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Oscar De La Hoya has shared the ring with elite technical fighters, but there was one that stood out from the crowd.

‘Golden Boy’ was a truly world class operator, who incredibly won 11 world title belts in six weight classes during his stellar time perfecting the sweet science.

On his resume, De La Hoya has the likes of boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao whom he was beaten by at the back end of his time as a professional.

He first fought Mayweather in his third to last career battle in 2007, and was unfortunate to have lost by split decision on the judges scorecards.

In the final bow of his career the following year, he fared much differently in his clash with Pacquiao, succumbing to a defeat after retiring in the eighth round.

But De La Hoya has incredibly claimed that it was Pernell Whitaker, who he fought and beat in 1997, was the highest skilled of his 45 professional opponents.

De La Hoya said: “Whitaker had to be one of the most skilful fighters in any generation – the fact he could stay right in front of you and could still slip the punches.Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao shatters boxing PPV records | Boxing News | Sky Sports

“Whitaker wasn’t a runner; he was just someone who stood right in front of you and knew how to slip.

“Whitaker knew how to knock you out, too. Punching power, skill, I.Q, Whitaker had it all. He’s probably one of the all-around best boxers I faced.”

Whitaker showed a raft of incredible defensive skills that night, frustrating De La Hoya offensively despite succumbing to a unanimous decision defeat.

The American had fantastic boxing intelligence and lightning reflexes, which helped guide him to a record of 40 wins and four defeats.

Whitaker sadly passed away in 2019, but left a huge legacy for himself in the boxing world.

De La Hoya too has a legendary legacy and headlined some iconic nights in the US.

He has continued to be an influential figure in the world of boxing since his retirement.Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather: It's Actually On - WSJ

De La Hoya formed Golden Boy Promotions, which has seen him nurture some of the sport’s biggest current stars including Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia.

Mayweather and Pacquiao too went on to become two of the greatest to have ever laced up the gloves.

They finally met themselves in a long-awaited clash in 2015, which became the highest-selling pay-per-view event in boxing history.

Mayweather won and he has forever been linked with rematches against both fighters, even after retiring himself in 2017.

Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Angel Reese has said players could strike if the league doesn’t give them what they want in their next collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) opted out of the league’s CBA last October, stating that players are seeking a “business model that reflects their true value, encompassing higher salaries”, among other benefits, including possibly seeing a bigger chunk of league revenue.

A work stoppage has been mooted if a new CBA isn’t reached by the end of the 2025 season. The most recent agreement was due to expire in 2027.

Amid the potential for a protracted labour dispute, Reese has now said WNBA players could refuse to play in 2026 to ensure better CBA terms.

“I need to be in the [players’ union] meetings because I’m hearing that if [the league] don’t give us what we want, we’re sitting out,” said Reese, who was speaking on her Unapologetically Angel podcast.Angel Reese – LSU

WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson subsequently said the union would not comment directly on Reese’s comments but it was committed to securing “a transformational deal”.

“As a union, we’re fully engaged in the CBA negotiation process with the league, and our focus remains on securing an agreement that reflects the value and contributions of our players,” said Jackson.

“Our members are passionate about the future of this league, and we’re proud to represent a group that’s united, dialled in, and pushing for a transformational deal that’s fair.

“We won’t comment on individual statements right now. Our priority is the work happening at the table. We’ll provide updates as we move forward together.”

Reese was one of the leading athletes in a standout draft class that helped take the WNBA to various viewership and attendance milestones in the 2024 season, including the league’s most-watched regular season in 24 years.Angel Reese sparks social media firestorm with threats of sitting out | Fox  News

A study from Relo Metrics, meanwhile, found that the WNBA delivered a record US$136 million in media value for sponsors during the 2024 regular season. The league is also due to receive as much as US$2.2 billion over 11 years from the 2026 season as part of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) next domestic broadcast rights deals.

With Reese hearing from fellow players that a strike remains a firm possibility, further public comments from high-profile WNBA stars would ramp up the pressure on the league ahead of CBA talks. Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark has not spoken publicly on the matter but her agent Erin Kane said last month that she was hopeful of a “progressive” CBA negotiation.

“The most important thing always has been getting WNBA players paid for what they do on the court,” Kane told ESPN. “I’m very, very hopeful for this CBA negotiation that it will be progressive and move the line forward a lot.”

Tyson Fury shocked the boxing world when he announced his latest retirement in January.

‘The Gypsy King’ was last in action in December when he suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, in a rematch of their May encounter which Usyk won by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion.

While Fury may have suffered back-to-back defeats, it did look like it would finally set up a long-awaited showdown with British rival Anthony Joshua, with no more obstacles in the way to stop the bout.

Joshua’s last bout saw him come up short in his bid to become a three-time world heavyweight champion, losing to Daniel Dubois by fifth round knockout at Wembley Stadium in September.

The plans to see Fury vs. Joshua went up in smoke though when Fury made his retirement announcement, posting a video on his social media.Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

“Hi everybody. I’m going to make this short and sweet. I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing. It’s been a blast, I’ve loved every single minute of it, and I’m going to end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everybody, see you on the other side. Get up.”

Two months on, Fury has returned to social media with a cryptic message, posting a video of himself walking out at Manchester United’s Old Trafford with the caption: “Did you miss me?”

The rumours surrounding Fury and Joshua have ramped up in the past week, with streaming powerhouse Netflix reportedly interested in staging the fight between the two British stars.

For now, ‘The Gypsy King’ does remain retired, and Joshua has since been linked to another shock match-up which could take place this summer.

A woman who said Mike Tyson brutally raped and sexually assaulted her in the early 1990s has dropped her lawsuit, according to a letter filed with the U.S. District Court Northern District of New York.

Daniel Rubin, an attorney representing Tyson, wrote that the attorney representing the woman “has informed me that Plaintiff is withdrawing her complaint.”

According to the letter, dated March 7, the woman is “voluntarily discontinuing this Action with prejudice,” meaning the lawsuit cannot be refiled.

The letter also states, “The parties are in the process of drafting a stipulation of discontinuance … and will file the same on or before (Friday).”

Tyson, 58, denied the allegations, court records show. Mike Tyson

“While not surprising, given the baseless allegations, we are pleased with the result – a complete withdrawal of all claims without any compensation, concession or settlement of any kind from Mr. Tyson,” Rubin, Tyson’s attorney, told USA TODAY Sports. “This suit never should have been filed and this is the correct outcome.”

Darren Seilback, the attorney representing the woman, did not immediately respond to requests for comment left by USA TODAY Sports by voicemail and email. But the letter signed by Tyson’s attorney said Seilback approved the letter.

The woman said Tyson raped and sexually assaulted her in the early 1990s in the back of a limousine, according to the lawsuit filed in January 2023. She was seeking $5 million, according to court records.

As Tyson was preparing to fight Jake Paul on Nov. 15, the woman filed an amended complaint with the court stating she was raped by Tyson on March 1, 1990, not March 1, 1991 as stated in her original complaint.

Tyson’s attorney objected to the amended complaint.

Gervonta Davis has fallen from the Ring Magazine pound-for-pound rankings following his contentious clash with Lamont Roach.

Davis retained his WBA lightweight title after boxing to a majority draw against Roach on March 1.

One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Davis, while the other two had it 114-114 even.

Yet Roach would have got his hand raised had referee Steve Willis scored a clear knockdown in the ninth stanza.

Midway through the round, Davis was caught with a grazing jab that appeared to compromise his vision.

Davis then took a voluntary knee before walking over his corner to have debris wiped from his eye, which he later revealed was grease from his hair.

Willis initially administered a count before bizarrely breaking it off and allowing the action to resume.

A 10-8 round in the ninth would have swayed the scorecards in Roach’s favour, leading to calls for the fight to be overturned.Gervonta Davis

The New York State Athletic Commission have since chosen to uphold the result after undergoing an investigation into the incident.

As a result, Davis has kept hold of his WBA strap, but the same can’t be said for his pound-for-pound spot.

‘Tank’ had been ranked No.8 in the ratings before Monday when they were updated.

David Benavidez has taken his place in the top 10, with Devin Haney and Junto Nakatani also jumping up one place thanks to Davis’ exclusion.

The rest of the list remains unchanged with Oleksandr Usyk maintaining his top spot ahead of Naoya Inoue and Terence Crawford.

Benavidez (30-0) is a former two-time WBC super middleweight champion and current WBC ‘interim’ light heavyweight title holder.Gervonta Davis

The WBC recently ordered undisputed 175lbs king Dmitry Bivol to defend his belts against Benavidez this year after avenging his defeat to Artur Beterbiev in February.

They are now reportedly closing in on a deal with Bivol’s promoter Matchroom Boxing and Benavidez’s representatives Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), said to be finalising terms.

If Benavidez can dethrone Bivol then he is very likely to enter the pound-for-pound top five, where the Russian currently sits at No.4.

Floyd Mayweather, the highest-paid boxer in history, has shown off his 62 buildings in Manhattan that he purchased for $402 million, which include over 1,000 apartments.

In a video posted to his Instagram account, which has nearly 30 million followers, Mayweather said he bought the properties entirely on his own, without any business partners. The apartments, located in Morningside Heights, Upper Manhattan, and Harlem, will be rented out, potentially generating him millions of dollars per month.

“This is just the beginning,” he said.

In the video, the 48-year-old boxer walked past the buildings, pointing at each one. “This is mine. All the retail stores below these buildings are mine too. You can achieve this too, but you have to make bold moves,” he told viewers.

Born in 1977 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mayweather began his professional boxing career in 1996. Over the course of his career, he fought 50 matches without a single loss, earning him the nickname “The Undefeated.” He won 15 world titles across five weight classes and is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, according to Boxrec, a website that tracks professional and amateur boxing recordsFloyd Mayweather

Mayweather has earned $1.48 billion from fights and sponsorships, making him the highest-paid boxer in history, according to Sportico. He ranks among the top 10 highest-earning athletes ever, with Michael Jordan leading at $3.75 billion.

In the past, Mayweather has claimed that his real estate ventures alone could bring in up to $300 million per month. In November 2024, he invested $100 million with a partner in a $3 billion rental property portfolio. His primary focus remains on New York City, the most densely populated U.S. city and a global hub for culture, finance, and media.

Mayweather retired in 2017 but has since competed in exhibition matches, earning tens of millions per fight—sometimes over $100 million.

At 48, he is rumored to be planning a comeback this year, with possible opponents including Logan Paul, John Gotti III, or even former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. However, his next fight has yet to be confirmed.

Anthony Joshua has fought both Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois across his impressive career.

When ‘AJ’ took on Parker in 2018, it was to unify world titles. It was a technical fight and marked the first time that Joshua was taken the full 12 rounds by anyone. He won on points and moved on but was later dethroned by last minute stand in Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019, before winning the rematch.

Further losses against Oleksandr Usyk left him without any belts, and his bid to become three-time champion against new owner of the IBF belt, Dubois, ended in a fifth round knockout last September.

Dubois was due to fight Parker in a second defence of his title last month but fell ill and withdrew at the last minute. Instead, Parker knocked out late replacement Martin Bakole inside two rounds.

The young Brit has been questioned by some as to how serious the viral infection was, though his team shut remains adamant they had no choice but to pull out after doctor’s advice. Many fighters have competed without being at their best and loved to regret it.Anthony Joshua

Speaking to iFL TV, Joshua was asked whether it was sensible for Dubois to pull out of the fight and he absolutely agreed with his former foe’s decision.

“You’ve got to be 100% to win and defend the title. Credit to his dad, everyone needs a father figure sometimes or someone you respect to tell you listen son, don’t get in that ring unless you’re a 100%, it’s important. You’ve got to be 100%. Having a father figure, or a father in your life, a senior figure that you respect. That could have been Dubois tonight but he’s still IBF champion so he lives to fight another day.”

Dubois now has a big choice for his return to the ring. Either chase a rematch with Usyk for the undisputed, honour the voluntary defence with Parker, or possibly take a second bout with Joshua. By all accounts, he is leaning towards the four-belt clash with Usyk.

Mike Tyson was one of the most feared fighters in the history of boxing – but it’s claimed he was ‘scared’ to fight George Foreman.

Following a ten-year hiatus, Foreman shocked the boxing world by announcing his return to the ring in 1987 at the age of 38.

The former heavyweight champion initially stepped away from the sport in 1977 following a defeat to Jimmy Young.

Foreman claimed he had a near-death experience during the bout and subsequently underwent a religious conversion, leading him to leave the sport to focus on his newfound faith.

His primary motivation for coming back was to raise money to fund the youth centre he had built in Houston, Texas.

However, he also claimed that he had returned with the intention of dethroning Tyson.Mike Tyson

During Foreman’s time away from the sport, ‘Iron Mike’ had become the youngest heavyweight champion of all time and was boxing’s biggest star.

Foreman’s hopes of fighting Tyson seemed like a pipe dream at first, but by 1990 both parties were in serious negotiations after the boxing legend proved there was still plenty of gas left in his tank by stringing together an impressive 20-fight winning streak.

In April 1990, Tyson’s promoter Don King stuck them both on the same bill in separate bouts with the hope of drumming up interest in the fight.

Tyson knocked out Henry Tillman while Foreman laid waste to Adilson Rodrigues, yet talks quickly collapsed thereafter.

Tyson was locked up for six years after being convicted of rape two years later, however.

By the time he got out, Foreman had retired for good, but only after knocking out Michael Moorer in 1994 to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time at 45 years and 299 days old.

Claressa Shields’ Future Fights: Marshall Rematch, Laila Ali Exhibition.

Claressa Shields’ Future Fights: Rematch with Savannah Marshall or Exhibition with Laila Ali?

Dmitriy Salita, the longtime promoter of Claressa Shields, has proposed two exciting potential future events for the undefeated boxing champion. These include a rematch with Savannah Marshall and a highly anticipated exhibition bout with Laila Ali, the Hall of Fame boxer and daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali.

Shields Defends Undisputed Title and Faces Controversy

Claressa Shields, who is 16-0 with 3 KOs, most recently triumphed over Danielle Perkins in a unanimous decision during her homecoming in Flint, Michigan. This victory secured her position as the undisputed heavyweight titleholder in women’s boxing.

However, after the fight, Shields tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight drug test conducted by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission. She and her team are contesting the result, though the issue hasn’t caused any major setbacks to her career so far.Claressa Shields

Rematch with Savannah Marshall: A Natural Next Step?

Salita views a potential rematch with Savannah Marshall as a logical and exciting option. The two previously faced off in 2022, with Shields winning by unanimous decision in Marshall’s home country of the United Kingdom. Despite the interest in a rematch, there are some complications:

  • Marshall has not fought since July 2023, when she defeated Franchon Crews-Dezurn via majority decision.
  • Marshall appears to be focusing more on MMA, having recently participated in a mixed martial arts event where she stopped Mirela Vargas in the first round.

Salita suggests that if the rematch were to happen, it would need to take place in the United States, as Shields had to travel across the Atlantic for the original fight in England.

“The fight with Savannah Marshall is a natural one that we’d love to make,” Salita told BoxingScene. “Claressa did go to England, thousands of miles away from home, in the peak of her career. Savannah would have to accept the fact that, for the fight to happen, it would have to be in the United States in order for us to seriously consider it.”Claressa Shields

Laila Ali Exhibition: A Major Event for Women’s Boxing

In addition to the Marshall rematch, Salita has also proposed an exhibition match with Laila Ali. Although an exhibition would not be a title bout, it would be a groundbreaking event for women’s sports, bringing attention to women’s boxing on a larger scale.

“An exhibition with Laila Ali would be fantastic for women’s sports and women’s boxing,” said Salita. “Laila might also be the best available contender.”

This match would draw immense attention due to Ali’s legendary status in the boxing world, and it could also further boost Shields’ profile as she continues to gain popularity.

Floyd Mayweather has little doubt that he is the greatest fighter of all time. Three-weight world champion James Toney recently weighed in on the debate.

‘Money’ Mayweather famously retired with a perfect 50-0 record, winning belts in five divisions and becoming the sport’s biggest pay-per-view star while doing so.

With slick defence and an unwavering confidence, Mayweather beat the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Arturo Gatti and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. He was well known for his effective shoulder roll technique – the defensive ability to catch, block and roll with shots from even the biggest punchers.

Despite the accolades, Toney – who claimed that Mayweather learnt that very style from him but could not do it as well – told the Wise Nuts podcast he was absolutely not the greatest of all time. Floyd Mayweather

‘Lights Out’ then criticised Mayweather’s record, claiming that he strategically avoided some big names.

“Have him fight in my era. He didn’t fight the fighters that were around in the ’90s. He waited till they retired and got out the game. He didn’t fight Chavez. He wouldn’t fight Chavez. He wouldn’t beat Chavez. Hatton was s**t. Garbage. He beat ‘Canelo,’ I’ll give him that.”

Mayweather hung up the gloves in 2017 after a crossover bout with Conor McGregor. He was named ‘Fighter of the Decade’ in the 2010s by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

He has since popped up on the exhibition scene, putting on shows across the globe to mixed responses, facing popular figures like Logan Paul, Deji Olatunji and Tenshin Nasukawa.

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