By Don Colgan

History is whispering to us once again.  The parallels are being drawn, not uncommon in the wake of a great championship bout.  De La Hoya –Mayweather was not to be confused with Zale-Graziano or Hagler-Hearns. The electricity that preceded Oscar-Floyd has not been witnessed on the fistic scene since Marvin Hagler met Sugar Ray Leonard.

Twenty years went by without a truly great and globally heralded championship bout.  To be certain, De La Hoya-Hopkins, Tyson-Spinks, Holyfield-Tyson II, the Lewis-Holyfield bouts and even Lewis-Tyson were well publicized and anticipated contests. Yet it was De La Hoya-Mayweather that was showered with the worldwide attention that was reminiscent of the golden era of boxing. 

Few bouts over the past century have commanded the kind of print, electronic coverage and national focus of the recently concluded De La Hoya-Mayweather event.  

While this may seem like an exaggeration in light of the myriad “Fights Of The Century” witnessed over the last century decade in the sport, it is a statement that can be defended. 

Fights Of The Century:

Johnson-Jeffries

Dempsey-Carpentier

Louis-Schmeling II

Ali-Frazier I

Leonard-Duran I

Hagler-Hearns

Arguello-Pryor I

Bear in mind that the De La Hoya-Mayweather bout took place against a backdrop of a weakened sport which is no longer viewed as a first tier attraction in the United States.

Boxing has seen a shift to European domination, fortified by the emergence of Wladimir Klitchko as the unquestioned, dominant heavyweight in the world.  However, the highly publicized national tour by De La Hoya and Mayweather served to energize the bout on a daily basis.  America has always loved Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather has become a villain, whose fistic domination and smoldering arrogance prompted millions of viewers to yearn for his defeat.

When Ali and Frazier clashed in 1971, the anticipation for a collision between two undefeated contestants with legitimate claims to the heavyweight crown was palpable.

However, in the early 1970’s the divisions were not fractured and several weight classes featured historically great champions.  Bob Foster at Light Heavyweight, Carlos Monzon at Middleweight, Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles held the Welterweight crown and young Roberto Duran was at the cusp of the Lightweight crown.  The top ten contenders in every weight class were legitimate title threats.  Divisions were rich with talent and an opportunity to fight for the championship was a hare earned accomplishment forged by a trial by fire.  Ask Monzon and Foster, who punched their way through stiff competition over the span of many years. 

This was the era of the fifteen round championship distance.  A near generation has elapsed since the last fifteen round heavyweight championship bout, between Michael Spinks and Larry Holmes in 1986.  Today twelve rounds is the universal, and psychologically accepted, title route.  The fact that the fifteen round route was the ultimate proving grounds for a title winning effort has long faded into the background.  Those three rounds were the championship round and the fighter who took them earned the championship, whether it be champion or challenger.

Emile Griffith often trailed after twelve heats.  In both of his razor thin verdicts over tough Joey Archer Emile was on the losing end after 12.  Carlos Monzon was narrowly behind then former title holder Griffith after a dozen heats at Monte Carlo in 1973.  Of course, Joe Louis was a certain loser after 12 before his come from behind stoppage of Conn. The abbreviated route of twelve would have ensured Jersey Joe a unanimous decision over Marciano and boxing’s greatest punch would never have been thrown.  Ezzard Charles had the edge over Rocky after a dozen in their first clash and Walcott was leading on two of the three cards over Louis after twelve in their disputed and tight first contest.

Twelve rounds determine a winner, not a champion.

In the 12th round of their great first championship bout at Yankee Stadium, Billy Conn told Louis coming out of a clinch, “You have a fight on your hands, Joseph”.  Oscar

De La Hoya could have told the same thing to Floyd Mayweather because, for the first time in his career Pretty Boy was being hit hard and extended fully in a bout that was competitive and close until the final bell.

Oscar punched well over the first five rounds, banging and cuffing Mayweather in the second and third and succeeding in doing what he had to do to win by cutting the ring in half, attacking the body, neutralizing Mayweather’s brilliant hand speed and punching prowess. 

Over the first five rounds the body language of Mayweather was visible, he was in a fight with a worthy foeman and he didn’t quite know how to figure it out.  This was not Arturo Gatti in the four square; this was an experienced and determined champion who was not intimidated in the least bit by Floyd’s endless swagger and ring genius.  It took Floyd half the fight to make a new mousetrap.  Ultimately he established his jab, started to keep Oscar off balance and established control of the ring perimeter.  Once the ring got bigger for Floyd, he began to edge ahead.

Yet Oscar was dangerous to the last round.  There was no rounds 9 through 12 paid vacation as against Felix Trinidad.  The final four rounds were fought close and any one or two of them could have been placed in De La Hoya’s column.  The Californian threw endless combinations whenever he pinned Floyd against the ropes on several occasions.  Oscar’s most potent weapon, the sweeping left hook, only served to keep Mayweather honest.  Floyd out punched De La Hoya down the stretch and dominated only in spurts.  De La Hoya never landed the left hook clean, the only weapon in his arsenal that Mayweather had to respect, and fear.

After twelve sessions the decision, with some reservation, seemed rightfully to belong to Mayweather.  De La Hoya appeared stronger and more durable at the final bell.  Had the bout went fifteen, I believe the Californian would have finally hurt Mayweather in the 13th or 14th round and come roaring down the stretch, much as Leonard did against Hearns a generation ago. 

If Oscar had won two of the three final rounds, the championship rounds, the contest would have been a narrow De La Hoya unanimous verdict. A Mayweather-De La Hoya rematch would create renewed interest and debate, in both the United States and around the world, and give boxing.