Had Chavez been in his prime (say the Chavez of the Rosario fight) could he have held his own against the young stud Oscar Dela Hoya or the ultimate speedster Hector Camacho? Oscar was a buzzsaw that day he ripped thru Chavez and hitting prime Hector was harder than hitting a cloud. How could Chavez possibly do it? Would judges from Mexico necessarily have to be selected? Those two fighters IMO would be the ultimate test for him.
If Oscar truly idolized Chavez, he would have given Chavez a rematch after winning the title in that fashion. He was dominating Chavez, but that cut left something to be desired. The cut was from a punch, and the bout should have been stopped. I just think Oscar set the tone for the rest of his career here. He was more interested in being Ray Leonard than he was Pernell Whitaker. More interested in his own glory than in truly proving himself and leaving any doubts. He gave Chavez a rematch a little later, at another weight. Oscar looked like a man fighting a child. Chavez had a few moments in this fight before quitting on his stool after a vicious hook from Oscar drained the fight out of him. Those moments look as though Chavez could have a chance with him had he been younger. He would have out fought Oscar on the inside. Oscar showed he had the legs to run all night against Trinidad. He also showed substance against Vargas. Vargas bulled him into the ropes early in that fight, and I remember the look on Oscar's face. He was shocked by Vargas' strength, and looked very concerned. He showed his competitive spirit that night. Oscar's height, reach, speed, legs, good power at 140 would have always posed a threat to Chavez. I don't know if Chavez could beat him if Oscar chose the right game plan. The problem with Camacho is his heart. Camacho would never quit for anyone, but he would stop trying to find a way to win. He reminds me of Mike Tyson in this regard. In some of his fights, when the going gets tough he just starts going through the motions. Like he has lost mentally. If Camacho were younger when he fough Chavez, he would have made the fight a lot more difficult. I just think Chavez would apply enough pressure to take the fight away from him late. Chavez would beat a younger Camacho by decision around 7-5 in terms of rounds.
If you watch De La Hoya-Chavez II you will notice that Chavez actually fools him tactically. Over the first 6-7 rounds of the fight Chavez holds back and doesn't steam forward at all. He actually gives De La Hoya a lot of trouble with this style, especially when De La Hoya isn't on the balls of his feet working a rhythm behind his jab. Chavez was good on the outside in the rematch. And IMO they were fighting on even terms inside until De La Hoya landed that monster uppercut at the end of the 8th round. I'd give De La Hoya the slight edge, but only just.
Yeah, De La Hoya did idolize Chavez. But the fighter who's style he truely admired the most as a fighter was Arguello. With Chavez being Mexican and De La Hoya being an amateur kid when Chavez was in his prime the 'idolizing' was always going to come with the territory.
De La Hoya is natutaly the bigger man than Chavez... in De La Hoya-Chavez II the fight took place at Welterweight where De La Hoya on fight night weighed in at 160+ pounds. Where as Chavez struggled to make Welter weighing in at 144lbs. although I also agree that Julio's experience at times made Oscar look foolish in the fight, you couldn't help but notice it was truly a Jr. Middle vs. a Jr. Welter the size difference was huge. (Chavez landed flush shot's would bit even budge Oscar) Had Julio not had such a great chin De La Hoya-Chavez II would have been over in 4. (Without a cut ruining it like in I) But Prime for Prime...:think
A prime Camacho had many,many problems with Edwin Rosario. While Chavez destroyed Rosario. How about a couple of common opponents? Whitaker: A slightly fading Chavez at 147. Against a prime Whitaker, Gave Whitaker a good fight, it was close but Whitaker should have gotten the nod. Now against De La Hoya a past his prime Whitaker gave a prime De La Hoya all he could handle & probably should have gotten the nod on that one as well. Camacho: Past his prime against Chavez, Chavez won pretty convincingly. De la Hoya fought an even older Camacho & it was a much closer match. And as far as De La Hoya's legs are concerned, his stamina has always been in question. That's when Chavez is at his best, coming on strong in the late rounds. Plus the key factor. De la Hoya was always vulnerable to the straight right hand(Even Gil Clancy commented on this). Chavez would deliver hard right hands down the pipe all night long & when De La Hoya raises his guard. A brutale assault to the body. Chavez goes to the body much better than Hopkins ever did.
Oscar used to by known as the fighter that closed the show. I'm not saying he should have been victorious against Quartey, but he sure won the last round. It wasn't until he through his fight with Trinidad away, and after that losing the 12th to Shane Mosley, that people began to question his stamina. His stamina was always good before those fights. I do not recall him tiring down the stretch. As I stated earlier, Chavez would have a chance against Oscar. He proved as much when he challenged him at 147. I still think Oscar can take a younger version at 140 if he can stick to the right game plan. As far as how each performed against Camacho, I don't really take into consideration. Camacho doesn't fight like Oscar, Chavez doesn't fight like Camacho, and styles make fights. Ali beat Foreman, but Foreman handled Frazier and Norton better than Ali. Hopkins was a 6'1/2" middleweight, not a 5'7" junior welterweight. I can't really use this fight as a barometer for De la Hoya vs. Chavez.
If De La Hoya is to be matched against Chavez at 135lbs or 140lbs his stamina cannot be questioned. Your correct, stamina was never an issue with him up until the Trinidad fight. Against Molina, Gonzalez, Whitaker, and even Quartey at welterweight he always closed fights strongly.
Against Miguel Angel Gonzalez, De La Hoya tired and retreated in the end of the fight, The crowd was loudly boooing him. The only reference to Hopkins is that Chavez has a savage body attack. As well a straight right hand, that De La Hoya has always been vulnerable to. & against Quartey De La Hoya was knocked down & hurt badly.
De La Hoya closed the show and opened up with heavy power punches during the last round of the Gonzalez fight. I've never heard of anyone have a different opinion of that particular fight. Apart from the other poster above your last post. Maybe he needs to view the fight again. No doubt about it actually.
In the end of the fight De La Hoya was retreating and Gonzalez was following him around the ring while the crowd was Boooing. They even Booed the Decision and De La hoya shrugged his shoulders to the crowd. It's on tape if you want to see it again.
Your a pure liar. De La Hoya opened up and hit Gonzalez a few times with power punches during the last round. The crowd booed the decision. Are you suggesting Gonzalez won the fight? I sure hope not. If your serious maybe best go and take up another sport as a hobby.
DLH took a round or 2 off late in the fight with MAGO, maybe it was fatigue or being bothered by his eye, but had a strong 12th.