Oscar De La Hoya entered the International Boxing Hall Of Fame following a dazzling 45-fight career.
His journey began with a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics before turning pro and dominating the paid ranks. De La Hoya went 31 fights unbeaten, claiming titles in four weight classes from super-feather to welter before being served his first defeat by Felix Trinidad.
His impressive record – which went on to see him win championships in two more divisions taking his total to six – includes victories over iconic figures like Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker. He would lose to four more formidable opponents: Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Reflecting on his career with Ring Magazine, De La Hoya acknowledged Mayweather’s intelligence and footwork, and Quartey’s powerful jab but ultimately named Manny Pacquiao as the best fighter he ever encountered.
“I would have to say Pacquiao. I think his determination, his conditioning, his skill, his power, speed, footwork … he’s one of the fighters I most appreciated. Mayweather-Pacquiao would have been a lot different [if they’d fought] in their primes. Pacquiao would have beat [Mayweather] easy, absolutely.”
It was De La Hoya’s final fight, one he says he was destined to lose due to struggles with alcohol during training. Pacquiao’s relentless attack led to ‘The Golden Boy’s corner stopping the fight in the ninth round.
The Filipino’s momentum continued as he knocked out Ricky Hatton in his next fight. Like De La Hoya, the Brit hung up the gloves not long after. Pacquiao then moved up to welterweight, securing the world title with a final-round stoppage against Miguel Cotto.
Despite having his legacy as the sport’s one and only eight-division world champion, Pacquiao still considers a return. He has most recently been linked with Amir Khan, though that would likely be an exhibition.
