By Mark Vester
Oscar De La Hoya should be making a decision soon on whether he plans to continue his career. Recent reports indicate that Oscar will likely fight again in 2009. In 2008, he faced what appeared to be, on paper, two of the easier opponents on his list of possible options. De La Hoya won a decision over Steve Forbes last May, but took more damage in that fight than he did in his two previous outings against Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2007) and Ricardo Mayorga (2006). In December, Manny Pacquiao, moved up by two divisions from lightweight and handed Oscar a one-sided beating for eight rounds.
The Pacquiao beating was so one-sided and so surprising that even the few experts who Pacquiao to win were shocked with the one-sided nature of the contest. Because De La Hoya was beaten up so bad by Pacquiao, most fans have no desire to see him face top welterweights like Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto and Andre Berto. Most of De La Hoya's options are tied with smaller opponents or "storyline" fights.
Option 1 - Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. - There is a lot of talk about this fight actually coming together. It makes sense and is probably viewed as a close contest because of Chavez's struggles with some of his mediocre opponents. The fight would also happen at junior middleweight and some see that as a huge plus as Oscar's drastic drop to 147 for the Pacquiao fight appeared to drain him. The storyline is big with Jr. wanting to avenge his father for the beatings De La Hoya handed to the elder Chavez in 1996 and 1998. If they hold the fight at the 100,000 seat Azteca Stadium in Mexico, the fight will do great business.
Option 2 - Ricky Hatton - If Ricky Hatton is able to get past Manny Pacquiao on May 2, he could face De La Hoya at the end of the year. Ray Hatton, father and manager of Ricky, recently said that a De La Hoya fight in London is something they would consider doing. It would at least give De La Hoya a chance to avenge a Pacquiao loss. Even if Hatton gets beat by Pacquiao, this fight could still happen. It wouldn't do much business in America, but the fight should still sell in England. De La Hoya's company promotes Hatton, making the fight easy to put together.
Option 3 - Sergio Mora - It's a decent fight in a Los Angeles venue, maybe in Mexico but it would have to take place on regular TV because it wouldn't sell on pay-per-view.
Option 4 - Kostya Tszyu - Every year Tszyu hints at a possible return to the sport, but never comes back. A De La Hoya-Tszyu fight was on the verge of taking place a few years ago. Then Tszyu was upset by Hatton in 2005 and never returned to the ring. A few months ago, Tszyu told reporters that he would consider a return to the ring for the right amount of money. Because Tszyu has been away from the ring for so long, most American fans have lost touch with him - making it a tough sell in the States.
Option 5 - Marco Antonio Barrera - Barrera, a former partner with De La Hoya in his Golden Boy company, severed his ties with Oscar a few months ago and signed with promoter Don King. Barrera blasted De La Hoya's fight with Pacquiao in the Mexican press and later gave De La Hoya hell for his performance in the fight. They could build it as a real grudge match. I'm sure Barrera would go to 147 to make the fight, but I'm not sure if Oscar would be willing to fight at that weight.
Option 6 - Felix Trinidad - Trinidad has been calling for this fight for almost a decade. The weight have to be negotiated. De La Hoya just fought at 147 and Trinidad's last fight, a year ago, took place at 170 against Roy Jones Jr. Trinidad would have to move down to at least 160, which his father continues to say is too low of a weight drop. Based on De La Hoya's last performance, Trinidad, who didn't look bad against Jones, would be a decent favorite to win. I don't think De La Hoya's ego would allow himself to take this fight, at this point, because it gives Trinidad the chance to do real number.
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com