Ink Blots; Oscar De La Hoya vs Floyd Mayweather Jr
 By Jess E. Trail (April 28, 2007) Doghouse Boxing (Photo © HBO)
What really is the story for the upcoming mega-showdown on May 5th between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Oscar De la Hoya?
Is it Floyd? Is Floyd Mayweather finally being recognized by the media? Floyd Mayweather has quietly amassed a record of 37-0 picking up titles in four weight classes along the way as casually as a family strolling through a sun-drenched park while little Rick-Rick unknowingly blows mucous bubbles while eating an ice cream cone.
I have to be honest. I absolutely refused to acknowledge his incredible skills and abilities until I watched him dismantle Diego Corrales with ease. Both were unbeaten, with no knowledge on how to lose. This was a performance that I believe was Floyd’s finest hour. At the time of this bout, Roy Jones was still reigning supreme at the top of the pound for pound ratings. I begrudgingly and without fanfare placed Floyd Mayweather Jr right at the top of that list with him – perhaps a half a step down. Floyd Mayweather is a complete package as a fighter. I also won’t make the same mistake that many make with any skilled boxer and pretend that he is simply a fancy boxer with no toughness. It is all there, including the grit.
With all this, the concept of popularity has been a sub-theme. He has not had the crossover appeal that the Sugar Ray Leonards, Muhammad Alis and yes, the Oscar De la Hoyas have enjoyed. In order to analyze this, you have to put yourself in a couple of different mindsets.
1.) An average sports fan that is not particularly interested in boxing but is general enough not to exclude it.
*These are the fans who do not watch boxing until someone really big enters the scene.
I believe that many of these fans feel a need to be involved in all big events in sport. They cannot be left out of the story and like to have a little more information than the average fan. They also like to be known as knowledgeable whatever the category of sport.
These are the fans who come rushing out of the woodwork when a Tyson enters the scene also. They must be a part of this, as addicted sports generalists. They must be able to discuss it. These are the ones who will appear informed until talking to an extreme boxing fan and begin tripping over their lack of depth.
2.) People who like to be inspired
*Some people are attracted to a boxer who brings something inspirational to the table. Without exception the fighter has to appear to be noble and above reproach. It must be something that this fan can feel is extraordinary and noteworthy above and beyond the norm. Sugar Ray Leonard’s sock and apparent goodness, Muhammad Ali’s dedication to his faith, any fighter’s attention to charity or any other category of benevolence.
3.) Women
*Deny it if you will, but women are drawn in against all odds at times.
The majority of women do not like boxing, and many abhor it because it seems to play into and magnify the small elements of the male mind. In fact, many women probably see men as grunting cavemen waving our clubs and urinating on ourselves while a big fight is on.
Young women are drawn in by those with charm, and other age groups of women are drawn in by those with... well, charm.
**
Enter into this equation ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Mayweather. He is a fancy boxer (bum rap to a point, because as mentioned before he is also a tough character) with a bad disposition. As a matter of fact, he has so clearly shunned the crossover crowd-drawing images of Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De la Hoya that many would come to the conclusion that the bad guy with the nasty and rude demeanor must be closer to the real personality. This, my good friends, is the key. Why is it that people forget that evil is old. We get evil and wrong all the time. Why would someone think they are going to be a fresh appeal with “keeping it real,” and being “raw and uncut?” We have had that a million times. Someone with the power of incredible and peerless skill, such as what Mayweather, and possessing apparent goodness, is a breath of fresh air. In a sport like boxing, it is a stale presentation indeed to convince fans through personality and demeanor that you are a bad person. And honestly, an imaginative sell is not required.
So, no the story is not Floyd Mayweather.
Is it Oscar? Is the story about a Mexican-American legend of boxing? Is the story that from a business-perspective his career has been very similar to that of Sugar Ray Leonard? Is it about his skill set? Was he overrated? Did he overreach in his career? Is he underrated due to a couple of defeats that could have gone the other way in his bout with Trinidad and his second bout with Mosley?
The fact is that Oscar’s career has already entered its twilight. He hit his peak several years ago. For this reason, and the fact that very few experts really believe Oscar will win, he also is not the story.
Is the story about an epic, once in a lifetime match-up? No, because the pairing of super fighters is all about timing. It either happens at the right time or no one really cares. The pairing of Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns in 1981 was a perfect example of the perfectly timed match and the perfect athletes to fill the role. Undefeated champions of the same division in a unification match with incredible skill, intensity, one punch knockout power, charisma, electricity as some of the many arousing factors. Later on, in 1989, the same fighters were matched and, relatively speaking, it was a “who gives a damn” affair.
This is a wonderful matchup of two great fighters with great names in boxing. In these categories, the match gets and A+. On the timing factor, it gets no better than a C-. Floyd is still totally at the top of his game and Oscar is not.
The key, however, and the story to this match was contained by the last paragraph. Two of the greatest boxing names in history are going to be in the ring together. That, of itself, is thrilling. And that, is why I will be watching... and possibly losing urinary control.
Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on exactly WHY you are all aflutter about a big match. Its hard to exactly pinpoint what causes you to fall into a trance the day of a big fight and when you re-enter consciousness, you have the battery cables hooked to your nipples. But it is sort of like looking at inkblots. Like this one I was looking at and I thought it was a donkey taking a sh*t during a cocktail party while holding a margarita with one pinky extended. I was pretty embarrassed when I found out the correct range of responses had to do with a family dinner and family togetherness. Wow. Since then I refuse to take the inkblot tests and I’m pretty sure that they sent the results to several federal agencies.
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