De la Hoya an underdog for first time
Bernard Hopkins won the war of words. That doesn't seem to matter to Oscar De La Hoya, who relishes his role of underdog for Saturday's middleweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Hopkins (44-2-1, 31 KOs), who will make the 19th defense of his middleweight titles, spent most of the week trying to convince the media that he is still great at the age of 39.
"I'm a natural, he's (De La Hoya) not a natural," Hopkins said. "He's an unofficial middleweight. When he steps in with a natural, all of his impurities will show."
This will only be De La Hoya's second fight as a middleweight. He was not impressive in his first, barely winning a decision over Felix Sturm in June. Not many believe he will be able to last long against Hopkins.
"For the first time in my career I am the underdog and it's such a great feeling," De La Hoya said.
The 31-year-old De La Hoya (37-3, 29 KOs) has captured world titles at 135, 140, 147 and 154 pounds, and has held fringe WBO belts in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions.
His role model for this fight is Sugar Ray Leonard, who also moved up in weight to dethrone entrenched middleweight champion Marvin Hagler in 1987.
Leonard was also coming off a poor performance. He was decked by Kevin Howard before stopping him in nine rounds, and then had a two-year layoff before challenging Hagler.
"This is the fight of my life. It is my last big hurrah," De La Hoya said.
Although Hopkins is the one pushing 40, he says the 31-year-old De La Hoya is the one facing retirement.
"There will be no reason to go any further after I do what I have to do to him," Hopkins said. "I'm the hungriest fighter in the world right now. That's my edge. I'm going to make sure that he's going to be out of boxing because of what I have to do to him."
Juan Manuel Marquez (42-2-1, 33 KOs) will fight Orlando Salido (20-8-1, 13 KOs) for the WBA and IBF featherweight titles before the De La Hoya-Hopkins bout.
The fights will be televised on HBO pay-per-view, beginning at 9 p.m EDT.
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