2008 Woodie Awards
Fan favorite versus favored fighter
De La Hoya, Mayweather entertain only out of ring
Danny Acosta
Issue date: 5/8/07 Section: Sports
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The pro-De La Hoya crowd gave a standing ovation to the East Los Angeles native after the fight. Judges scored the bout 115-113 for De La Hoya and 116-112, 115-113 for Mayweather, giving the "Pretty Boy" a split decision.
The decision weighed heavily on what type of scoring would be done. If judges factored in aggressiveness, punch count, and crowd noise, De La Hoya won the fight. However, two out of the three judges emphasized punch accuracy and effectiveness-the traits Mayweather brought to the fight.
Mayweather refused to commit. He fought defensively the entire fight, only demonstrating offense in the last quatrain.
De La Hoya was trained by Freddy Roach-widely considered by boxing analysts as one of the best trainers in the world-for this fight. Roach advised De La Hoya to throw the jab between every round. He threw it scarcely. When he did, it opened up his body flurries and pushed Mayweather against the ropes, executing Roach's strategy. However, Mayweather clinched and circled away, rendering De La Hoya's efforts helpless.
"I showed you what I could do to one of the best fighters in our era," said Mayweather, Jr., who reportedly earned $10 million.
The pre-fight drama surpassed the in-fight drama. HBO aired four half-hour specials leading up to the fight. The programs, narrated by actor Liev Schreiber, chronicled the fighter's lives and training camps leading up to boxing's biggest fight since De La Hoya's 1999 bout against Felix Trinidad.
The special discussed De La Hoya's former trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr., who left De La Hoya to be with his son's camp. His offspring, however, refused to be trained by his father. Instead, he gave the nod to his uncle and long-time trainer, Roger Mayweather.
Post-fight, Mayweather, Sr. said he believed De La Hoya won the fight.
"The Golden Boy," who promoted the fight, reportedly earned upward of $25 million. He said, "As a champion, I wanted to stop him." De La Hoya claimed Mayweather did not do enough to beat the champion. HBO announcer Larry Merchant asked De La Hoya why he stopped throwing his key punch, the left jab, which was integral to his game plan. "For some reason, it's just one of those nights," said De La Hoya.