EL MUNDO ESPERA
src="https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2007/0221/box_a_oscarmayweather_134.jpg" width="134" height="75" border="0" alt="De La Hoya-Mayweather" />
OSCAR DE LA HOYA vs. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.
Sábado 5 de mayo, MGM Grand
English
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• Steinberg: EA Sports report
• Rafael: Floyd's hanging 'em up
• Rafael: And the winner is...
• Rafael: Mayweather, the villain
• Rafael: Roach good fit for Oscar
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• Struby: Is De La Hoya the best ?
• Simmons: Sleeping giant awakes
• Notebook: War of words rages on
• Rafael: Mosley to spar with Oscar
• Rafael: Catching the wave in DC
• Contursi: The day after...
• Contursi: History in the Making
• Faitelson: No favorites
• Faitelson: On Chavez's footsteps
• Sosa: How each of them can win
• Motta: Oscar's biggest challenge?
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Columnistas
• Contursi: Empieza lo bueno
• Faitelson: No hay favorito
• Sánchez: La gloria o el fracaso
• Sosa: Por el amor mexicano
• Contursi: Un combate histórico
• Faitelson: JC Chávez, el modelo
• Sánchez: Mayweather favorito
• Sosa: Qué harán para ganar
• Contursi: El día después
• Faitelson: La chance de Oscar
• Rafael: Y el ganador es...
• Simmons: Despierta un gigante
• Struby: De la Hoya, ¿el mejor?
• Rafael: Floyd cuelga los guantes
• Rafael: Mayweather el villano
• Rafael: El aporte de Roach
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• Motta: Oscar va por el honor
• Ibarra: Perfil de Mayweather Jr.
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• Exclusiva con De la Hoya II
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• Mayweather Jr.: ¿El mejor?
• Los guantes del Golden Boy
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• Floyd Mayweather se alista
• La opinión de los campeones
• El mundo espera el combate
• Una pelea para la historia
• Charla Dominical: De la Hoya
MEXICO -- He has captured seven world titles and an Olympic gold medal, has won 38 fights and lost just four, he has an estimated fortune of 200 million dollars, he is a respected promoter, he almost won a Grammy Award, he jumps into the ring every time he pleases, and for good money. Experts say he is one of the best five boxers in history and he isn't known to suffer from many of the vices which usually affect other fighters. But I have a suspicion: Oscar de la Hoya has always envied someone else's greatness.
I will never be able to forget two events in Oscar's life. In the latter of the two, he resented having beaten a legend of the sport. "I was very ashamed by what happened tonight. I didn't want to beat the man I have always admired, my idol," he said on that 1996 June evening in the Caesars Palace parking lot.
Oscar has always wanted to be what Julio Cesar Chavez meant inside and outside of the ring. There was never a marked disparity in terms of skills and style, where De la Hoya has thoroughly complied with the quality standards demanded by his time. But there has always been a huge difference in the affection, respect and admiration of the people.
Chavez was an example of devotion, perseverance, courage and ambition for all Hispanic and Mexican immigrants in the South of the United States. De la Hoya was the "Golden Boy" from an LA neighborhood always in turmoil, but he always enjoyed the support of a community and a country. There's not much more into it: Chavez was born in some railroad wagon in Culiacan with many needs but destined to become an idol. De la Hoya tried to buy in Wal Mart something that doesn't have a price tag.
Chavez' messy life is probably not a good example for the young and Oscar, on the other hand, could be the role model UNICEF is seeking for its next campaign for the children of the world.
The theory is correct, but useless when trying to explain how a community comes to love a certain figure. One could guess that it comes from the fact that, deep down, many human beings long for a life which has nothing to do with the routines of their society, so those who break away from convention and live every day as if it were their last are subject of admiration.
But let's not do some cheap psychology. There was only one Chavez and Oscar is different: He is a fighter building a career on records and even in his last days as a high performance athlete, he is capable of facing the best while aiming for a world title.
Fate is tricky and ironic. A great part of the skill, intelligence and motivation that Oscar will need next Saturday against Floyd Mayweather Jr., could come from Julio Cesar Chavez.
Which leads us to the first of the two events I mentioned right at the beginning, as March 17, 1990 could have been the most important day in both of their careers.
In the Las Vegas Hilton, Chavez amazingly came from behind to beat Maldrick Taylor by a technical knockout in the 12º and last round, becoming the best fighter on the planet. Oscar de la Hoya, who was only 17 at the time and busy with the American Olympic team that would compete in Barcelona 1992, watched on TV this legendary victory by the man whom he had always admired.
Some weeks ago, in his training camp in Puerto Rico, a reporter asked him what it would take to beat Mayweather. Oscar smiled before remembering the great battle Chavez gave Taylor that night in Las Vegas. "I just have to be like him," he said.
Many things have changed since those days. Before and after each one of their fights, Chavez and De la Hoya exchanged insults and widened their differences, but it must pointed out that Oscar was always decent enough to acknowledge the greatness of Julio Cesar.
It seems easy to say, but that's the approach: Oscar will have a better chance to lift his arms and celebrate on Saturday if he follows exactly what he saw on TV on that sacred night in the early spring of 1990.