De La Hoya: "I Want Miguel Cotto in December"

Boxerboy · 04-24-2008, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Earlier this year, Oscar De La Hoya said that he would fight three times in 2008 and then retire from the sport to fully focus on his successful company, Golden Boy Promotions. He returns next week in Carson, California to face Steve Forbes, and if successful he will rematch Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September. If he gets by Mayweather, he says that a December fight with WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto is the one he wants to end his career.

In the past De La Hoya claimed to have made a promise to his wife (a popular Puerto Rican singer) that he would never fight another Puerto Rican fighter again. Something, possibly the money involved in such a fight, has changed his mind.

"If I beat Mayweather, who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, my following fight has to be with one of the best and it's no secret that Miguel Cotto is one of the best in the world," De La Hoya said. "He has a difficult fight with Antonio Margarito (July 26) and although any thing can happen, we all know that Miguel Cotto is going to win.

De La Hoya ruled out a possible rematch with Felix Trinidad because the Puerto Rican fighter because the weight difference is too much. Trinidad is currently campaigning at light heavyweight. He says a fight with Cotto is not necessary, but he can’t face an easy opponent in the last fight of his career.

"I don't need to fight Cotto, but obviously my last fight cannot be against an easy opponent. It's going to be against one of the best and after Mayweather, the next one is Cotto, who is a boxer that always wants to fight the best in the world," De La Hoya said.

This is why I love DLH!! The guy will fight anybody! If Cotto beats him! Hopefully he will become "PPV worthy" in PBF's eyes, and we'll get that fight too in '09!!

opsy · 04-24-2008, 04:36 PM

I don't know much about boxing but it seems like all De La Hoya has left is his name. Can he really be considered a shell of its former self?

What do the boxing gurus think about the Miguel -- Mayweather fight?

Boxerboy · 04-24-2008, 09:41 PM

I'd be interested to hear what the other guys who are into boxing on this site think of DLH. My opinion of him is that he is still top class! He is fighting at Light-middle which I dont think is his best weight. I think he should move back down to welterweight to fight Mayweather again. He would have a huge advantage. I really think he has a good chance of beating PBF in September. IF he uses the jab! He seemed to forget about it a few rounds into the first fight. He got closer than anyone (Possible exception of Castillo) to beating PBF, and I really feel, with Floyd Snr in his corner this time, that he just might do it!
He is one of my favourite fighters in the modern era, based on the fact that he will fight anyone. He has an exceptional boxing brain and despite his pretty boy persona, is an absolute warrior with huge heart.

Opsy,as far as DLH, just having his name now.I wouldn't say thats the case. He still is a phenomenal draw. His promotional company, Golden Boy promotions, is probably the future of the sport. He plans to do away with the "alphabet titles" and have one champion in each weight class. He recently purchased Ring magazine, the most respected boxing publication. He has publicly said that Golden Boy plans to give "The Ring" magazines champs, the recognition as legitimate world champs.
In short, his promotion seems intent on undoing the damage of Don King, Arum etc. I think Golden Boy is the best thing to happen the sport since Tyson. It is no surprise, that, since its inception. Boxing, has enjoyed a MASSIVE resurgance. Fans are finally seeing the fights we want to see. The promotion of the fights themselves is more polished (HBO's 24/7 series for example) and a lot of all that is down to Golden Boy!

As far as Cotto/PBF goes! Its THE fight, every boxing fan wants to see! Two guys in the top 10 pound for pound rankings! Its Sugar Ray Leonard (PBF) Vs Tommy Hearns (Cotto) all over again! It will be a super fight! I honestly dont know who will win! I'd like to say Cotto, but Mayweather is a one off! His style gives everyone problems, and a lot of guys (Hatton, Gatti, Mitchell) just dont know how to fight against it. He is fantastic, and IMO does not get the credit he deserves! He is the Tiger Woods of boxing! Cotto though, while he has not fought the level of opponent that Mayweather has, he has come through each test impressively and definately will test PBF. If pushed, I would say Mayweather. But the next 6 months will tell us a lot about both guys

FatCat · 04-24-2008, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxerboy

I'd be interested to hear what the other guys who are into boxing on this site think of DLH. My opinion of him is that he is still top class! He is fighting at Light-middle which I dont think is his best weight. I think he should move back down to welterweight to fight Mayweather again. He would have a huge advantage. I really think he has a good chance of beating PBF in September. IF he uses the jab! He seemed to forget about it a few rounds into the first fight. He got closer than anyone (Possible exception of Castillo) to beating PBF, and I really feel, with Floyd Snr in his corner this time, that he just might do it!
He is one of my favourite fighters in the modern era, based on the fact that he will fight anyone. He has an exceptional boxing brain and despite his pretty boy persona, is an absolute warrior with huge heart.

Opsy,as far as DLH, just having his name now.I wouldn't say thats the case. He still is a phenomenal draw. His promotional company, Golden Boy promotions, is probably the future of the sport. He plans to do away with the "alphabet titles" and have one champion in each weight class. He recently purchased Ring magazine, the most respected boxing publication. He has publicly said that Golden Boy plans to give "The Ring" magazines champs, the recognition as legitimate world champs.
In short, his promotion seems intent on undoing the damage of Don King, Arum etc. I think Golden Boy is the best thing to happen the sport since Tyson. It is no surprise, that, since its inception. Boxing, has enjoyed a MASSIVE resurgance. Fans are finally seeing the fights we want to see. The promotion of the fights themselves is more polished (HBO's 24/7 series for example) and a lot of all that is down to Golden Boy!

As far as Cotto/PBF goes! Its THE fight, every boxing fan wants to see! Two guys in the top 10 pound for pound rankings! Its Sugar Ray Leonard (PBF) Vs Tommy Hearns (Cotto) all over again! It will be a super fight! I honestly dont know who will win! I'd like to say Cotto, but Mayweather is a one off! His style gives everyone problems, and a lot of guys (Hatton, Gatti, Mitchell) just dont know how to fight against it. He is fantastic, and IMO does not get the credit he deserves! He is the Tiger Woods of boxing! Cotto though, while he has not fought the level of opponent that Mayweather has, he has come through each test impressively and definately will test PBF. If pushed, I would say Mayweather. But the next 6 months will tell us a lot about both guys

LOL. With all the use of all those exclamations, I ended up reading this post in the voice of Harold Lederman. Good post man. It's nice to see someone passionate about boxing around here, it's been needed for a while.

Boxerboy · 04-24-2008, 10:14 PM

LOL! Just read my post back there after you pointed that out about the exclamation marks! and Yeah! It could be read, while brandishing pom poms!!! Apologies!

FightFan76 · 04-25-2008, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxerboy

This is why I love DLH!! The guy will fight anybody! If Cotto beats him! Hopefully he will become "PPV worthy" in PBF's eyes, and we'll get that fight too in '09!!

Well DLH said if he beats PBF he would like to fight Cotto, so if he does and than Cotto beats him then a PBF/Cotto would lose some of its hype even though I would still like to see that fight. I actually believe DLH has a good chance to beat PBF in the rematch.....

jyd94 · 04-25-2008, 06:12 PM

I definatly don't think Oscar is a shell of his former self, but I was never a big fan to begin with. In his losses PBF and Sugar Shane are just taylor made to beat him, Hopkins was way too big, In his wins Strum was 'overlooked', Chavez was ancient, the Tito fight still angers me to this day, and Vargas wasn't a real test no matter how he was pumped up by HBO. All in all he is a great fighter and champ just not one of the best of all time. He can still beat all but the best of the best out there right now. Cotto would be very interesting, moreso than a rematch with PBF.