Oscar De La Hoya faced some of the best fighters of a generation and beyond, including the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
‘The Golden Boy’ was at one stage the biggest star in the sport of boxing, buoyed by the top prize at the 1992 Olympic Games and a professional career that saw him go 31 fights undefeated before tasting his first loss against Felix Trinidad in 1999.
However, many at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on the night of April 12 1997 felt De La Hoya came up short against Pernell Whittaker.
Whittaker, who was just four fights away from retirement, put his WBC Welterweight World Title on the line, knocking De La Hoya down in the ninth but losing unanimously on the scorecards – a decision many felt unfair to the busier and more accurate champion.
The fight did prompt De La Hoya to brand his foe – a four-weight world champion – as the most skillful fighter he ever faced in a feature with the Ring Magazine. That is despite future losses to both Mayweather and Pacquiao, largely considered two of the most elite talents the sport has ever seen.
“Whitaker had to be one of the most skillful fighters in any generation – the fact he could stay right in front of you and could still slip the punches. Whitaker wasn’t a runner; he was just someone who stood right in front of you and knew how to slip. Whitaker knew how to knock you out, too. Punching power, skill, I.Q. – Whitaker had it all. He’s probably one of the all-around best boxers I faced.”
In other categories discussed, ‘The Golden Boy’ opted for Mayweather as the smartest, Whittaker for defence, Mayweather for footwork and Pacquiao as the best overall.
Whittaker retired in 2001 with a record of 40 wins and just four losses. He passed away in 2019 after being struck by a car while crossing the road.
