By Gerardo Granados: Have you ever wondered why Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De la Hoya is having WBC middleweight belt holder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight one tailor-made opponent after another? Have the readers noticed a trend on how boxing cash cows become so good in the eyes of casual fans?
Have you been approached by a casual fan yet, saying that Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan is the next fight of the century? Are you tired of getting sick mismatches on the main events? If you answer no to any of the questions, then move on and believe what now major media boxing analyst are trying to sell as a great fight.
Let’s take time to review Oscar De la Hoya’s fight record, padded with tailor-made opponents, and let us not forget who created De La Hoya as a big Pay Per View attraction. To begin, by 1994, Oscar campaigned at the lightweight division but went down to the super featherweight division and picked the easiest belt holder to win the WBO strap against Jimmi Bredahl, he didn’t choose Azumah Nelson or Genaro Hernandez who were the top lions at the time.
Then move back up to lightweight to win the vacant WBO strap against past prime former feather IBF – WBO Champion Jorge Maromero Paez, but once again avoided the top lion WBC “Santa Tokyo” Miguel Angel Gonzalez.
It is true, Oscar did really well at lightweight, and at times he even looked impressive. But I´ll quote Bob Arum from The Ring Magazine site “His power at 135 was devastating,” Arum said. “The way he handled Ruelas, Jorge (Paez), it was incredible. He was a devastating puncher at 135. He was just bigger than everyone else.” So I wonder if it was the size edge a big factor in his success.
At lightweight he often defeated moving up in weight opponents: IBF-WBO feather Jorge Paez, IBF-WBO super feather John John Molina, WBA super feather Genaro Hernandez, WBC super-feather Jesse James Leija. De la Hoya with 5´ 10” height / 73” reach not only had the size, but also considerable height and reach advantage over most of them.
Oscar moved up to light welter and handpicked veteran WBC Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, who simply was too old to represent a big risk, and simply avoided prime light welter IBF Champion Kostya Tszyu. On his next bout Oscar defeated Miguel Angel Gonzalez who moved up from lightweight. If you watch video of both fights you might notice how big Oscar looked compared to Chavez and Gonzalez.
At the welterweight division the reader must remember the “controversial” decision he got against WBC Champion Pernell Whitaker. On his second defense of his WBC strap fought past prime veteran former super feather Champion Hector Camacho. Oscar then beats an over the hill Julio Cesar Chavez.
After defeats against Tito Trinidad and Shane Mosley, Oscar handpicked former IBF super feather Arturo Gatti who moved up in weight to fight at the welterweight division. There is no need to say that Oscar edged Whitaker, Camacho, Chavez and Gatti with youth, height and reach.
At the light middleweight division Oscar achieved good victories, but I wasn’t impressed of his performance against WBC belt holder Javier Castillejo, who looked strange not taking advantage of many openings he had to land his right hand. Once again De la Hoya stayed away from the top man in the division IBF Champion Ronald Winky Wright. Against Floyd Mayweather Jr, Oscar took advantage as the A side but lost a close decision.
At the middleweight division Oscar looked puffy and once again was awarded a dubious decision this time against WBO middleweight Felix Sturm.
And last Oscar picked a way smaller Manny Pacquiao in “the dream match” in 2008, but it turned out to be his worst nightmare, and now as a promoter, it seems he is doing what he did as a boxer.
It seems like De La Hoya learned how to generate big revenues fighting the more suitable guy available, but not by engaging against the best boxer available. Yes, De La Hoya is rich, but it is hard to hear his name when someone makes a top ten all time greatest list.
A great fight is fought between two hungry lions, in a competitive close fight that is hard to predict. Not a fight in which the only thing you are left guessing is in which round the tailor made opponent will be knocked out. Or a fight in which you wonder if it can turn into the upset of the decade.
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. If fight fans were disappointed, with last May fight of the century fiasco between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Then I suppose those same fans won’t fall for it again and pay $69 notes next May 7th.
There are great fights signed for this year that might end up at the undercard or as main events outside Las Vegas. It is just a matter to stop listening what a couple of major media boxing analyst are saying, and don’t believe the hype created by those on payroll analysts.
As usual I will make a question to the readers. Are you letting them to fool you twice?
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