to add
the junior middleweight belt held by Spaniard Javier Castillejo to his trophy
case.(INSIDE BOXING) This past Saturday night Oscar de la Hoya attempted to add
the junior middleweight belt held by Spaniard Javier Castillejo to his trophy
case.
For those of you who were tricked into ordering this TVKO pay-per-view event, my condolences. For all the continued assessment given by de la Hoya himself concerning his newfound abilities, no visible transformation is apparent.
What is apparent is that with the added weight de la Hoya is slowing down. What is apparent is that the junior middleweight division has fighters that have punching ability de la Hoya has trouble with. What is apparent is that de la Hoya believes (with a victory over a champion who was fighting for only the second time outside his native country) he controls boxing.
Javier Castillejo did what any fighter in his position would have done. He had never had a fight, even though he was champion, paying more than $100,000. The de la Hoya opportunity was like hitting the lottery.
The odds makers and Las Vegas betters are no de la Hoya fans either. Being a 5-1 favorite with the over-under wagering favoring a bout that would not go 8 rounds, de la Hoya could not deliver.
Early on in the fight the Castillejo junior middleweight punching power was established. This advantage would enable Castillejo to last a full 12 rounds. Late in the 12th de la Hoya was finally able to deliver a left hook that sent the former champion to the canvas. He was able to finish on his feet, which was some sort of moral victory in itself.
The 11 previous rounds were BOOOORING!!! Javier Castillejo was in no hurry to do battle with de la Hoya. The few brief exchanges early in the fight did just enough to let de la Hoya know he could not match this man on a power basis. So, de la Hoya was allowed to become a world champion by simply picking the right opponent who could use a nice payday.
Such should not be the case with either Shane Mosley or Felix Trinidad. Trinidad in particular has no need to discuss de la Hoya. He has moved on to bigger and better things in the middleweight division. Mosley is quite happy dominating the welterweight division and seems to be in no hurry to move up in weight letting his body gradually mature.
Both are in a position to "call the shots" in any rematch with de la Hoya even though the new "TEAM DE LA HOYA" believes otherwise.
De la Hoya believes that the newly acquired junior middleweight title puts him in the drivers seat when it comes to rematches, when quite the opposite is true.
Neither Felix Trinidad nor Shane Mosley NEED Oscar de la Hoya!
Shane Mosley defeated de la Hoya at 147. Any rematch should be at that weight, unless Mosley decides differently! Trinidad has effectively moved up to the middleweight division. Any battle with de la Hoya would be at 160, unless Trinidad decides differently!
The two defeats suffered by de la Hoya can never be erased. The two fighters who blemish the record of de la Hoya should remember that when de la Hoya comes calling attempting to dictate terms in any fashion.
Oscar de la Hoya believes he won both fights. The judges saw different. But without fighting both Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad, Oscar de la Hoya will have to live with the bitter taste in his mouth that two guys are walking around knowing they beat the man claiming to be the best in the world.
There is no way Oscar de la Hoya can live with that thought.
There should be no way either Shane Mosley or Felix Trinidad let the lucrative money offer that surely will come (site, date and financial terms favoring de la Hoya) affect their business sense. De la Hoya needs them. They do not need de la Hoya.
Fernando Vargas is an altogether different story. Vargas has been challenging de la Hoya for the past 3 years with de la Hoya preferring to stay away from his fellow East L.A. neighbor. But after suffering a severe beating at the hands of Felix Trinidad, Vargas has been softened up enough (or so thinks TEAM DE LA HOYA) to make him vulnerable.
This is the fight that will probably happen. Vargas will fight de la Hoya on any terms dictated by "TEAM DE LA HOYA". Just having the opportunity to battle the man who ignored him for so long while giving him no respect will re-ignite the flame of desire and passion in Vargas dimmed by a devastating defeat at the hands of Felix Trinidad. Oscar de la Hoya may go no further than a battle with Fernando Vargas…if Vargas is right.
Oscar de la Hoya thinks he is in the driver's seat. He is definitely at the front of the bus, but a passenger nonetheless. If the Trinidad and Mosley business minds can see through the smoke they will be the ones to determine where the fire is. But we have seen many times before that money talks and…
Stephen S. Johnson 06/24/01
You can reach Stephen S. Johnson by email at johnson@insideboxing.com