Oscar De La Hoya was hugely overrated

[bigdunny1]

He wasn't overrated even then, just popular and a crossover star. But that shouldn't come into consideration when it comes to the boxing fraternity and hard-core fans.

As far as the rest, i agree with you. Oscar would never be the best fighter in the world, but he wouldnt be over his head against anyone in history from 135-147. He was a hell of a fighter with an ATG chin and left hand

If anything what hurts his legacy is he was in too many tough fights, went up and down too many weight classes, took on too many top elite guys. You do that you will be in close fights you will catch some L's. It was a gift and curse it made him massively popular and rich but gives fuel to this new era where you are celebrated more for having NO losses then you are for beating top guys. GGG has only 1 official loss but doesn't even have any wins better then Oscar's B side wins let alone his top wins. But idiots complain Oscar has 6 losses on his resume. No shyt the man fought a guy like Bernard Hopkins at 160 when he turned pro 5 weight classes below that and fought in the Olympics at 132 lbs. Meanwhile GGG fought in the Olympics at Middleweight turned pro at Middleweight and never fought a single fighter above 160. Imagine the L's GGG racks up if he moves up 2-3 weight classes hell he was shook of catching L's 1 weight class up so he ducked Ward.

Today it's about protecting records and fighting the least competition you can to stay undefeated and inflate your wins and limit opportunity for losses. That effects how folks look at Oscar's career especially from newbies who never saw him fight. In past era's this doesn't matter hell Sugar Ray Robinson and Ali are argued by fans as who was the greatest of all time and Ali had 5 official losses and Robinson has double digit losses but they are judged by their quality of their wins. Today careers are built to avoid challenges and preserve your record instead of building resumes with quality wins.

[Lion81]

End of thread here.

No matter how you score the fight vs. Floyd, it was close. If past his prime Oscar was close to prime Floyd, there's no way in bloody hell you can argue that he was overrated.

Can you imagine a young, athletically gifted Oscar up Floyd's ass for 12 rounds?

No question about it. Oscar would win a unanimous decision.

[Warrior Scholar]

Change my mind?

Always came up short against legitimate world level compeititors and got his ass beat 6 times.

When you take into account his many gift decisions his L's would be double figures.

His biggest achievement was sharing a ring with TBE.

Boxing is a total package sport. Oscar got shots and gifts here and there based on his earning potential. The earning potential is based on looks and star power, charisma, other variables; if a boxer can do decently with his hands but has good star power, you can do alright that way, just have to choose fights wisely. The general public prefers to see lighter skinned fighters because they are the minority in the sport. It is what it is. So if you're dark, come with more charisma than Wilder

[DoktorSleepless]

I thought he beat Mosley in both fights if I remember correctly. And that was ped up Mosley.

[champion4ever]

Then what does that make Crawford and Spence because im sure he beats Crawford at 135, 140, and 147. And he beats Spence at 147 and 154.

I am not sure of what you are getting at but I never once declared those fighters great. Perhaps you did but I didn't. In addition, at the moment they are both good fighters but I won't consider them all-time greats.

[champion4ever]

If anything what hurts his legacy is he was in too many tough fights, went up and down too many weight classes, took on too many top elite guys. You do that you will be in close fights you will catch some L's. It was a gift and curse it made him massively popular and rich but gives fuel to this new era where you are celebrated more for having NO losses then you are for beating top guys. GGG has only 1 official loss but doesn't even have any wins better then Oscar's B side wins let alone his top wins. But idiots complain Oscar has 6 losses on his resume. No shyt the man fought a guy like Bernard Hopkins at 160 when he turned pro 5 weight classes below that and fought in the Olympics at 132 lbs. Meanwhile GGG fought in the Olympics at Middleweight turned pro at Middleweight and never fought a single fighter above 160. Imagine the L's GGG racks up if he moves up 2-3 weight classes hell he was shook of catching L's 1 weight class up so he ducked Ward.

Today it's about protecting records and fighting the least competition you can to stay undefeated and inflate your wins and limit opportunity for losses. That effects how folks look at Oscar's career especially from newbies who never saw him fight. In past era's this doesn't matter hell Sugar Ray Robinson and Ali are argued by fans as who was the greatest of all time and Ali had 5 official losses and Robinson has double digit losses but they are judged by their quality of their wins. Today careers are built to avoid challenges and preserve your record instead of building resumes with quality wins.

Spot on! Good post!

[Curtis Harper]

Kostya Tszyu,
Talk about overrated