Just a few things here, after seeing the magnificent beating the DLH put on Mayorga (who actually looked very dangerous last night).
This Oscar that we saw last night was the most DANGEROUS I've ever seen him. I had never seen him be so vicious, so exacting, so brilliant, and just altogether MEAN.
First of all, he has a new right hand that I've never seen before. Delahoya always had an effective left hand (double jabs, that killer left hook or lead uppercut), but tonight, we saw him FINALLY bring out a right hand that is brutal and accurate. It's a weird right in that it's thrown kind of like an overhand, but has the effect of a stiff cross. This punch setup his beautiful left hook.
His left hook, thrown famously as a counter, was thrown solely last night as part of a purely redesigned OFFENSE. Totally unreliant on speed or fakes, his low jab/overhand right/left hook was so on the money.
After the first knockdown, Oscar did something I've never seen him do before: he just stood there, and stared directly at his downed opponent, as if to say "who's the MARICON now?!?" It was so uncharacteristic of Oscar, because usually he doesn't sport an attitude in any form. When he knocks opponents down, he jogs to the neutral corner. I think this is the sign of a more confident, more self-possessed Oscar, as opposed to the Oscar who kept playing at Mr. Nice Guy, because his father told him to.
Notice that after the first knockdown, it was OSCAR who was cutting the ring. Unheard of! I've never seen him be so aggressive in EVERY way.
Not a mark on his face. Mayorga's punchstats was at 14%; in the 4th round (I believe) Mayorga threw 58 punches, landing only 8.
IMHO, the Oscar we saw last night should be his last fight...as the "Golden Boy." The "Golden Boy" was crushed by a liver shot by Hopkins in his last fight, and frankly died in the 20 months that he took the layoff.
This NEW Oscar is someone totally different, someone that frankly took me by surprise. Even in his "greatest" victory against Vargas, he didn't look half as good (or "bad"?) as the one I saw last night. Much more mature and self-confident. He's much more settled into his bodyweight, stronger. Less reliant on "youth" attributes, relying solely on executing strategy, precising timing, and newfound power. Totally redesigned offense, much slicker on the defense...and just not afraid to show the mean-streak he's either just found or has been suppressing all these years.
I think this is a new phase in his career, and I think he has 2-3 really good fights left in him. I hope we see more of the "new" Oscar.
I noticed that too. And the neat thing was that he was using defense while still actually pushing the action, as opposed to him just getting on his bicycle.
As to the mean streak, the old Oscar used to have it (like against Ruelas and Chavez.) But it had been a long time since we'd seen it. If only every boxer lit a fire under his ass like Mayorga did...
My ideal scenario now: he fights Floyd Jr. next, and then have the winner there going against the winner of a Margarito vs. Hatton fight (assuming Hatton beats Collazo.)
"I noticed that too. And the neat thing was that he was using defense while still actually pushing the action, as opposed to him just getting on his bicycle."
Exactly. Totally new for Oscar. He lost the bicycle, and got himself a bulldozer.
Well, my all time ideal scenario would be:
1) KO Tito
2) Destroy Hatton
3) Have an all out war with PBF (doesn't matter if he wins or loses here, just make a fight for the ages. No running, just make a classic out of it).
IMO he'll go straight for PBF. Floyd is in his prime, but ODH isn't getting any younger. If ODH wants to win he'll need to take the fight when his handspeed is still there, not a year an a half from now when he's a bit older and a bit slower.
"The bout with Mayweather is not set in stone as De La Hoya's trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., said that he would do everything in his power to discourage De La Hoya from fighting his son." (copied from http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=3997)
This means if Oscar wants to fight Floyd he will have to find another trainer. I seriously doubt Oscar will take that chance.
That should pretty much sum up the fighter A versus fighter B logic so many people use when predicting fights.
Also am I the only guy who thinks Ricky hatton has become the most overrated fighter in boxing?
Good post 4 ranges.
IMO Oscar should fight Margarito next. It would be a huge payday and IMO a very easy fight for Oscar. Other than hatton, margarito is the most overrtaed fighter in boxing.
Mayweather Sr. may try to discourage it, but it is the biggest fight out there right now in that weight range. Floyd and ODH are both coming off of impressive performances. The ppv will be huge, the purses will be huge. ODH still has the clout, so he could probably force the fight to happen at 154 which would mean Mayweather would have to move up again.
All in all the stars are aligned for this one. I would say that there is a 99.9% chance that Mayweather wants this fight given it would be far and away his biggest payday. ODH will make his payday regardless of who he fights, but beating Mayweather would be HUGE for him in terms of legacy, much more so than Margarito. If he's really considering only one more fight, the Mayweather fight would be the one.
homie I bet Oscar makes more for himself against Margarito than against Floyd. Hell, margarito has as large or larger fan base than Floyd. Floyd is obviously the better fighter but Margarito costs much less, probably more than half as much.
Also, Oscar easily beats Margarito IMO. He is slow and plodding and Oscar will hit him with ease as would floyd IMO. He could beat up mrgarito and then fight Floyd and probably make 40 million or more in the process and also gain some serious negotiating power against floyd because margarito is Floyd's biggest payday outside of Oscar. IMO Hatton has zero plans on fighting floyd.
lol at Oscar only fighting once more. It used to be he would quit at 30. He is 33 and still fighting. He will fight until he cannot fight anymore. He is too greedy to quit. I would not be surprised to see Oscar fighting at 38 or 40 and why not. He rarely gets hit and has a style that would allow him to do so. I just get sick of the garbage of one more fight. It is almsot as bad as Ray leonard.
Oscar will have to find a new trainer if he decides to fight Floyd Jr. I don't see a fight between Oscar and Floyd happening. I can see him taking on Margarito or Hatton.
I mention Margarito not because I overrate him, but because outside of Floyd Jr. he is the best of all the current welterweights. In trying to unify/crown the best in the division, his name certainly deserves mention.
Can't see why anyone would have a problem with that.
"Oscar will have to find a new trainer if he decides to fight Floyd Jr"
Yeah, that would seem to be a roadblock to making this fight. Floyd Sr. has said that he would never coach someone to go against his own son.
And Oscar claimed at the post-fight press conference that he will never fight again without Floyd Sr. in his corner...
So that leaves Tito Trinidad as a farewell fight. That should be it, if Tito decides to come out of retirement. Nothing would cement his legacy more, than to erase the image of him running in the last 3 rounds by fighting the good fight against Tito.
he fought a washed up hasbeen that cant box! he was hand picked specifically because it would be a wipeout. its impossible to look bad against that punching bag, unless you get in a time machine and go back to a singular performance that took place almost four years ago.
the "new" oscar is the same as the old oscar, except he went bottom feeding for the easiest possible "name" fight he could find.
PBF should jump all over a DLH fight regardless of the weight class. oscar's likely to buy into the hype that you guys have fallen under and it will be his demise. he never was on PBF's level and he certainly isnt now at this point in his career.
Honestly I think Floyd and Margarito's mgmt. would be the only ones to risk an Oscar fight. It's huge money for them they can't get elsewhere.
I would be stunned if Hatton's people pushed seriously for Oscar fight now. They can make tons of dough fighting Collazo-type of guys. Floyd and especially Margarito cannot.