27.04.06 - By
David Douse: Two of the most formidable fighters of the last decade or so once more climb into the ring over the next few weeks to see if they can again put on display the fistic excellence which has so rightly given them their reputations among the greats. Oscar De La Hoya takes on the very dangerous but sometimes erratic Ricardo Mayorga, and Bernard Hopkins attempts to defeat age and a two division weight jump in his quest for the lightheavyweight title against the man presently regarded as the best in the division, Antonio Tarver.
Making predictions always leaves you opn to looking pretty foolis when thay don't work out but it is probably harder to predict the outcome of De La Hoya vs. Mayorga. They are of a similar vintage and each has possible advantages and disadvantages to be considered in the course of making a prediction as to the likely outcome. On balance I have to say that I favour Mayorga despite his undisciplined lifestyle outside the ring and his tendency to get knocked out occasionally.
Oscar's last few outings have not done much to enhance his image as a professional fighter and the fleshy look he brought into the ring against both Sturm and Hopkins tends to reinforce the view that he might be more about big self promoted paydays than regaining the pinnacle.However, he is reported to be training extremely hard and the animosity he feels for Mayorga appears to be real, so perhaps he really can come into the ring well prepared, axious to do some damage, and possibly with some of the old fire in his belly which seems to have gone missing lately.
However if Mayorga's preparation is not up to scratch because he believes that De La Hoya will be an easy fight then he will unquestionably suffer the consequences for underestimating a fighter of De La Hoya's pedigree.
That said, I do not believe Mayorga will arrive either underdone or overconfident, despite the trash talk, and I feel that his view of himself as a full time professional fighter will be what prevails over what I see as Oscar's view of himself as a former champion who is now primarily a businessman/media personality and who fights from time to time. In other words it's all in the underlying attitude, and so I feel that De La Hoya's use-by-date has probably come. I pick Mayorga to win by stoppage any time after round five or at least give De La Hoya a fairly solid beating over the distance.
Soon after, we will be able to see if the great Bernard Hopkins can do what history and logic mostly tell us can't be done in his attempt to take the lightheavyweight mantle from Antonio Tarver. Sadly for Bernard I think he is himself due to take a real beating this time around from a younger, bigger, very hard hitting champion whom I could well see as fighting successfully at cruiserweight. I don't overlook the fact that Hopkins himself is a big man for a middleweight but Tarver is every bit as big, comparatively speaking, for his own division and should be physically dominant in the fight.
Hopkins is undoubtedly motivated to gain the recognition he feels has been denied him, a driving force that I no longer see in De La Hoya, but it seems clear that he has bitten off too much this time. If Hopkins cannot suddenly start fighting in a much more aggressive style than we have been used to seeing [look how long he took to dispose of the much smaller De La Hoya, and the overcautious efforts against Jermain Taylor], to try to get Tarver on the retreat, then he will be doing nothing other than playing into Tarver's hands by fighting so defensively. Tarver's size, speed, and mobility would thus enable him to pick Hopkins off and set himself up for a comfortable points win or possible stoppage over Hopkins whom I suspect will really show his age when Tarver puts him under the sort of sustained pressure that an over respectful Jermain Taylor couldn't.
Tarver's relative youth and power, not to mention his considerable skills, leave me in little doubt that he will remain champion when it's over. Father Time, in the form of Antonio Tarver, should persuade BHop that his own use-by date has fallen due.
LOS ANGELES—The stage is set and the world will be watching May 6 when “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya returns to the ring to challenge dangerous World Boxing Council super welterweight champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga. What will unfold during the scheduled 12-round championship bout? Is the skill and intelligence of the extremely accomplished De La Hoya enough to keep El Matador at bay? Or will the unpredictability of the wild, hard-hitting Nicaraguan champion create an underdog’s ending?
Who better to know than the other great boxing champions—current and past—that grace the sport. In a poll taken among their peers—some of biggest names in boxing today—the consensus led to a consortium of mixed reactions and results.
Read their inside predictions and perceptions as to what will happen May 6. And, who better to start with than the extraordinary three time world champion Felix “Tito” Trinidad, who scored victories over both..
FELIX “TITO” TRINIDAD—Three-time World Champion (welterweight, junior middleweight & middleweight) with one of the highest knockout percentages in
boxing history at 81%.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA, DECISION
VIEW— "It's going to be a really hard fight between the two fighters. De La Hoya hasn't fought in a long time, but should dominate based upon his speed and intelligence in the ring. Oscar should win by decision, and leave the ring while he's on top."
VERNON FORREST—Former Undisputed Welterweight Champion who lost twice to Mayorga
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA, DECISION WIN OR LATE ROUND STOPPAGE
VIEW—“Mayorga is very dangerous early. But De La Hoya is an exceptional boxer so he should be able to avoid trouble by staying away in the early rounds. On the other hand, De La Hoya tends to fade in the later rounds so he can’t wait too long to begin his own attack. I also think De La Hoya’s chin is highly underrated. He can take it. So if he has to mix it up, expect him to weather any storm and either stop Mayorga late or get the decision.”
“SUGAR” SHANE MOSLEY—Three-time World Champion with two wins over De La Hoya; fighting Fernando Vargas July 12 in Las Vegas on HBO Pay Per View.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA DECISION
VIEW—“I think Oscar's speed is going to be the determining factor. Oscar needs to watch out for Mayorga's overhand right and he needs to keep his composure when Mayorga gets crazy."
“PRETTY BOY” FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR—Four-time world and currently rated boxing’s #1 rated pound-for-pound champion.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA, DECISION
VIEW—“De La Hoya is going to have to be smart, very smart throughout the fight. He’s the better boxer and should dominate for the entire 12 rounds. If he’s not smart, he could get himself in BIG trouble.”
ANTONIO “THE MAGIC MAN” TARVER—Light heavyweight champion fighting Bernard Hopkins June 10 in Atlantic City on HBO Pay-Per-View
PREDICTION—MAYORGA
VIEW— "I truly believe Mayorga has a good chance. Oscar has been inactive and I think he’s trying to do the Trinidad blueprint – come back and get a win over a credible guy. But I don’t think De La Hoya has that kind of punching power. He has the speed and quickness to outbox Mayorga, but I think Mayorga is going to put pressure on him and he’s got that wild side – no matter how bad he’s being beat, he’s trying to knock your head off and he won’t quit. De La Hoya’s not used to that pressure. I think Mayorga coming in as an underdog is a good bet. I like Mayorga in an upset."
BERNARD “THE EXECUTIONER” HOPKINS—Fighting light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver June 10 in Atlantic City on HBO Pay-Per-View.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA, LATE ROUND TKO
VIEW—“De La Hoya is all around the better boxer and fighter. He is going to make Mayorga look amateurish. Oscar has to be aware of Mayorga’s brawling tactics, fight smart and stick to his own game plan. He cannot get caught up in the emotion of Mayorga’s trashtalking either.
HASIM “THE ROCK” RAHMAN—WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World Scheduled to Face Oleg Maskaev August 12 on HBO Pay-Per-View.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA, LATE ROUND STOPPAGE
VIEW—“I think De La Hoya is going to be able to wear Mayorga down and stop him late. The body attack by De La Hoya is going to be too much for him and will have a big effect on him as the fight goes on. I also think De La Hoya is going to catch him in the later rounds with his text book left hook, a punch Mayorga has been susceptible to during his career. Against Oscar, Mayorga’s wildness will be totally ineffective.”
SERGEI “WHITE WOLF” LIAKHOVICH—WBO Heavyweight Champion of the World
PREDICTION—MAYORGA 9TH ROUND KO
VIEW—“I'm expecting this be a tough match for both fighters. My feeling is that if Mayorga can land power shots, I favor him. If it goes to the judges, I would favor Oscar.”
LENNOX LEWIS—Former Heavyweight Champion of the World
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA UNANIMOUS DECISION
VIEW—“De La Hoya is the seasoned and composed boxer and he knows how to deal with Mayorga’s style. Mayorga can have an erratic and unpredictable style, which will make for great drama in the first few rounds, but Oscar’s composer will make him victorious.”
JERMAIN “BAD INTENTIONS” TAYLOR—Middleweight champion fighting Winky Wright June 17 in Memphis on HBO.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA, DECISION
VIEW—"This is going to be an interesting fight, Oscar who has not fought in over a year and Ricardo is so unpredictable. I think this fight will go the distance with a lot of action , but I think Oscar will come away with the victory because of his boxing skills and he has a way at getting up for big fights and this is a big fight for him."
WINKY WRIGHT—Former junior middleweight champion fighting Jermain Taylor June 17 in Memphis on HBO
PREDICTION—TOSS-UP
VIEW—“I think this fight’s a toss-up. Oscar has the skills and ability, so he should win. But Mayorga's power and constant pressure, his ability to absorb a lot and Oscar being inactive for almost 2 years, gives Mayorga an edge. I just think it can go either way.”
LUIS COLLAZO—WBA Welterweight Champion defending title against Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton at the Boston Garden May 13 on HBO.
PREDICTION—MAYORGA, 10TH ROUND KO FROM A BODYSHOT
VIEW: “De La Hoya's style has changed for the worse since he started training with Floyd Mayweather Sr. He doesn't move and throw combinations the way he used to. Mentally, I see Mayorga getting stronger and stronger, and if Oscar hasn't got it yet, he's gonna get it on May 6. Mayorga fights better against people he truly dislikes, and he doesn't like Oscar at all. I see Mayorga breaking him down with pressure and body work. When Mayorga hits him right on the nose, let's see how De La Hoya responds to that. My guess is, he's not going to like that."
RICKY “HITMAN” HATTON fighting Luis Collazo in Boston May 13 on HBO.
PREDICTION—DE LA HOYA DECISION
VIEW—“I’m really looking forward to this fight. When I was in Vegas before Christmas, I met
Oscar and he’s a great guy and what a fighter. “I think that Oscar will win this fight. Mayorga is
very tough, physically, though, and it will probably go the 12 round distance. “I just think Oscar has too much for Mayorga in speed and boxing (technique). But Oscar has been out of the ring for quite a while and that may have a bearing on his performance. But I am still going with Oscar winning on points.”
