Latin Welterweight Tourney: Rd 1: Oscar De La Hoya .Vs. Pipino Cuevas

Excellent post, I`ll only add that if its a 15 round bout Pipino definately stops Oscar late imo. Oscar ran out of gas after 9 rounds vs another left hooking bomber in Tito and this was do to his constant backpedalling, and he just barely made it to the finish line and even that he only succeeded in doing by not engaging Tito at all the last few rounds.

If he tries that against Cuevas and has not 3 but 6 more rounds to fight on my guess is that he won`t make it, not with Cuevas still coming forward looking to knock his head off and having the stamina to keep throwing late in the fight like he did against Randy Shields.

I would not be surprised in the least to see Oscar quit on his stool either, he never struck me as the type of guy that would willingly go out on his shield in the ring even though he has nothing left, Oscar wasnt that kind of warrior in my eyes.

 

I agree with that RB.

And thats not questioning Oscars heart and desire to win..well maybe it is but I wouldnt call him out on that if he did.

He always struck me more of business man. A kind of fighter who thought about his future rather then leaving it all in the ring.

 

Indeed, that is always the impression and vibe I got from him, which is why I never took a liking to him as I dislike fighters with that mindset.

 

Bang on the money, easy to hit, slow hands, Oscar will give him a boxing lesson and I dont like Oscar

 

Oscar is quite proven against 'punchers' at Welter. I see him beating Cuevas; he managed to adapt to Trinidad and Campas, only Cuevas's bigger power is a factor.....I'd like to say Pipino annihilates De La Hoya but I'm going for Oscar, stoppage around the ninth. Once he gets his confidence and starts backing Cuevas up who wasn't indestructible) he can either coast to a points win or stop him by putting together his fast combos and punctuating them with the left hook.

 

15 rounds???? in that case Cuevas has a better chance as he Oscar may try and pace himself, which won't work as he doesn't have a great amount of stamina. I don't think Oscar would go in with a 'K.O mindset' so maybe Cuevas can get to him late.

Hard fight to pick in retrospect. I'll go with my original prediction, but Oscar's chin was not so great that Cuevas couldn't stop him.

 

I think too much emphasis is given here to 12 rounds against 15 rounds. Oscar wins this one in any case. Much better overall skills, adaptability and intelligence. Of course, Pipino does have a punchers chance. But that's about all. And I do like Pipino a lot. But this is the way I honestly feel.

 

Yeah, He wasn't a B-level fighter, but he was certainly below the great welterweights that followed in the next era, and a notch down De La Hoya for sure.