if I can get another chance at (Mayweather), I know it will be different."

Mosley was asked if he would like to elaborate on knowing what the issue was before the fight. 

"No excuses," Mosley said. "He won the fight and he was the better man that night."

After that fight, and a few times since, Mosley has said his neck was tight during the fight and that prevented him from throwing more punches.

As for him getting old in the ring that night - he turned 39 last week - Mosley was asked what he would say to those thinking that. 

"I guess this fight right here will tell the tale, if I  had gotten old in the ring or not," he said. "I don't think that's the case."

A Comeback Fighter

Mosley was 38-0 before losing for the first time, to Vernon Forrest. He lost again to Forrest in a rematch, but bounced back with his second victory over De La Hoya following a no-contest with Raul Marquez. With another big win over De La Hoya in his pocket, Mosley lost two consecutive fights to Winky Wright.

Undaunted, Mosley reeled off five wins in a row - two over Fernando Vargas and another over Luis Collazo - before losing a narrow decision to Miguel Cotto. Mosley again showed his mettle by rebounding with a 12th-round knockout of Ricardo Mayorga and a dazzling ninth-round TKO of Antonio Margarito.

Tough to keep a future hall of famer down.

"It shows that I never give up, that I'm a true champion," Mosley said. "That is what true champions do. When they're down, they come back and fight hard. I just have that in my heart, in my soul." 

Ten-Year Anniversary

Both De La Hoya and Mosley were reminded that this past June was the 10-year anniversary of their first fight, held at Staples Center. They were asked what they remembered most about that night that saw Mosley earn a thrilling split decision victory before a very large and loud crowd.

"I remember Salma Hayek being there," De La Hoya said, smiling. "I remember Jennifer Lopez being there. I remember P Diddy being there. I remember all these stars. That's one thing I do remember, is all of the stars and celebrities that went down to watch 'Sugar' Shane Mosley and myself fight.

"But, obviously, the one thing that will always stay in my mind is how great a fighter 'Sugar' Shane Mosley is." 

Mosley loved the atmosphere.

"The fans, the arena was filled to the brim," Mosley said. "It was so great. It was the first time I had been in a big fight of that magnitude. With Oscar, I was happy to share it with him in L.A." 

Mosley also recalled that the Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers two days later at Staples Center to win the NBA championship.

De La Hoya on Mayweather, Hatton

It was interesting to hear De La Hoya's thoughts on Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ricky Hatton. Mayweather has taken a lot of flack for his recent racist comments about Manny  Pacquiao, and he was also arrested for grand theft larceny (stealing a phone) and could face domestic violence charges for assaulting the mother of his children.

Hatton apparently has cocaine and alcohol problems and is in a rehabilitation center.

"I truly feel it's a call for help," De La Hoya said. "I think with Mayweather, with  Ricky Hatton, I don't think we should be bashing them. We shouldn't be saying how negative and this and that. I think we should help because it's serious. Who knows the way Mayweather's thinking? Who knows? Maybe he has to get back in the ring to clear his head and do what he does best inside the ring. 

"With Hatton, we have to wish him all the best and hopefully he gets help. He's heading toward the wrong path; he's already on the wrong path. But there's always help. You can always put a stop to it and help him. I wish him the best."

De La Hoya suggested both Mayweather and Hatton get back to doing the one thing that can keep them out of trouble. 

"That squared circle is the best thing that can ever happen to a fighter," De La Hoya said. "If you're born with it, the squared circle is what saves you from everything. And so whether it's Mayweather, whether it's Hatton, whether it's whoever, that squared circle is probably the best thing that can ever happen to you. 

"Whether it's Hatton coming back and fighting, maybe that's what he has to do. If it's Mayweather fighting as often as three, four times a year, maybe that's what he has to do. It all depends on them. But my thing is that we just want the best  for them. We have to help them out."

Ortiz Not Thinking About Anyone But Harris

Rolando Arellano, co-manager of Victor Ortiz, seems to have a good plan for Ortiz should Ortiz get past Vivian Harris in a junior welterweight fight on Saturday's aforementioned undercard.

"We want to fight for a championship," Arellano said. "There are two ways we can actually get there right now. I don't think Devon Alexander is very attainable because of Don King and all the politics associated with that. 

"So our quickest way would probably be Timothy Bradley and if for some reason Timothy Bradley doesn't want to fight us, then the next one would be to fight on the undercard of Amir Khan and (Marcos) Maidana and take the winner of that one." 

Alexander and Bradley are junior welterweight champions whose proposed unification fight is in jeopardy of not being made. Ortiz is the No. 1 contender to Bradley's WBO belt, and Arellano said he will make sure the WBO enforces its rules as they pertain to a champion defending his title against his top challenger. 

But when cornered at Placita Olvera, Ortiz was adamant about not wanting to discuss the subject.

"No, I'm not really looking forward or ahead of anything besides Saturday," said Ortiz, who indeed appeared very focused. "So I can't really answer any questions ahead of that. I do know that I'm prepared and I know Vivian is, too.

"But as far as I'm concerned, I'm here for Saturday night. Anything after that, I'll leave it to my coaches, my managers."

The Scene of The Crime 

Ortiz, just 23, will be returning to the venue where he was stopped by Maidana in the sixth round in June 2009. Ortiz was perceived by some as having quit in the fight, and he has taken some heat. He was asked if he felt the need to show anything to the fans in attendance come Saturday. 

"I don't have anything to prove to anyone," said Ortiz, wearing a very serious look. "I'm happy with myself, I'm happy with what I do. I perform on my expectations and no one else's.  So if somebody thinks any less of me, then that's on them. To each his own. Everyone's liable to hold their own opinions."

Ortiz (27-2-1, 21 KOs) is 3-0 with two knockouts since the loss to Maidana.

Robert Morales covers boxing for the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram and BoxingScene.com