Victor Ortiz’s Oscar De La Hoya Sparring Story Comes With Important Context

Former welterweight champion says the sparring incidents occurred before De La Hoya’s final fight against Manny Pacquiao

Victor Ortiz says he dropped Oscar De La Hoya twice during sparring before De La Hoya’s 2008 fight with Manny Pacquiao. The former world champion shared the story publicly for the first time while recalling his experience in De La Hoya’s training camp.

Ortiz claims the sessions took place at De La Hoya’s training camp in Big Bear, where he had been brought in to help prepare the boxing superstar for what proved to be the final fight of his career.

“So I get to training camp in Big Bear. This is my first time ever speaking about this, so Oscar, if I offend you, hey, the truth will set you free,” Ortiz said to Fighthype.

“Boom, I go ‘Okay, that’s an easy jab’, he throws a straight right. Boom. Dropped him, he’s on his knees.

“I go ‘Check this out, I’m gonna finish him’. Nacho’s saying, ‘Why are you hitting him so hard?’ I’m like, ‘I’m working with this guy, he’s the 10-time world champion. What are you talking about?’ Again, boom. Drops again. Gets out of the ring, takes all his stuff, leaves.”

If Ortiz’s recollection is accurate, the timing may explain what happened.

By late 2008, De La Hoya was no longer the fighter who had won Olympic gold and captured world titles across multiple weight divisions. The Golden Boy had already built a Hall of Fame career and become one of boxing’s biggest crossover stars.

Many observers believe his decline had begun years earlier. De La Hoya lost a decision to Shane Mosley in 2003 and escaped with a controversial unanimous decision over Felix Sturm in 2004, a fight many fans felt he lost. Later that year, Bernard Hopkins stopped him with a body shot in the ninth round.

The weight issue may have made matters worse. De La Hoya had campaigned at 154 pounds and even fought at middleweight before agreeing to face Pacquiao at welterweight. The 35-year-old reportedly dieted his way down to the division rather than relying on a traditional late weight cut, appearing notably thin at the weigh-in.

Pacquiao dominated the fight eight months after De La Hoya’s win over Steve Forbes, forcing his corner to stop the contest after the eighth round. De La Hoya announced his retirement the following year.

Ortiz, meanwhile, was a young contender entering his physical prime. He would go on to capture the WBC welterweight title in 2011 with a victory over Andre Berto.