Oscar De La Hoya: best 1st 5 years of any career ever??

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008.


Page 1 of 3
  1. DINAMITA

    DINAMITA Guest

    NOV 1992: De La Hoya turns pro

    MAR 1994: Wins 1st world title 18 months later at age of 21 with a 11-0 record, WBO super-feather, stopping Jimmy Bredahl (16-0)

    JUL 1994: Wins 2nd world title, WBO lightweight title, 4 months later by KOing Jorge Paez (53-6-4) in 2 rounds

    1995: Stops Rafael Ruelas (43-1) in a unification fight, then stops Genaro Hernandez (32-0-1). Ends the 3rd year of his career at #4 The Ring p4p, behind Whitaker, Jones Jr and Ricardo Lopez, and ahead of Trinidad, Tszyu and Barrera

    Wins The Ring Fighter Of The Year for 1995

    JUN 1996: Stops Julio Cesar Chavez (96-1-1) to win world title at a THIRD weight division in his 4th year as a pro. Record is only 21-0 and he is just 23

    APR 1997: Beat Pernell Whitaker (40-1-1) to win a world title at a FOURTH weight division. He is now p4p #2 behind Roy Jones Jr, and the 1st man ever to legitimately defeat Whitaker (his only other loss a ridiculous robbery decision to Jose Luis Ramirez in 1988 which was subsequently avenged)- the decision over Whitaker was very very close, but it was right IMO

    SEP 1997: His last fight before his 5 year anniversary in November, a landslide points win over Hector Camacho (63-3-1).

    His record is now 25-0(20), and he has won FIVE world titles at THREE weights (WBO super-feather, WBO & IBF light, WBC light-welter, WBC welter)

    He is now The Ring's no1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet- ahead of a peak Roy Jones Jr at #2, Holyfield #3 and Trinidad #4.



    Has any fighter in history ever had a better first 5 years than this????
     
    DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008
    DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008
    #1
  2. Pat_Lowe

    Pat_Lowe Active Member Full Member

    1,194
    15
    Feb 26, 2006
    Sugar Ray Leonard wins this IMO, barring a single avenged loss to Duran, he has wins over Benitez, Duran and Hearns within the space of 5 years. Kalule is also a pretty good win at a higher division.
     
    Pat_Lowe, Aug 4, 2008
    Pat_Lowe, Aug 4, 2008
    #2
  3. TIGEREDGE

    TIGEREDGE Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,620
    30
    Mar 10, 2007
    spot on
     
    TIGEREDGE, Aug 4, 2008
    TIGEREDGE, Aug 4, 2008
    #3
  4. Pat_Lowe

    Pat_Lowe Active Member Full Member

    1,194
    15
    Feb 26, 2006
    Mike Tyson would be a good choice, but within a 5 year space he won the title, unified it, defeated a whole range of 80's contenders, then declined equally as fast as he rose only to lose to Buster Douglas. I think that all happened within 5 years of turning pro.
     
    Pat_Lowe, Aug 4, 2008
    Pat_Lowe, Aug 4, 2008
    #4
  5. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

    37,067
    3,694
    Sep 14, 2005
    people forget what a devastating puncher oscar was at 135lb. be thankful for kosta he never had to face a 140lb version of oscar de la hoya. he thought vince phillips was tough???
     
    SuzieQ49, Aug 4, 2008
    SuzieQ49, Aug 4, 2008
    #5
  6. PowerPuncher

    PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

    42,723
    260
    Jul 22, 2004
    He wasnt a devastating puncher at 135 he just outweighed his opponents by 15-20lbs weighing 150+ on fight night because of 36hour rehydration weigh ins. Still he didnt have massive 1 punch power

    Delahoya should have beat Tyszu but it was only a 60-40.
     
    PowerPuncher, Aug 4, 2008
    PowerPuncher, Aug 4, 2008
    #6
  7. Loewe

    Loewe internet hero Full Member

    5,479
    12
    Jul 15, 2008
    Mike didn´t beat the oppositon to be up there.
     
    Loewe, Aug 4, 2008
    Loewe, Aug 4, 2008
    #7
  8. Pat_Lowe

    Pat_Lowe Active Member Full Member

    1,194
    15
    Feb 26, 2006
    Yes, yes but he would be up there, he has wins over a number of contenders and he beat Spinks and Holmes in dominating fashion. He wouldn't eclipse the others, but in a 3 or 4 year span of his prime, he sure accomplished alot.
     
    Pat_Lowe, Aug 4, 2008
    Pat_Lowe, Aug 4, 2008
    #8
  9. TIGEREDGE

    TIGEREDGE Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,620
    30
    Mar 10, 2007

    oscar never really beat any great young opposition. he beat a still very good whitaker and a faded JCC. the quartey and tito fights were in 1999
     
    TIGEREDGE, Aug 4, 2008
    TIGEREDGE, Aug 4, 2008
    #9
  10. DINAMITA

    DINAMITA Guest

    Tyson's 1st 5 years
    Career started: Mar 1985
    World titles won: WBC/WBA/IBF heavyweight titles (3)
    Weight divisions won world titles in: 1
    Record after 5: 37-1
    Best wins: Michael Spinks KO1, Pinklon Thomas TKO6, Tony Tucker W12, Tony Tubbs TKO2
    p4p placing end of five: 7th (slid from 1st to 7th after Douglas KO)
    The Ring Fighter of the Year 1986 and 1988

    Holyfield's 1st 5 years
    Career started: Nov 1984
    World titles won: WBC/WBA/IBF cruiserweight titles (3)
    Weight divisions won world titles in: 1
    Record after 5: 22-0
    Best wins: Dwight Muhammad Qawi SD12, Dwight Muhammad Qawi KO4, Pinklon Thomas TKO7, Michael Dokes TKO10
    p4p placing end of 5: 6th
    The Ring Fighter of the Year 1987

    Jones Jr's 1st 5 years
    Career started: May 1989
    World titles won: IBF middleweight title (1)
    Weight divisions won world titles in: 1
    Record after 5: 25-0
    Best wins: Bernard Hopkins UD12, Sugar Boy Malinga KO6, Jorge Castro UD10, Thomas Tate KO2
    p4p placing end of 5: 8th
    No Fighter of the Year award yet by the end of his 1st 5 years in May 1994

    Mayweather's 1st 5 years
    Career started: October 1996
    World titles won: WBC super-featherweight title (1)
    Weight divisions won world titles in: 1
    Record after 5: 25-0
    Best wins: Diego Corrales TKO10, Angel Manfredy TKO2, Genaro Hernandez TKO8, Carlos Hernandez UD12
    p4p placing end of 5: 7th
    The Ring Fighter of the Year 1998

    All magnificent first 5's, but when u read that long list on De La Hoya, I genuinely think his was superior. He was the only one to end his 1st 5 years as pound-for-pound number 1, only one to win 5 world titles, only one to do so at more than 1 weight division (3 actually).

    The only real alternative IMO is Sugar Ray Leonard, and although he didn't achieve as much, he definitely has a strong case due to the names on the record. Duran, Hearns and Benitez clearly beat the 3 best on De La Hoya's (Hernandez, and not-shot but past-prime Chavez and Whitaker)

    I still vote De La Hoya on this.
     
    DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008
    DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008
    #10
  11. Loewe

    Loewe internet hero Full Member

    5,479
    12
    Jul 15, 2008
    He still had all around better wins than Tyson. I agree with PACFAN84 that DLH´s first five years are only matched, perhaps, by Leonard´s. And tht´s quite impressive, isn´t it?
     
    Loewe, Aug 4, 2008
    Loewe, Aug 4, 2008
    #11
  12. Mantequilla

    Mantequilla Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,964
    69
    Aug 26, 2004
    Oscar's five world titles and p4p number one were bull**** and shouldn't be used in justifying this.

    Stick to ability shown and fighters defeated.
     
    Mantequilla, Aug 4, 2008
    Mantequilla, Aug 4, 2008
    #12
  13. Loewe

    Loewe internet hero Full Member

    5,479
    12
    Jul 15, 2008
    Care to explain?
     
    Loewe, Aug 4, 2008
    Loewe, Aug 4, 2008
    #13
  14. DINAMITA

    DINAMITA Guest

    P4P#1 ahead of peak RJJ was bull****?! So the opinion of The Ring is bull****? I disagree. So does every fighter who ever holds aloft The Ring titles.

    Fighters defeated? Look at the records: Genaro Hernandez (32-0-1), Rafael Ruelas (43-1), Chavez (96-1-1), Whitaker (40-1-1).

    Ability? Enough to make him the p4p#1. 20 stoppages in 25 fights, became 1st man to stop Chavez and 1st to legitimately beat Sweet Pea (yes both were past prime, but still quality and not shot), world class punching power, strength, speed and boxing ability.

    You can criticize his later career, but surely these 1st 5 years were beyond reproach??
     
    DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008
    DINAMITA, Aug 4, 2008
    #14
  15. Sweet Pea

    Sweet Pea Obsessed with Boxing banned

    27,199
    88
    Dec 26, 2007
    The opinion of the Ring is bull**** a lot of the time. Stick to making your own judgement. How the hell did Oscar ever rate above a prime Roy Jones as a fighter other than popularity?

    Chavez was shot, Whitaker was arguably a gift(most believe it was), and the others, while good names, don't put him above a guy like Tyson, who dominated farr more thoroughly in his first 5 years.

    Whitaker was well past his prime, Chavez was SHOT. Whitaker also arguably beat him, as said. We've done polls on that fight and Whitaker came out on top easily every single time. Very good boxer, but definitely NOT better than Jones Jr. during his prime in any category outside of popularity.

    Very good 5 years, but I'll take Leonard's and Tyson's right off the bat.
     
    Sweet Pea, Aug 4, 2008
    Sweet Pea, Aug 4, 2008
    #15
Page 1 of 3