Oscar De La Hoya vs. Bernard Hopkins

A superstar whose popularity transcends boxing, Oscar De La Hoya is considered to be one of the best fighters in the world at any weight - pound for pound. He is also the biggest non-heavyweight attraction and moneymaker at the gate. He has defeated 14 world champions, one twice.

Steve Springer of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "With his prospects for a meaningful fight at 154 pounds having evaporated, Oscar De La Hoya has decided to move up to 160 pounds, acclimate himself with a June 5 match against World Boxing Organization champion, Felix Sturm of Germany and take on undisputed middleweight king, Bernard Hopkins in the fall.
" 'Bernard Hopkins is very, very dangerous,' De La Hoya said, "I'm not doing this for the money, I'm doing it for the history. This guy (Hopkins) is strong...I know I'm in deep water.'
He lost a very controversial decision loss in his fight against Shane Mosley - the vast majority of people who watched the fight, some 75% according to various internet polls, thought he deserved to win.

Regarding that fight, he said, "I don't feel like a loser and that makes a big difference for me. When I fought Mosley the first time around, I felt like I lost, that he got me that night. With this fight, I just don't feel that way. I will continue on in the sport, the sport that made me who I am today. Boxing is in my blood. This is the sport I love and will continue being in as long as my body and mind allow me to.

Regarding the scoring of the Mosley fight, he said, "I don't want to blame anyone or point fingers, but that will be a mystery to me for the rest of my life. I put it in its proper place. I'm moving forward. After talking with my family and my wife, I feel wonderful. I feel like the champ. My body and my mind feel great. I feel at ease."

In June 2004, he was involved in yet another controversial decision - this time, his win by unanimous decision against German WBO Middleweight champion, Felix Sturm. This co-main event feature with Bernard Hopkins vs Robert Allen, required that both De La Hoya and Hopkins win their respective bouts as a prelude to a mega pay per view fight against each other in September. Both Hopkins and De La Hoya were declared the winner of their bouts, the stage was set, and the mega fight was on. Unfortunately for Oscar, the fight against Sturm was a difficult one for him. He gave it everything he had, while Sturm remained unphased and unmarked and also dealt De La Hoya frequent blows to his head and face in the later rounds. Many viewers of the fight questioned and debated the decison believing Sturm deserved the win.

He has been successful at the highest levels of competition, and has beaten current or former world champions, Fernando Vargas, Pernell Whitaker, Arturo Gatti, Ike Quartey, Julio Cesar Chavez twice, Hector Camacho, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, James Leija, Genaro Hernandez, Rafael Ruelas, John John Molina, Jorge Paez, Francisco Castillejo, Yory Boy Campas, Jimmi Bredahl, and Troy Dorsey.