Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Kick Off 11 City Fight Promotional Tour In NYC!!!
Day 1 of the promotional tour for the Mayweather/De La Hoya mega fight in May kicked off in New York City in the company of several hundreds of fans and well over 200 media personnel as the spark that will eventually culminate into a brushfire was lit from first sight of the fighters.
Floyd Mayweather (37W-0L, 24KO’s) certainly seems to be ready to do his part in the promotion of the fight as he spent most of the afternoon heckling De La Hoya, barely allowing him to get a word in during his designated time to hold the mic.
After the continued interruptions from the Mayweather camp, De La Hoya said “This guys been getting under my skin for a while. He’s a little brat, and I’m gonna teach him a lesson”. He later went on to say to Floyd that “come May 5th, when I touch you, you’re gonna hurt for a week, and believe me, I’ll give you something to cry about”.
The iconic and always charismatic Oscar De La Hoya (38W-4L, 30KO’s) was fairly respectful, but at the same time showed clearly with his body language that he doesn’t intend to be bullied or have to sit second fiddle to a fighter that he believes he can outclass when the bell rings.
For Floyd Mayweather this is easily the largest scale he’s ever been on. Despite many showdowns with guys in the likes of Diego Corrales, Zab Judah, Carlos Baldomir, and a handful of other up and comer’s, none come close to the exposure he’ll soak up as the man standing opposite of boxings Golden Boy.
Some in the sport have quickly faded under the bright lights of Vegas, but Floyd seems ready and eager for a shot to dethrone the man who nearly single handedly carries the sport which has lacked true star power on a global front for quite some time.
While at the podium, the Mayweather camp spoke loud and clear to any and everyone that was willing to listen; Including a De La Hoya fan who felt the urge to yell out to Mayweather that “heart beats talent anyday”. Mayweather’s response to the pumped fan was blunt and to the precise. He responded “Well, 37 of my past fight opponents had talent, and they all came up short”.
Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s cornerman then shot back some venom of his own to the fan, stating “We know his [De La Hoya] heart can be tested because he’s laid down before”!, referring to Oscar’s fight against Bernard Hopkins where he remained on the canvas throughout the 10 count in pain after a gut-wrenching body shot.
The Mayweather camp closed their talks at the podium shortly after Floyd affirmed “Oscar can have heart, he can be stronger, and he can hit harder, but there’s no fighter smarter than me”.
Most boxing insider’s agree that if Floyd is to emerge as the winner of this fight it will be because of his ring smarts and his ring smarts alone. Oscar took this fight only by getting Floyd to agree to many things that add to his obvious advantage in height, weight, and possibly strength.
Even for the strongest skeptic, questioning Mayweather’s heart becomes a difficult thing to do when learning of the terms De La Hoya implemented and insisted that Floyd agree to in order for him to take the fight.
A smaller ring size, a pre-conditioned weight stipulation requiring that Floyd CAN’T COME IN BELOW a certain weight, (which is a common tactic when a fighter wants to make sure an opponent isn’t too quick on his feet), the gloves were handpicked by Oscar, which are more padded, thus taking some heat off of the ‘thump’ of a lightning quick power shot. (similar to Manny Pacquiao when Erik Morales refused initially to let him use the Reyes gloves in the first fight and the result was minimal damage and then let him use them in the second fight and he ended up getting knocked out).
Floyd’s only true advantage other than speed is his youth as he stands 4 years younger than the Golden Boy, but will that be enough in the end, only time will tell.
All steps leading up to the fight will definitely be of high interest, and one thing for sure, the fireworks will be seen from thousands of miles away as fans around the globe get set for this mega showdown.
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12 Responses to “Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Kick Off 11 City Fight Promotional Tour In NYC!!!”
April 5th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I like Floyd to win this fight. He’s got pure talent. I don’t like the trash he talks about the UFC. His butt would get handed to him by the UFC any day. After he beats De la de da de da… let him step into the octogon!
April 15th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Floyd is gonna get knocked out. It will be a beautiful sight to see that fool drop for all the smack he’s been talking. He will not be able to hurt Oscar. Once he feels De La Hoya’s power he will resort to running like the bitch he is. Mark it down.
April 16th, 2007 at 3:47 am
Eff Floyd- You have to remember, In any contest you have a good foe and a bad one…Floyd said clearly that since the world has this ‘picture’ of Oscar as a saint, he’d be the bad guy, and so he has. He’s not nearly as bad as he’s looked lately, but this is all the power of media and promotions. Mike Tyson did it, Muhammad Ali did it, James Toney does it…It’s boxing. But it should be a very interesting fight hopefully.
April 16th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Dude. Watch the HBO show and you will see what I am talking about. No need for that fool to go around acting like a street punk the way he is. It’s ghetto garbage like him that give the sport a bad rap.
April 16th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Eff Floyd- I hear you loud and clear. I do think that Floyd has taken on a brunt of the promotion himself and not for all the best reasons but I have one question for you, If he’s able to win this fight in a lopsided affair, (alas Winky Wright/Tito Trinidad), where Dela Hoya barely lands a clean shot and gets used and abused all night, what will your response to Floyd’s victory will be? That’s what my whole thing is. If Floyd gets in there and backs it all up by whipping the s**t out of ODH, what will the critics say then…Just curious.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
It’s not even perceivable to me that Floyd will win this fight. Remember, he had to move up in class to get this fight. If he were smart, he would have taken on a few tomato cans in the division before he signed on to fight DLH. Remember, DLH moved up to fight Hopkins, a stronger oppenent, and we saw how that ended. I view it the same way with Floyd. He moved up to fight a stronger DLH, but not only is DLH stronger, he is quick in his own right. Smart money bets on ODH.
April 21st, 2007 at 5:44 am
Eff Floyd: That’s what makes Floyd different and that’s why he calls himself the greatest. Think about it…He’s not only moving up in weight class to face the best there, but he gave the “best” in that weight class his choice of Boxing gloves, his choice in ringsize, he gave him the weight he wanted instead of a catch weight, he gave him everything he wanted so you know what?, if he does destroy Oscar Dela Hoya, like i said before, I just wanna know what the fight world and DLH fans will have to say about Floyd?
May 5th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
I saw the fight and to tell u the truth Oscar won that fight no doubt, but i guess thats how it goes in boxing. Even Floyd’s dad said Oscar had won.
May 5th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Josue- Couldn’t disagree more with you. Oscar put up a great effort, but he lost tonight to a better man. Mike Tyson lost i believe 3 of his last 6 past the 8th round in the twilight of his career…Oscar has now lost his last four, (or pretty close)…He is simply past his prime and Mayweather is in his. It’s just the ‘Changing of the Guard’…We see it all the time in Boxing.
May 6th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Vivek- I’m sorry but what fight were you watching? I bet you didn’t even see it. You probably picked up the morning paper and read Floyd won. Oscar was clearly the agressor of the fight. Like Oscar said, if he didn’t pursue Floyd there would not have been much of a fight cuz PBF kept running like a coward after feeling Oscar’s shots. De La Hoya got robbed. Plain and simple. And the truth of the matter is that Oscar was the Champion. You have to decisively beat the champion to prove you deserve his belt. Floyd did not do that. He got a gift. And now he wants to retire. Males sense he would not want a rematch or even think about Shane Mosely or Miguel Cotto, guys that will beat the snot outta PBF. Eff Floyd Gayweather.
May 6th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Eff Floyd- I think Oscar put up a good fight but he was kinda toying w/Oscar…He said that if he didn’t pursue Floyd there wouldnt have been a fight…BS….Oscar tried to use the gameplan of pressure as the bigger guy thinking that Floyd would lose his composure but it didnt work. Don’t get me wrong, I give Oscar full credit for fighting a good fight but this was more onesided than Oscar’s two matches against Floyd. As far as Shane and Miguel, I think Shane has the most legitimate chance. Cotto still has alot to prove and I expect him to decision Judah but it wouldnt surprise me if he lost that match…I like Miguel Cotto but there’s a reason they kept putting him in there with cupcakes…Could be a matter of time until he gets exposed. Paul Williams and Margarito both I think could expose Cotto if his chin is as weak as it seems.
May 7th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
it is not possible for a ODH to admit defeat of their champion! beleive me, if there was a little chance 4 the judges or the publice to give the victory to him, they would do it!
if ODH with all the conditions accepted by his oppenant can’t win this bout, how can he win in a rematch?
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