De La Hoya's The Pretty, Pretty Favorite

Photogenic boxer is hot, but can title fight heat up boxing?
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted May 3, 2007 10:40 PM CDT
De La Hoya's The Pretty, Pretty Favorite
Boxer Oscar De La Hoya looks on during a news conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 2, 2007. De La Hoya will defend his WBC junior middleweight boxing title against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 5. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)   (Associated Press)

In the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. title fight, the defending champion with the winning smile is the overwhelming people's favorite. And the bout is for more than just the WBC light middleweight crown. It's projected to shatter pay-per-view records and perhaps even rejuvenate boxing—a notion De La Hoya rejects.

"I think we've already saved the sport," said the charismatic Mexican-American, who will make at least $23 million (to Mayweather's $10 million) for tomorrow's fight. "It's not dying and it's not dead." Of his showdown with Mayweather, whom many consider the best active pound-for-pound boxer, he said, "I don’t see this fight going the distance." (More boxing stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X