DE LA HOYA VS. MAYWEATHER PREVIEW
Posted on | May 1, 2007 | 2 Comments
DE LA HOYA VS. MAYWEATHER
** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **
By Tony Penecale
It’s the biggest fight of the year, the one the world has been waiting for. It’s a match-up that hardcore and casual fans alike are discussing, debating, and predicting a result for. The bout between Oscar De la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather is a bout right at the crossroads. It is the “Golden Boy,” the former Olympic Gold Medalist and six-division titlist going against “Pretty Boy,” the undefeated boxer that is touted the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet today.
AGE, RECORD, AND STATS
De la Hoya: Age: 34 years old
Record: 38-4 (30 Knockouts)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 153 ½ ** Weight for last bout (5-6-06)
Reach: 72”
Mayweather: Age: 30 years old
Record: 37-0 (24 Knockouts)
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 146 * * Weight for last bout (11-4-06)
Reach: 72”
RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
De la Hoya: 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist
WBO Junior Lightweight Champion (’94)
WBC Lightweight Champion (’95)
WBC Super Lightweight Champion (’96-’97)
WBC Welterweight Champion (’97-’99, ’00)
WBC Junior Middleweight Champion (’01-’03, ’06-Pres)
Ring Magazine Junior Middleweight Champion (’02-’03)
WBO Middleweight Champion (’04)
Pound-for-Pound #1 Boxer (’97-’99)
Mayweather: 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist
WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’98-’02)
WBC Lightweight Champion (’02-’04)
Ring Magazine Lightweight Champion (’02-’04)
WBC Junior Welterweight Champion (’05-’06)
IBF Welterweight Champion (’06)
WBC Welterweight Champion (’06)
Ring Magazine Welterweight Champion (’06-Pres)
Pound-for-Pound #1 Boxer (’05-’Pres)
STYLE
De la Hoya: A natural left-hander who boxes in the orthodox stance, utilizing a high guard. Uses a jab to dictate the pace, backing up and sometimes cutting opponents. Right hand has improves over the years but main weapon is left hook, which responsible for most of his knockouts. Will also utilize the uppercut effectively, especially against shorter fighters. Is a tremendous finisher once an opponent has been hurt.
Mayweather: Arguably, he is the fastest boxer on the face of the earth today. A very relaxed boxer who does everything well with an arsenal that includes a snapping jab, accurate right hand, and left hook that can be doubled and tripled with tremendous effect. Uses feint moves to freeze opponents and open punching lanes. Tucks his chin well behind his shoulder to roll with punches. Even on the ropes, he is a difficult target to land a solid punch. He doesn’t have great punching power. Most of his stoppage victories come from outpunching and outclassing his opponents but rarely scoring clean knockouts.
STRENGTHS
De la Hoya: * Big Fight Experience – De la Hoya has been in this position on a number of occasions. Has been involved in 24 world title bouts and 16 PPV main events including bouts with legends and future Hall-of-Famers such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, Shane Mosley, and Bernard Hopkins, among many others
* Left Hook – De la Hoya has a fine arsenal of weapons but nothing is as potent as his left hook. The punch can be delivered as a lead or at the end of a combination. Dropped several quality fighters with a single hook including Rafael Ruelas, Fernando Vargas, Ike Quartey, and Ricardo Mayorga.
* Passion – De la Hoya’s most impressive fights have been when he has come in with a burning fire in his stomach and a killer instinct. Opponents who have gotten under his skin (Ruelas, Vargas, Mayorga, Chavez) were battered and vanquished in impressive manner. Even when tested, he has shown the intangible to fight back with passion.
Mayweather: * Youth – Not just in age, but in terms of ring wear and tear, Mayweather is the much younger and fresher fighter. He has not been in as many tough bouts and will likely be the fresher fighter.
* Speed – Speed Kills. Mayweather has incredible hand and foot speed, which allows him to move inside, unload his offense, and dart out of range before his opponent can set himself.
* Ring Generalship – Mayweather knows every inch of the ring and how to control a fight. When to attack, when to box, and when to coast, Mayweather owns the ring when he is in there.
WEAKNESSES
De la Hoya: * Stamina – Ever since the Trinidad fight when De la Hoya danced the last three rounds and the bout away, he has always had a problem with stamina late. Both losses to Mosley along with his lackluster performance against Felix Sturm, saw De la Hoya fade in the later rounds.
* Tactical Errors – De la Hoya often fights the wrong fight. He tried to match hand speed with Mosley, which cost him those bouts. Even in his wins over Chavez (rematch), Quartey, and Vargas, he stood right in front of them and allowed them each to land punches against him.
* Frustrated – When things aren’t going well, De la Hoya has shown a tendency to get frustrated and will try to overcompensate, which leaves him open to counters. Against Whitaker, he even allowed his light-hitting opponent to score a knockdown when he lunged out of position.
Mayweather: * Brittle Hands – Mayweather has been plagued throughout his career with hand injuries. The soreness in his hands, especially the right hand, reduces Mayweather’s exceptional offense, often forcing him to rely on his foot speed to dance around and pitter-pat opponents.
* Lack of Complete Opponents – Mayweather has dominated every opponent he has faced with only one questionable decision in the first bout with Luis Castillo. But he has never fought a complete opponent. Gatti and Baldomir were too slow and too easy to hit. Zab Judah was fast but little power and unable to capitalize on early success. He has never fought a fighter of De la Hoya’s class and power.
* Punching Power – Most of Mayweather’s stoppage wins have come from an accumulation of punches. The usual result is the referee or opposing corner stopping the bout to prevent further punishment. It is rare to see Mayweather finish a bout with one punch dating back to his days as a 130 lb boxer.
TRAINING & PREPARATION
De la Hoya: This bout is De la Hoya’s first with trainer Freddie Roach, who is replacing former trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. De la Hoya has set up camp with Roach, known as one of the best trainers in boxing, in Puerto Rico, and utilized former champion Shane Mosley as a sparring partner. Within one week of the bout, De la Hoya weighed in at 158 lbs.
Mayweather: Mayweather will be again working with his uncle and former world champion, Roger, who was serving a year-long suspension for the brawl during Mayweather’s win over Zab Judah last April. The Mayweather camp which was set in Las Vegas had a surprise visitor in Floyd Sr, who offered insight and tips before walking out earlier this week. Within one week of the bout, Mayweather weighed in at 150 lbs.
3 BEST PERFORMANCES
De la Hoya: * Fernando Vargas (9/14/02) – This was pure grudge match with a naturally larger opponent (with no love lost between them). Conventional wisdom said De la Hoya boxes from the outside but instead he slugged with Vargas, enduring some rocky moments before icing Vargas in the 11th round.
* Ricardo Mayorga (5/6/06) – It’s not because he beat the crude Mayorga, which was expected, but how he did it. De la Hoya crushed Mayorga, dropping his iron-jawed opponent three times and impressively finished him off in the 6th round.
* Rafael Ruelas (5/6/95) – De la Hoya’s shot at the IBF lightweight title came against a tough and experienced Ruelas. Many thought this bout was coming too soon. It wasn’t as De la Hoya bombed Ruelas and took him out in the 2nd round.
Mayweather: * Diego Corrales (1/20/01) – Experts were torn on who to pick in this one with many leaning towards Corrales to win by KO. Mayweather never let him in the bout, knocking him down five times before the bout was halted in the 10th round.
* Arturo Gatti (6/25/05) – Although Mayweather was a solid betting favorite, many expected Gatti to make things rough for Mayweather. It never happened as Mayweather dealt out a severe beating before Gatti’s corner stopped the bout after six one-sided rounds.
* Angel Manfredy (12/19/98) – This was Mayweather’s first defense of the WBC Super Featherweight Title and it was coming against a tough and skilled Manfredy. Mayweather staggered Manfredy with the first punch of the fight, kept composure throughout the remainder of the first and most of the second before hurting Manfredy against and unleashing a torrid offensive burst, prompting a referee’s stoppage.
QUESTIONS
De la Hoya: * Working with Freddie Roach for the first time, how much of an impact can the new trainer make?
* Will Mayweather’s pre-fight trash talk and antics get De la Hoya from his gameplan and force him to make mistakes?
* Will De la Hoya be able to cope with Mayweather’s tremendous speed?
* De la Hoya has only fought sporadically since 2004. Is he still hungry enough to unseat the best boxer today?
Mayweather: Mayweather was boxing at 140 lbs just two years ago? Will the rapid increase in weight class take away from his speed advantage?
Will the controversy in Mayweather’s camp cause a distraction when he enters the ring?
What is going to happen when a naturally bigger De la Hoya catches Mayweather on the chin?
Will the pressure of the bout be too much for the fragile-psyched Mayweather?
PENECALE PREDICTION
De la Hoya has fought best when his opponents have gotten under his skin. Mayweather has fought best when his opponents have come to him, allowing him the opportunity to unleash his feints and blistering counterpunches.
De la Hoya will try to pressure Mayweather early and impose his physical size and strength, even trying to rough him up on the inside. Mayweather will be in control in the first few rounds, utilizing his advantages in hand and foot speed. He will move around the ring, fire quick shots at De la Hoya, and quickly move out of danger. They will score points but not do a lot of damage.
With Mayweather winning the first three rounds, De la Hoya will work on slowing him down by touching him to the body with jabs from the outside. Mayweather will start to settle down on his punches a little bit more, standing in front of De la Hoya, feinting him and trying to land his right hand. The move will prove to be his undoing.
Unlike the others before him, De la Hoya will be able to withstand Mayweather’s offense. The tide will start to turn around the 6th round, as Mayweather will start to have problems with his chronically-injured right hand, and will have a harder time out-maneuvering De la Hoya as he did Carlos Baldomir. In the 7th and 8th round, De la Hoya will start backing Mayweather up with the jab, and while he will eat some jabs and hooks in return; he will keep pressing the action.
Mayweather will have a slight lead on the scorecards going into the 10th round, but the combination of De la Hoya’s physical strength advantage, body attack, and pressure of the event, will leave him worn. An explosive counter left hook from De la Hoya will stagger Mayweather in the 11th round and force him into a corner. De la Hoya is an explosive finisher and he will attack, firing rapid punches. Mayweather will try to block but a few of the punches will get through forcing the referee to come to his rescue and stop the fight.