LARRY MERCHANT'S POST-FIGHT INTERVIEWS
Larry Merchant interviewed Oscar De La Hoya directly after the fight.
HBO Commentator Larry Merchant
May 6, 2006
MERCHANT:
Congratulations, Oscar.
Where did this stand on the spectrum of all of your victories in boxing?
DE LA HOYA:
It's got to be ranked up there like top four, top five. The fact that he was talking so much. The fact that he - I mean he even talked about my wife, he talked about Little Oscar Gabriel, so it had a lot to do with it.
MERCHANT:
In what way?
DE LA HOYA:
He motivated me so much. I mean there was a plan behind taking on Mayorga, like five months ago.
MERCHANT:
Tell us what the plan was.
DE LA HOYA:
The plan was that he was going to talk bad about me, insult me and he was going to motivate me and I needed that. I haven't felt that since I fought Vargas.
MERCHANT:
What about his wild style. Was that a plan all along you felt you could pick apart as a true professional?
DE LA HOYA:
Well, actually in the gym, we've been working all along, every year for the last like three, four years that I've been with Mayweather, that defense -- blocking the punches, blocking, coming back. I think it's finally kicked in. But this guy was perfect. He was throwing wild punches, I was blocking jabs. If I was hitting him with the right hand he felt the power.
MERCHANT:
If we can run some of the knockdowns back, the first round you sent a message to him. Did he change after that?
DE LA HOYA:
The message was that I'm going to stand up to the bully and when he felt that I wasn't boxing or on my toes or moving my feet a lot around the ring, then I think he knew this was serious business.
MERCHANT:
And then instead of him attacking you recklessly as he likes to do, suddenly he was fighting your fight?
DE LA HOYA:
Well, he tried. He tried to fight recklessly, lunging in with punches, but I stood my ground and that showed the bully, hey, you're not pushing me back. I'm going to use my effective jab and fast combination. I knew I had some power to knock him out.
MERCHANT:
So, in the first minute in the fight, if there was any rust, if flew off?
DE LA HOYA:
Exactly. Mayweather, my brother were telling me all along - stay on your toes, use your jab, feel him out the first round but I think I already had my plan up in my head.
MERCHANT:
Did you? Was there any talking during the fight?
DE LA HOYA:
His reaction to the punches that I threw him, he would squinch, whatever that word means, but you know what I mean. He would go like that with his face.
MERCHANT:
What about after the fight? What did he say to you?
DE LA HOYA:
I actually went up to him and I told him: Look, the professional that I am, the fighter that I am, the man that I am, I forgive you for everything for what you said and he gave me his props, especially when I stood in front of him, he said: Hey, you have what it takes.
MERCHANT:
Let's look forward for a moment. You've said two different things. One, if you had a great night maybe that would be it, that you would walk out of this ring tonight satisfied that the ghost of the fight with Bernard Hopkins had been erased and that this is how you would want to be remembered. You've also said you wanted another fight, perhaps a megafight in the fall. Where are you now?
DE LA HOYA:
We'll have to wait and see. A lot of emotions are running through my head. Like every other fighter, you ask them right after the fight, one week after the fight, they're still not really thinking and that includes me. I'll have to wait and think. I'll have to wait and see and just let everything go by, let a few days go by then I'll think about it.
MERCHANT:
Your trainer, Mayweather Sr., has made it clear that he would discourage you or have no part in you fighting Mayweather Jr. What is your reaction to that?
DE LA HOYA:
I respect Floyd Mayweather Sr. in whatever he tells me. He trains me to be the best all the time. I appreciate everything all the time. I'll have to talk with him, with my wife and myself alone, think about the whole situation - this guy, that guy - where I can get more glory fighting what guy? That's what I have to think - is it worth it? We'll have to go back to the drawing board and see what happens.
MERCHANT:
Pretty good drawing board you're going back to. Thank you very much Oscar.
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