Happy Birthday, Oscar De La Hoya!

Oscar De La Hoya04.02.09 – by James Slater – The former “Golden Boy” himself, Oscar De La Hoya, celebrates his 36th birthday today. I say former “Golden Boy” due to the not too shining moment Oscar had last time out against perceived underdog Manny Pacquiao. Also, when a guy is in his mid-thirties, as De La Hoya is, he should not find himself being referred to as anything as insulting as a boy, golden or otherwise. (Who else cringed a little each and every time a post 30-year-old De La Hoya was introduced by the nickname?)

However, as inappropriate as his ring moniker is today, there is no denying the fact that in his heyday everything Oscar touched turned to gold. Even now, at age 36 and after the awful-to-watch drubbing he took at the hands of “Pac-Man,” there remains the possibility that the all-time great from East L.A will fight again. But even if he does or he doesn’t, what Oscar did in the 1990s and early 2000s can never be tarnished or taken away from him. Without any shadow of a doubt, the multi-weight world champion had a very special boxing career indeed..

Who was the only American to capture a gold medal in boxing at the 1992 Olympic games? Oscar. Who became the first boxer in history to win world titles at six different weight classes? Oscar. Who became the first man to defeat fine fighters, Genaro Hernandez, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Ike Quartey, and, to hell with what the judges said, Felix Trinidad? Again, Oscar. If these three examples of the man’s talent do not force you to concede the fact that De La Hoya is a true modern day great, then nothing will.

But Oscar achieved even more great things during his tenure as a fighter. Who can forget the way he lit up the world boxing scene in the days of his prime? From his May, 1995 destruction of Rafael Ruelas to his close points loss to Floyd Mayweather Junior in May of 2007, De La Hoya operated at the highest level and he gave the fans some electrifying fights/events to keep them entertained. The biggest and brightest star in all of boxing for well over a decade, “The Golden Boy” also generated a mind boggling amount of revenue for the top casinos and hotels.

Quite simply, the fans, both male and female, loved him, and they didn’t mind shelling out serious amounts of cash to see him perform. Even now, if he were to decide to box again, Oscar would have no trouble at all attracting the fans. Sure, his popularity has dipped in some quarters just recently – most notably on this very web site (judging by the comments he inspires, anyway). And De La Hoya is also yet another fighter who has been guilty of overstaying his welcome. But none of this detracts from his greatness.

In hindsight, maybe it was after the Mayweather Junior fight that Oscar should have walked away, his head held high in the knowledge that he had nothing left to prove and that he’d exited his sport after having pushed the reigning pound-for-pound king to the wire. But, like fellow greats named Ali, Robinson, Leonard, Hearns, Chavez and Armstrong – to name just six legends De La Hoya deserves to at the very least be mentioned with – Oscar was unable to quit while on top.

During his fantastic prime as a lightweight, a junior-welterweight, a welterweight and a junior-middleweight, though, Oscar made his sport appear special.

If his fighting days are indeed over, Oscar leaves with a fine 39-6(30) Record. During most of the time he spent compiling this record, De La Hoya was either the holder of a recognised world title or he was a fighter about to challenge for one.

The undisputed star of the ring in the 1990s to mid 2000s, Oscar can be proud of all he did as a fighter. Happy birthday, champ!