Cinco de Mayo is less than a week away and Point-Spreads.com as well as boxing fans from around the world cannot wait until Oscar de la Hoya takes on Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBC Super Welterweight World Championship. Of all the tag lines you could have given the biggest fight of the year, why would you go with "The World Awaits"? Can someone please show me the theory behind all the madness? The usual parading around has gotten people in a frenzy, but there will have to be much more than chiseled abdominals on show to justify the money behind this fight. The packed schedule of public engagements and the frenzied press attention has garnered the richest stadium gate in boxing history, approximately $19 million dollars. Oscar de la Hoya is hoping to generate pay per view sales of around 2 million buys, smashing the non-heavyweight record of 1.4 million buys set by his (date) clash with Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad.
Pod casts, press conferences, TV commercials, an HBO four part episode mini series and an eleven city U.S. tour to boot, all the rock star status you can possibly handle wrapped up for just one night of boxing. While the world anxiously awaits for this super sized showdown to commence between the six time division champ ‘Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya 38-4 (30) and the undefeated P4P ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Mayweather Jr. 37-0 (24) which will take place May 5th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV, fittingly on HBO Pay Per View 9 PM ET/ 6 PM PT. BetUS.com has Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a -185 favorite and Oscar de la Hoya a +155 underdog.
Now, what do we the boxing fans get when we throw De La Hoya and Mayweather Jr. in the ring together? MORE DRAMA THAN DAYTIME TV! Since the announcement of the super fight between the two highly decorated ring warriors, Internet sites have been buzzing, newspapers have been over inked and the radio and television programs have exploded with too much noise on the exceedingly anticipated showdown, you cannot walk up to a water cooler at work without hearing about this upcoming bout…and to be honest about the whole ‘The World Awaits’ title, well…that’s exactly what we’re doing! We are vigorously awaiting this super sized smash’em up show down, and the media seems to hang on to everyone who said what about who and where it took place. The fight world is loving the pre fight hoopla, it’s entertaining and most importantly it sells tickets!
You have De La Hoya here, a solid boxer who is willing to brawl if need be, heavy hands. After compiling up a stellar amateur career of 223-5, and earning himself a Gold Medal in the Barcelona Olympic Games, the California based boxer Oscar De La Hoya embarked on a professional boxing career that has expanded over a period of fourteen and a half years. The ‘Golden Boy’ fired out of the shoot in late 1992 earning him five consecutive knockout victories before ever seeing the scorecards, which he won unanimously. In his time as a professional De La Hoya has electrified the fight fans and has a hit list of who’s who in the boxing world. Names such as John John Molina, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, Fernando Vargas and Hector Camacho have fallen victim to De La Hoya, Oscar has earned himself world championship hardware in six different weight classes in his run as a professional and at this time holds the WBC Light Middleweight title, which he will defend May 5th. Many are claiming that De La Hoya is the better fighter. I will say that De La Hoya always shows his opponent what it's like to have to fight from your gut, not because you have to, but because it's a huge part of what being a great fighter is all about. De La Hoya has lived that and no one can take that away.
With that said, because De La Hoya has “lived”…he will go into this fight with edges in experience, quality of opposition and weight but fans do not be alarmed if he leaves the fight bloody, battered and stopped. De La Hoya, who will be 34 when the fight takes place will be up against a blistering hand speed and uncanny boxing ability 29 year old man. At 34 a pro golfer is enjoying his prime. For a boxer/businessman like De La Hoya, 34 means he is shot. This bout will be a perfect example of how age is different in boxing than in any other sport.
All though De La Hoya has had major success in and out of the ring, the fan favorite has had a blemish or two on his resume. De La Hoya banged out thirty-one consecutive victories before losing out a majority decision to Felix Trinidad back on September of 1999. He dropped two decisions to ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley; he won a controversial decision over Felix Sturm in June of ’04 and was stopped via body shot by Bernard Hopkins in 2004.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has never tasted defeat in his nearly ten years as a professional. A 1996 Bronze Medal winner in Atlanta, the ‘Pretty Boy’ compiled up a first-rate amateur record that ended with an 84-6 record. Making his way into the pros in the fall of 2006, Mayweather pounded out seventeen consecutive wins before stopping Genaro Hernandez earning himself his first world title which was the WBC Super featherweight title. In his time the fast fisted Floyd has defeated the likes of Angel Manfredy, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo and in his last outing out pointed Carlos Baldomir.
Mayweather, all though not the hardest hitting between the two PBF is a solid tactician with a good defense, has the hand speed to make this a very interesting night. He's just started to carry his own weight in PPV events and is finally getting big paydays. His punching accuracy is unparalleled. His speed is rivaled only by Mosley at his best. As a result of his family background, he has the ring intelligence of a much older boxer. He's strong enough to maintain some authority at 147. And he's unbeaten. The opposition he has faced is underrated, his only recent lackluster opponent being Sharmba Mitchell. As a boxer rather than a business man, you can only be a fan of Mayweather. Granted, De La Hoya might do more “outside” the ring, but remember he’s older and basically…he’s been there and done that! Pretty boy is earning his respect first in the ring. Just like De La Hoya, his marketing abilities will roll with the punches as the years go on.
As a pro, Oscar is 38-4 with 30 KO's. He has a KO percentage of 71%. Pretty Boy is 37-0 with 24 KO’s and a KO percentage of 65%. Pretty Boy has won four world boxing championships in four different weight classes, from Super Featherweight to Welterweight, and is a six-time world champion.
Age and Dimensions: Floyd is 29. Oscar is 34. Floyd is 5’8 and has a 72’ reach. He is a Welterweight. Oscar is 5’10 & ½ and has a 73’ reach. He is a light middleweight.
Oscar is an orthodox fighter who looks to land a devastating left hook following stiff jabs. He also has developed a solid right cross. He can brawl or box depending on what’s required and has solid late round power. He is capable of backpedaling if the going gets rough and this can cost him, as it did against Trinidad.
Floyd is the complete package. He is one of the most talented fighters to come along in some time. He blessed with speed, stamina, power, sharp punching, a solid chin and great defense. His old school moves are so subtle, most observers miss them. Whether he can engage in a brawl still remains to be seen, but that’s not his fault. I also see him as a better defensive fighter slipping punches with deft shoulder rolls and head movement.
Floyd’s superior speed and great counter punching ability should give him the advantage in any furious exchanges, but he needs to be careful of THAT left hook.
Corner: Roach vs. Mayweather. Slight edge to Floyd as Oscar has had too many different trainers, but you can’t argue with success.
Intangibles: Floyd has a boxer’s pedigree. Moreover, his father may offer sharp insights into Oscar’s weaknesses. Oscar has been taken out (by Hopkins), while Floyd has been seldom even wobbled.
Oscar has been in many mega fights and has great focus. As well, he can cement his legacy as one of the truly great fighters of our time with an impressive win.
As for conditioning and stamina, both fighters will be fit and ready.
Floyd will punish Oscar with quick in-and-out shots. His speed will be the major factor in this bout.
The fans are salivating over this future fight, and with out a doubt, the build up itself has more drama than daytime TV! So the WORLD AWAITS?? How about the world awaits to see “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather battle against “Sugar” Shane Mosely….Now who’s the better fighter?
