Al Bello/Allsport
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De La Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is 27 years old, and if you've paid attention to his press
clippings over the years you'd know he's supposed to have enrolled in
architecture school by now, or at least be in the process of applying. Though
his academic aspirations have yet to come to fruition, there has always been
more to the Golden Boy than a pretty, boyish face and powerful jab. Beneath his
winsome, media-savvy persona is a pugilist of innate tenacity.
Yes, that tenacious side of De La Hoya did go on hiatus for a while (perhaps the kid read his own clippings and started to believe that the world actually wanted to see him as a golfer, a singer, an actor or an architect). But his loss to Felix Trinidad last September awakened the giant ego within. We saw a glimmer of the old De La Hoya killer instinct when he delivered a body-blow kayo to Derrell Coley in February. And the predatory snarl will be seen again on Saturday night.
De La Hoya and Shane Mosley are among the best pound-for-pound boxers in the
fight game today. Each has talent and heart. The decisive factor, though, will
be raw power. Mosley may be stronger than he gets credit for being (32 KOs in 34
starts, including two stoppages at 147 pounds), but De La Hoya bangs in another
league.
Above all, De La Hoya is by nature far too arrogant to suffer a letdown at home in L.A. against another local product. Saturday night, Mosley's the one who's going to school.
-- CNNSI.com's Evan Kanew
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Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport
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Mosley
There's a good reason he's nicknamed "Sugar," and those who haven't had the chance to see why will have ample opportunity on Saturday night.
Shane Mosley's awesome hand speed and ability to torture his opponent's body immediately invoke images of Ray Leonard. Make no mistake about it, Mosley is no Leonard, but then again neither is Oscar De La Hoya. However, these fighters may be the best welterweights since the days of Leonard and Hearns.
Saturday's fight will be surprising if it lacks fireworks, because both of these guys are loaded. And unloading will be where De La Hoya makes his mistake. De La Hoya enters this fight overeager and overconfident. He's made no secret of the fact that he wants to knockout four opponents this year, and with a seventh-round knockout of Derrell Coley, he started on the right foot.
Mosley is a different story however. If an agressive De La Hoya leaves himself open too often, he will get tagged, he will get hurt and he will lose. De La Hoya doubts Mosley's power, but 32 knockouts in 34 fights don't lie, regardless of the division.
--CNNSI.com's Tim Griffin
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