De La-Hoya-Mayweather II is Close To Done

[Fox McCloud]

You know what is impressive about this fight?

The fact that they kept it under the radar until it is almost signed.

[themaestro2657]

Both of these pricks are made from the same mold. Everyone wants money, nothing wrong with that. But these two have no regard for the sport that made them rich and no respect for its fans. I will never pay for a fight of theirs ever unless they fight Cotto to see them get DESTROYED by a real warrior.

[jimmy nordon]

isnt low standards a beautiful thing?

[Johnny Rebel]

The only way I even watch this monstrosity is if Floyd loses. Then I'll watch the replay. The first fight ****** and the only way this will be any different is if Floyd decides to FIGHT instead of pot shotting to a boring decision.

Floyd needs to fight either Cotto, Williams or stay retired. If he fights DLH he should drop his belt and let the real WW Champions fight.

[Johnny Rebel]

the dlh that fought floyd the first time would beat cotto and williams. Quit being such a hypocrite. Dlh has more power at 35 especially at 154 than cotto and williams if you dont know that then you dont know boxing.

DLH has lost most of his speed and his stamina has been pretty much done for a long time now. In the first fight DLH could barely land a jab and him not fighting for nearly two years will only make him slower and rustier.

DLH may have more power than Cotto or Williams, but he lacks the speed and timing to land that KO punch. Cotto and Williams have the speed, power, stamina and hunger to test Floyd, most of which DLH lost long ago.

A prime DLH fighting Floyd would have been an even money fight, but anybody that really follows boxing knows this is a total mismatch. The first fight was one sided. How one judge had DLH winning is beyond me and I was rooting for DLH.

[Del Coqui]

The richest fight in boxing history is on the verge of getting a sequel.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya, who shattered box office records when they met last spring, are close to finishing a deal for a rematch, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com Wednesday.

"We are still discussing things but we have almost finalized it," said Schaefer, who heads De La Hoya's promotional company. "I think an announcement will be forthcoming."

Schaefer said the fight would be Sept. 13 or Sept. 20 on HBO pay-per-view. He said the site for Mayweather-De La Hoya II has not been settled but he is holding the September dates at the 27,000-seat Home Depot Center, the outdoor home to the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. He said other venues are also interested, including the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

A source also told ESPN.com Wednesday night that Dodger Stadium was interested in hosting the fight after L.A. native De La Hoya suggested he'd like to fight there before retiring.

Mayweather won a split decision to take De La Hoya's junior middleweight belt when they met May 5 at the MGM Grand.

The match between boxing's No. 1 fighter, Mayweather, and its greatest attraction, De La Hoya, was a success and, ultimately, a rematch was hard to pass up.

"Floyd is agreeable to do the fight and so is Oscar," Schaefer said. "Now it's just me working through everything."

Although De La Hoya has said he planned to return to the welterweight division and Mayweather is the welterweight world champion, Schaefer said the weight for a rematch hadn't been determined. He said it could be at a catch weight somewhere between the 147-pound welterweight division and 154-pound junior middleweight class.

"It's something we are discussing," he said.

Backed by five-months of promotion, which included an 11-city cross-country tour and HBO's reality series "De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7," the first fight broke boxing box office records including total gross ($165 million); pay-per-view subscriptions (2.4 million); pay-per-view gross ($134.4 million) and live gate ($18,419,200).

Although the fight was panned by many for a lack of action and the rematch probably won't approach the numbers of the original, it still figures to do well.

De La Hoya had planned to return to the ring May 3, but didn't have an opponent. The prospect of facing British star Ricky Hatton, his first choice, evaporated when Mayweather returned to welterweight and knocked Hatton out in the 10th round on Dec. 8.

Welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto was a darkhorse candidate to fight De La Hoya. Cotto promoter Bob Arum acknowledged it was unlikely. He spent Wednesday in New York meeting with HBO executives about an alternative plan for Cotto, who probably will fight in April, possibly against first-season "Contender" star Alfonso Gomez.

Hatton's lopsided defeat left Mayweather as De La Hoya's most lucrative opponent. But instead of facing him on Cinco De Mayo weekend, the rematch will move to the fall because Mayweather is taking a break after a grueling 2007 inside and out of the ring.

Mayweather's fights with De La Hoya and Hatton were the biggest of the year and the promotions were exhausting. He also found mainstream recognition during his fall run on the popular reality series "Dancing with the Stars."

A rematch with De La Hoya (38-5, 30 KOs) would delay Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs) jumping to mixed martial arts, which he has discussed with "Dancing with the Stars" pal and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who also owns his own MMA promotional company.

Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather's adviser and close friend, was unavailable for comment.

With De La Hoya moving off May 3, it is possible that his friend and Golden Boy Promotions partner Shane Mosley could fight on the date instead.

---- ESPN.com

Man I tell you, if Pacman beats JMM and this fight between Oscar and Floyd goes down again, it would be ****** not to consider Pman the best p4p in the sport based on his level of opposition. How much money or popularity a fighter gets shouldn't determine his p4p ranking.

[Fox McCloud]

Man I tell you, if Pacman beats JMM and this fight between Oscar and Floyd goes down again, it would be ****** not to consider Pman the best p4p in the sport based on his level of opposition. How much money or popularity a fighter gets shouldn't determine his p4p ranking.

I don't see much difference between Mayweather-De La Hoya and Pacquiao-Morales (the rematch and the rubber).

Morales II - Morales coming off of a loss, still considered a decent threat.
Morales III - Morales coming off multiple losses, had tremendous trouble making the weight in the second fight and gassed out because of it, but still, a third match was made.

Oh yeah, and it was an old formerly great fighter.

The only difference is Manny didn't have to jump up to 130 to fight Morales for the second/third fight.

[msagrain]

i wish this fight would **** off.

[Del Coqui]

I don't see much difference between Mayweather-De La Hoya and Pacquiao-Morales (the rematch and the rubber).

Morales II - Morales coming off of a loss, still considered a decent threat.
Morales III - Morales coming off multiple losses, had tremendous trouble making the weight in the second fight and gassed out because of it, but still, a third match was made.

Oh yeah, and it was an old formerly great fighter.

The only difference is Manny didn't have to jump up to 130 to fight Morales for the second/third fight.

You don't see the difference? WOW. There's a world of difference, who has Oscar beaten during the last few years and pls dont mention Mayorga. Instead of jumping up to fight has beens, why not stay in his own division, there are tougher fights out there that would let the public know why he's still considered p4p.

[Fox McCloud]

You don't see the difference? WOW. There's a world of difference, who has Oscar beaten during the last few years and pls dont mention Mayorga. Instead of jumping up to fight has beens, why not stay in his own division, there are tougher fights out there that would let the public know why he's still considered p4p.

Sturm and Mayorga.

Morales had just lost to Zahir Raheem, as opposed to Bernard Hopkins.

More than anything it is a criticism of the third fight. I don't see any difference, which is why I am criticizing the rematch between Mayweather and De La Hoya too.