When was Oscar De La Hoya in his prime?

[SirTomJones]

Talking to some guy and he thought that Oscar wasn't far off it when he fought Mayweather.

[Pretty Boy32 *]

Talking to some guy and he thought that Oscar wasn't far off it when he fought Mayweather.

I wouldn't say he is far past his prime either TBH,
He was highly inactive though, his last fight was exactly a year to the day when he fought Mayweather which was against Mayorga.
In which he knocked him out, which is pretty impressive in itself.

[NesNY]

Dlh was in his absolute prime from 1997-1999.

by the time he fought Floyd he was very inactive. exactly 1 year from fighting Mayorga. which he fought 20 months after losing to Hopkins.

he was VERY past prime (by at least 7 years) by the time he fought Floyd and Manny.
And by the way....I think prime DLH beats 147 Floyd. a PAST PRIME, INACTIVE Delahoya gave him a SD (even though anyone who really saw that fight gave him no more than 5 or 6 rounds)

[tomatocantender]

DLH's prime was ironically in a loss to Tito. It was all there for him, the footwork, the varying speeds on that jab which set just about any cross or hook up, the defensive reflexes to parry shots or roll away from power shots, that beautiful stance where the chin to chest tuck was like a smaller version of Ray Robinson, the ability to never square up even when the opponent bullrushed you to the ropes, the boxing IQ to apply a lot of that amateur pedigree into real prize fighting and not get swallowed up by the exchanges, finishing exchanges usually by that beautiful left hook, but most importantly of them all: Hunger. Well the wheels started loosening from about Rd 8 on in the Tito fight and the "hunger" slowly stared to beget itself into a womanizer, a strip club junkie, a prima donna, a failed Mex/American recording artist, a full time promotional company where prize fighting was ancillary. The rest has been documented for us especially with the inability to press the jab and fight for 3mins of every rd especially in a close fight with a smaller $May from Rd 9 on. Simply put: Wearing business suits for 6 days a week compared to boxing trunks maybe once a week slowly made this potential ATG into a gun shy 'mortal'.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

DLH's prime was ironically in a loss to Tito. It was all there for him, the footwork, the varying speeds on that jab which set just about any cross or hook up, the defensive reflexes to parry shots or roll away from power shots, that beautiful stance where the chin to chest tuck was like a smaller version of Ray Robinson, the ability to never square up even when the opponent bullrushed you to the ropes, the boxing IQ to apply a lot of that amateur pedigree into real prize fighting and not get swallowed up by the exchanges, finishing exchanges usually by that beautiful left hook, but most importantly of them all: Hunger. Well the wheels started loosening from about Rd 8 on in the Tito fight and the "hunger" slowly stared to beget itself into a womanizer, a strip club junkie, a prima donna, a failed Mex/American recording artist, a full time promotional company where prize fighting was ancillary. The rest has been documented for us especially with the inability to press the jab and fight for 3mins of every rd especially in a close fight with a smaller $May from Rd 9 on. Simply put: Wearing business suits for 6 days a week compared to boxing trunks maybe once a week slowly made this potential ATG into a gun shy 'mortal'.

Great, great post man. I'm a big fan of DLH and think he's a great HOF fighter but you are 100% right, once the hunger leaves, it's over. The body cannot stay on top if the mind and heart are not there. He thought too much of himself and thought he could just show up and beat top level fighters like he tried with Sturm.

By the time he fought Forbes, he was DONE. His reflexes weren't there anymore and the ring rust was apparent.

[Bushbaby]

DLH's prime was ironically in a loss to Tito. It was all there for him, the footwork, the varying speeds on that jab which set just about any cross or hook up, the defensive reflexes to parry shots or roll away from power shots, that beautiful stance where the chin to chest tuck was like a smaller version of Ray Robinson, the ability to never square up even when the opponent bullrushed you to the ropes, the boxing IQ to apply a lot of that amateur pedigree into real prize fighting and not get swallowed up by the exchanges, finishing exchanges usually by that beautiful left hook, but most importantly of them all: Hunger. Well the wheels started loosening from about Rd 8 on in the Tito fight and the "hunger" slowly stared to beget itself into a womanizer, a strip club junkie, a prima donna, a failed Mex/American recording artist, a full time promotional company where prize fighting was ancillary. The rest has been documented for us especially with the inability to press the jab and fight for 3mins of every rd especially in a close fight with a smaller $May from Rd 9 on. Simply put: Wearing business suits for 6 days a week compared to boxing trunks maybe once a week slowly made this potential ATG into a gun shy 'mortal'.

Great post U should become a writer or something!!

[IMDAZED]

1997-2000 was his prime IMO.

[ghost deini]

DLH's prime was ironically in a loss to Tito. It was all there for him, the footwork, the varying speeds on that jab which set just about any cross or hook up, the defensive reflexes to parry shots or roll away from power shots, that beautiful stance where the chin to chest tuck was like a smaller version of Ray Robinson, the ability to never square up even when the opponent bullrushed you to the ropes, the boxing IQ to apply a lot of that amateur pedigree into real prize fighting and not get swallowed up by the exchanges, finishing exchanges usually by that beautiful left hook, but most importantly of them all: Hunger. Well the wheels started loosening from about Rd 8 on in the Tito fight and the "hunger" slowly stared to beget itself into a womanizer, a strip club junkie, a prima donna, a failed Mex/American recording artist, a full time promotional company where prize fighting was ancillary. The rest has been documented for us especially with the inability to press the jab and fight for 3mins of every rd especially in a close fight with a smaller $May from Rd 9 on. Simply put: Wearing business suits for 6 days a week compared to boxing trunks maybe once a week slowly made this potential ATG into a gun shy 'mortal'.

only problem with that theory is that i think his greatest win came years later than the tito fight against vargas

in that fight de la hoya showed that wearing a suit and being a business man with millions in the bank was never an issue he stopped vargas in incredible fashion

i still agree with most of what u said though

i think he's corner lost him the fight against trinidad though not oscar himself

[street bully]

When he fought Ike Quartey, Trinidad, and Mosley those were his peak years.

[NesNY]

When he fought Ike Quartey, Trinidad, and Mosley those were his peak years.

97-99. he was even great vs. a PED Mosley (II). He could've won that, but in typical DLH fashion he showed reluctance to try to win the "championship" rounds (from 9th-12th). That, or he was simply tired...while Mosley had the EPO assisting him.