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*very good article
Oscar and Floyd – Where The Comparisons Begin and End
By Calvin Watkins (July 28, 2006)
Floyd Mayweather is in the same position Oscar De La Hoya was in several years ago.
De La Hoya had numerous prize fighters seeking to fight him. The fighters wanted to take advantage of a big payday and get international exposure.
As with De La Hoya, Mayweather has numerous fighters trying to get him in the ring. But unlike De La Hoya, Mayweather can beat all the guys who want to fight him.
In the last few years, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas, Winky Wright and Mayweather sought a bout against De La Hoya, as did a few others. Vargas is the only fighter De La Hoya could beat, which he did in 2002 by technical knockout.
De La Hoya lost two close fights to Mosley and was knocked out by Hopkins’ punch to the liver in their much-hyped bout in 2004. And please don’t forget Felix Trinidad, who won a majority decision over De La Hoya in 1999. That was a fight De La Hoya was winning, but he stopped performing and therefore deserved the loss.
Wright and Mayweather are too talented for De La Hoya to defeat. In his entire career, De La Hoya was rarely thought of as pound for pound, the best fighter in the sport. Against the top fighters of his generation, De La Hoya came out on the short side more often than not. Yet, De La Hoya should be given credit for fighting everyone and giving boxing a pulse. One of his more gutty performances was a comeback victory over Ike Quartey, a fight he doesn’t get enough credit for.
Mayweather, pound for pound, is the best in the sport. He can beat De La Hoya, Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Ricky Hatton and yes, Carlos Baldomir. Knowing this, it brings us to an interesting development. HBO is holding a November date for Mayweather. A fight needs to be made this summer, especially if its pay-per-view, so HBO can market it. Mayweather was offered $8 million to fight Margarito and hasn’t accepted it. It’s probably not a good pay-per-view fight. It’s more of an HBO Boxing After Dark event. Bob Arum, Margarito’s promoter, says he can get his man a fight on Showtime.
If that’s the case, why concern yourself with Mayweather?
Then there’s De La Hoya. Mayweather brought out his contract with Arum to free himself up to generate a deal with De La Hoya. But De La Hoya decided to wait until next year to fight, if at all. De La Hoya, a great fighter, should walk away. The money, however, could be too great for De La Hoya to leave the sport he loves.
While De La Hoya gets his act together, Mayweather is forced to find somebody else. It’s a shame because so many people want to fight Mayweather, yet can’t beat him. There’s a report that Cory Spinks may fight with Mayweather. If Mayweather is going to fight Spinks, he might as well take the $8 million and meet Margarito.
Somehow, Mayweather’s decisions regarding his career have raised many questions.
Margarito said Mayweather fears him. Mayweather doesn’t appear scared to fight anybody. Yet, by waiting and waiting and waiting to make a decision, he hurts himself.
That’s a shame.
Mayweather is a terrific talent that needs to be marketed properly. That’s something De La Hoya has over most fighters in this sport. He’s a marketer’s dream and a box office smash.
Mayweather isn’t that.
Yet, in the ring he’s just not giving himself the chance to show how good he is.
Oscar and Floyd – Where The Comparisons Begin and End
By Calvin Watkins (July 28, 2006)
Floyd Mayweather is in the same position Oscar De La Hoya was in several years ago.
De La Hoya had numerous prize fighters seeking to fight him. The fighters wanted to take advantage of a big payday and get international exposure.
As with De La Hoya, Mayweather has numerous fighters trying to get him in the ring. But unlike De La Hoya, Mayweather can beat all the guys who want to fight him.
In the last few years, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas, Winky Wright and Mayweather sought a bout against De La Hoya, as did a few others. Vargas is the only fighter De La Hoya could beat, which he did in 2002 by technical knockout.
De La Hoya lost two close fights to Mosley and was knocked out by Hopkins’ punch to the liver in their much-hyped bout in 2004. And please don’t forget Felix Trinidad, who won a majority decision over De La Hoya in 1999. That was a fight De La Hoya was winning, but he stopped performing and therefore deserved the loss.
Wright and Mayweather are too talented for De La Hoya to defeat. In his entire career, De La Hoya was rarely thought of as pound for pound, the best fighter in the sport. Against the top fighters of his generation, De La Hoya came out on the short side more often than not. Yet, De La Hoya should be given credit for fighting everyone and giving boxing a pulse. One of his more gutty performances was a comeback victory over Ike Quartey, a fight he doesn’t get enough credit for.
Mayweather, pound for pound, is the best in the sport. He can beat De La Hoya, Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Ricky Hatton and yes, Carlos Baldomir. Knowing this, it brings us to an interesting development. HBO is holding a November date for Mayweather. A fight needs to be made this summer, especially if its pay-per-view, so HBO can market it. Mayweather was offered $8 million to fight Margarito and hasn’t accepted it. It’s probably not a good pay-per-view fight. It’s more of an HBO Boxing After Dark event. Bob Arum, Margarito’s promoter, says he can get his man a fight on Showtime.
If that’s the case, why concern yourself with Mayweather?
Then there’s De La Hoya. Mayweather brought out his contract with Arum to free himself up to generate a deal with De La Hoya. But De La Hoya decided to wait until next year to fight, if at all. De La Hoya, a great fighter, should walk away. The money, however, could be too great for De La Hoya to leave the sport he loves.
While De La Hoya gets his act together, Mayweather is forced to find somebody else. It’s a shame because so many people want to fight Mayweather, yet can’t beat him. There’s a report that Cory Spinks may fight with Mayweather. If Mayweather is going to fight Spinks, he might as well take the $8 million and meet Margarito.
Somehow, Mayweather’s decisions regarding his career have raised many questions.
Margarito said Mayweather fears him. Mayweather doesn’t appear scared to fight anybody. Yet, by waiting and waiting and waiting to make a decision, he hurts himself.
That’s a shame.
Mayweather is a terrific talent that needs to be marketed properly. That’s something De La Hoya has over most fighters in this sport. He’s a marketer’s dream and a box office smash.
Mayweather isn’t that.
Yet, in the ring he’s just not giving himself the chance to show how good he is.
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