I was in attendance Wednesday for the Oscar De La Hoya-Ricardo Mayorga news conference, and the question I keep hearing is: Was it staged?
Altercations have become so commonplace during boxing news conferences that skeptics believe they're being scripted to sell tickets or pay-per-view purchases. That's not an uninitiated perception.
The brash Mayorga screamed at De La Hoya through most of the news conference at a local restaurant while the predominantly pro-De La Hoya crowd yelled back.
With Mayorga at the podium, two fans standing next to me held up a poster from one of the De La Hoya-Shane Mosely bouts. For some reason, Mayorga became incensed. Doesn't make much sense considering Mosely won both fights. But Mayorga, screaming in Spanish, suddenly reached down and slapped the back of De La Hoya's head. It wasn't a hard slap, but Mayorga played it up. De La Hoya jumped to his feet for a little posturing, but nothing else happened.
As boxing news conferences go, it wasn't Tyson-Lewis, when Tyson took a bite out of Lewis' leg. Now THAT was real. This? This was Mayorga trying to promote the fight, which is why De La Hoya took him on as an opponent. I'm sure Mayorga doesn't like Oscar, and Oscar is bored with Mayorga, but nothing sells boxing like true hatred. I told Mayorga that Oscar and Fernando Vargas truly hated each other, but Mayorga responded with something about detaching one of Oscar's retinaes as if to prove he hates Oscar. Class. Read more of that interview in our "Sunday Drive."
The truth is, even if the news conference wasn't completely spontaneous, it did pique my interest. It might even have convinced me to buy the pay-per-view package.
I'm a huge boxing fan but there is some merit to the nonsensical nature of press conferences. Fact is, De La Hoya is probably promoting the fight and knows that the lasting memory for guys that buy fight ppv's is him getting crushed by Bernard Hopkins. He doesn't generate the buzz that he used to in the early 90's. He hasn't really won a big fight in years and Mayorga is an idiot. A good idiot, but still an idiot. There are better fighters like Mayweather and more intriguing fights coming down the line. Oscar will probably win by decision. Mayorga will showboat and pressure him. In the end, the undercard will be the best part of the ppv because someone will get knocked out in spectacular fashion. That is what will force you to get the next ppv, not the main event.
Dear Mr. Frazier
Do you even watch boxing? Your comment that "Oscar De La Hoya does not generate the buzz that he used to..." indicates that you have no idea of his prowess. Oscar IS the most bankable name in the professional boxing ranks today. No non-heavyweight has generated more dollars per fight in the history of boxing. I agree that Oscar did not want his lasting memory amongst fans to be his defeat to Benard Hopkins. However, he still draws a crowd to every fight. He needed Mayorga to be, well, Mayorga and his strategy worked to a tee. Whether you love him or hate him, the fans watch him.