Oscar De La Hoya’s all-star résumé is packed with hall of famers, world champions and some of the finest to ever step through the ropes.
Now the face of Golden Boy Promotions — and of “Clapback Thursday” — De La Hoya was once the sport’s premier attraction. The 1992 Olympic gold medallist combined a killer smile and heartthrob looks with a ruthless streak and world-class ability that carried him to multiple world titles.
In the final stage of his career, the veteran De La Hoya backed himself to climb to middleweight to challenge undisputed champion Bernard Hopkins, then stretch his ringcraft to the limit against Floyd Mayweather, before attempting to tame the destructive Manny Pacquiao. Each ended in defeat, but his reputation for taking on the best was never in doubt.
Yet neither Hopkins, Mayweather nor Pacquiao was his pick for the most skilful opponent he ever faced when speaking to The Ring for their Best I Faced series. His answer takes fight fans back to the late 1990s and to one of the sport’s greatest technicians.
“[Pernell] Whitaker had to be one of the most skilful fighters in any generation – the fact he could stay right in front of you and still slip the punches. Whitaker wasn’t a runner; he was 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.”
De La Hoya became a four-weight world champion when he defeated Whitaker on April 12, 1997 to claim the WBC welterweight title. The 115-111 and 116-110 (twice) scorecards drew derision from Whitaker, who felt he deserved the verdict, and although De La Hoya vowed to grant a rematch, it never materialised.
Looking at his career entire, Whitaker was a masterful fighter whose technical skill, Olympic gold, and multiple world titles across four weight classes left a lasting legacy as one of the greatest pure defensive fighters in boxing history.
