| Mayweather - De la Hoya: The Aftermath by Greg M. 5-8-07 The fight to end all fights has come and gone. What transpired in those 36 minutes of boxing probably left most of the people assembled in front of televisions across the globe confused. Expecting to see the big bad Floyd Mayweather of the 24/7 “reality” series, the man who professed that this fight would be a massacre, the casual and non boxing fan was instead treated to the Pretty Boy us hardcore fans have come to know and begrudgingly respect over the last ten years: a safety first boxer at heart. Mayweather would throw one shot at a time en route to a split decision over an Oscar de la Hoya who surprised many fans by giving a spirited effort, and probably legitimately winning at least five rounds, possibly even six or seven depending on which pair of eyes were viewing the bout. The early part of the fight saw a de la Hoya who seemed to be in control of the proceedings, snapping Mayweather’s head back with a stiff jab and throwing combinations while Mayweather was on the ropes. Meanwhile, Mayweather would respond with stiff right hands which rarely came in combination. The pattern repeated itself over much of the first six or seven rounds. The “best fighter on the planet“, really appeared to be making no effort to hurt his larger opponent, choosing instead to wait for the latter third of the fight when he and everyone else knew that de la Hoya would slow just enough for those one punch combinations to look effective and dominant. And to his credit, Mayweather took advantage of a tiring and jabless, plodding Oscar in the ninth, tenth and eleventh rounds, clearly winning those rounds in my eyes. And even while Mayweather won those rounds, it was evident that he was doing just enough. In the biggest fight of his career, Mayweather decided that he would win ugly today and save the pretty for another. The twelfth round saw some of the best action of the night. Oscar probably won that round on his aggression, though the point is moot now. Call it a split decision victory for the Pretty Boy in the fight of the century. Just don’t call me next time he fights, I’m not interested. Some thoughts *Floyd Mayweather stood by his claim of retirement, at least for the time being. Although he said he is open for a rematch if Oscar wants one. *The jab which was very effective for Oscar in the early rounds, probably would have sealed the victory had he continued to throw it. The blame for this loss goes to no one but Oscar. *Many people are already discussing possible future Mayweather opponents and the one name that keeps popping up: Shane Mosley. I’m not interested. A great fighter needs a great opponent, and Mayweather with his cautious style is not a great opponent. If he wouldn’t open up for a semi-retired Oscar de la Hoya, he will complete shell mode for a Mosley who hasn’t looked this good in many years. Besides, it doesn’t appear Mayweather really wants that fight. *It is time for the abolishment of compu-box. That “computerized” system, which is flawed in it’s very nature and often flawed in the numbers it produces, had Mayweather landing at a very high percentage against de la Hoya. While this was not one of de la Hoya’s more dominant performances, it was a very good defensive one. Many, many shots that Floyd was credited with landed on Oscar’s gloves or were slipped altogether. These numbers which are displayed on every HBO telecast seem official, and serve to sway public opinion. Boxing fans don’t need two men’s opinions to help us decide who is winning or losing. *Oscar de la Hoya, love him or hate him, will be remembered as one of the finest fighters of his era. Some are calling him the Thomas Hearns of his day. While the comparison is not completely accurate, Oscar shares the trait of coming up just a little short in the big one with the great Hit Man. Razor close decision losses to Mayweather, the second fight with Mosley, and Felix Trinidad as well as very close decision wins against Ike Quartey and Pernell Whitaker display that while Oscar may not have dominated his best opponents, he was never embarrassed, save for the debacle against a larger Bernard Hopkins. One advantage he does hold over his latest conqueror, the willingness to test himself against the best opponents and really lay it all on the line when the bell rang. This fact will forever endear him to fans while Mayweather will be the only person professing his own greatness years from now. |
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