DE LA HOYA'S NOSE GROWING DAY BY DAY

by Pedro Fernandez

After returning from Canestota, NY, I found three e mail messages asking where was the fighters.com story on Oscar De La Hoya and Patrick Charpentier? There isn't one and there won't be one. For I am a boxing journalist, and Oscar De La Hoya is no boxer.

Granted, he wears gloves. But "Oscar Meyer Weiner" fights guys that Lucia Ryker would beat the snot out of. And then he praises himself with statements like. "I've never been better."

In my mind, these Oscar fanatics are the biggest, most gullible chumps I have ever witnessed in my 30 years in the boxing game. Never has a fighter with any kind of title ducked quality pugs like Oscar baby. Never!

The only guy I can think of that avoided fighters (almost) as well as Oscar has, was Floyd Patterson when he was heavyweight champion in the late 50's.

Floyd fought the a debuting professional in Olympian Pete Rademacher, Roy "Cut & Shoot" Harris, Peter Mc Neely's father, and all the while he was avoiding both Ingemar Johansen, and even more so, Charles "Sonny" Liston.

In Oscar's case, Ike Quartey is playing Johansen, while Trinidad is the welterweight Liston. In four fights with these two terrors, Floyd got knocked out three times.

Manager Cus D'Amato knew Floyd couldn't beat Liston. And when Floyd was finally forced to fight Sonny, the man with the giant hands knocked him out twice in the first round. First in taking the title, and then in the rematch.

I interviewed Felix Trinidad this weekend in Canestota, NY, at the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In an interview that will be heard on Ring Talk this Saturday at 11:06 PM ET on the TALK AMERICA Radio Network with LIVE Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com, Felix rips Oscar a new orifice

"He's fighting bums. You know it, I know it, and the public should know it by now. He's worse than a chicken."

OK, so I've got under the skin of you Oscar-ite's haven't I? That's only because like throwing salt on an open wound, the truth hurts.

This is Daddy's Boy's schedule that he and promoter Bob Arum have mapped out for the next year.

First up, it's that broken down double talking Mexican Icon Julio Cesar Chavez. You know the hero who went on TV in June of 1996, and told his countrymen to bet the house on him against De La Hoya in their first encounter.

What the little bandito didn't tell his people was that he had a suffered a cut in training so severe, that when Oscar's first jab landed on Julio, the cut opened up. Four rounds later, the blood letting was stopped.

Why was Chavez allowed to fight with such a serious gash you ask? By wearing make up (Nu Skin) and a bandana to cover the wound when he was examined by the Nevada Athletic Commission in the pre-fight physical.

After El Ingrato, the De La Hoya dance card features the following partners. Oba Carr, Frankie Randall, and IBF 154 lb. guy Yori Boy Campas. On paper, only Yori Boy has a slim chance of hitting Oscar in the ass, let alone beating him.

But, in order to make sure that Yori Boy dances on only one foot, Arum and Pinocchio (Oscar's new moniker) are forcing the 154 lb. champion to come down to an unnatural weight of 147 lbs.

There is no question that if Oscar were the "Real Deal" he could hold boxing on his shoulders. Instead, Pinocchio holds the sport that has made him a millionaire no higher than groin level.

GIL CLANCY SERIOUSLY ILL?

You're probably thinking I shouldn't get into pouncing on veteran trainer Gil Clancy, but I will after I print his quotes about Oscar's mopping the floor with the hobo from Paris.

"He could end his career in most people's eyes as the best fighter who ever lived," Clancy said. "What I see in Oscar is almost a perfect fighter. There has never been a perfect fighter, but Oscar has so much potential."

A statement that ludicrous by the 70-something year old Clancy has me comparing his mental state to that of former President Ronald Reagan who has Altzheimers.

Even you De La Hoya disciples can smell the dung there, because in 28 fights thus far, Oscar has yet to put himself in a fight where he was in the slightest bit of peril.

First Pinocchio ducked Azumah Nelson, and Genaro Hernandez at 130 lbs. At lightweight, he refused to even acknowledge the existence of then longtime WBA champ Orzubek Nazarov.

Team Pinocchio was willing to fight then world and IBF 140 lb. champion Kostya Tsyzu. In fact, Arum introduced the Russian/Aussie to the masses when Kostya appeared underneath De La Hoya and Miguel Angel Gonzalez.

But Kostya screwed up big time when he annihilated Leonardo Mas in less than two heats. That performance scratched Tsyzu from the short list of non-dangerous foes, and Oscar opted instead to face the light punching Pernell Whitaker in April of 1997, who in a lot of people's minds deserved the decision over Pinocchio.

Since then, it's been David Kapow, excuse me I mean Kamau. With no chance, Kamau was the perfect foil. Next up, it was the "Harlem Heckler" Hector Camacho, a fighter who is dwarfed by De La Hoya. No longer even resembling a Macho Man, Hector still went the 12 round route with the "best fighter ever."

Last December, the pigeon was Puerto Rican Wilfredo Rivera, who bowed out in eight heats. Afterwards, Oscar was quoted as saying. "Rivera was one of my toughest fights."

Now there, he was telling a reasonable facsimile of the truth. But how tough could Rivera be when he struggled to outpoint 49 year old Carlos Palamino a fortnight ago.

Gil Clancy is smart enough to realize that he's being disengenuine with the public when he boasts of Oscar being the best fighter ever.

But then again, maybe he does have Altzheimers!

Pedro Fernandez

Note: Don't miss Ring Talk this Saturday night for two hours beginning at 11:06 PM ET on the Talk America Radio Network. LIVE Internet audio is available at www.talkamerica.com

Besides having the "REAL" world welterweight champion Felix Trinidad, we will air an encore presentation of Marvelous Marvin Hagler's first American radio interview in 11 years. World lightweight and IBF champ Shane Mosley, and 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist David Reid will both make a cameo appearance on Ring Talk to discuss their June 27, bouts on FX.

On Sunday at 11:06 PM ET, on the TALK AMERICA "2" Network aka "The Deuce." Ring Talk will feature Mr. HBO Larry Merchant. Listener call ins are toll free in the USA & Canada.

Ring Talk, in it's 13th year truly is "the insider's look into the world of boxing." Tune in and you will find out why Pedro has no peers! Just a bunch of jealous incompetents who should take their place at his feet!

E mail can be sent to Mr. Fernandez at flash@inow.com


Upcoming Fights Current Champions America Online Newsletter Back to Main News Page
6.19.98 [Return to Top]