Retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr ended his career in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record. However, his father and former coach, Floyd Mayweather Sr, has expressed that Oscar De La Hoya deserved to win their 2007 bout. Mayweather Sr had trained De La Hoya successfully from 2001 to 2006, helping him secure world titles. Despite their professional separation, Mayweather Sr offered to train De La Hoya for this significant fight but was not hired. The match ended in a split decision favoring Mayweather Jr, yet Mayweather Sr believes the scoring should have gone to De La Hoya based on punch statistics.

A Closer Look at the 2007 Boxing Encounter

In a fiercely contested match held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2007, Floyd Mayweather Jr faced off against Oscar De La Hoya. Their battle captivated audiences and divided opinions among judges. Two of the ringside officials scored the match in Mayweather Jr's favor, while one judge sided with De La Hoya. After the match, Mayweather Sr, who had been a key figure in De La Hoya’s earlier victories, stated that according to the point system focusing on punches thrown, De La Hoya should have been declared the winner. CompuBox statistics indeed revealed that De La Hoya threw more punches, though Mayweather Jr landed more effectively.

From a journalistic perspective, this reflection by Mayweather Sr highlights the subjective nature of boxing decisions and the complexities involved in scoring matches. It invites us to reconsider how victories are determined in the sport and emphasizes the importance of objective metrics alongside traditional judging methods. This debate underscores the ongoing discussions around fairness and transparency in sports adjudication.