The most anticipated boxing match in years has everyone buzzing. "The World Awaits" has served up three months of build-up that has included an 11 city press tour, weekly conference calls, HBO's four part 24/7 series, combined with a record live gate of over $19 million and pay-per-view revenue set to explode like never before for a non-heavyweight event.

With boxing's hardcore fan licking his lips, and the casual sports fan wondering what all the fuss is about, the magnitude of the event is capturing the attention of everyone, including 176 countries around the globe buying into the hype of beaming it on television.

The one question I have been asking myself, how does Oscar De La Hoya beat Floyd Mayweather?



Pernell Whitaker was an awkward southpaw who gave De La Hoya nightmares, Shane Mosley was too slick and quick when they first squared off, and the much bigger Bernard Hopkins never even moved into top gear before delivering a left hook to De La Hoya's ribcage which had him down for full ten count. De La Hoya has encountered a wide variety of weaponry rushing at him in the opposite corner since turning professional after winning gold in Barcelona 15 years ago.

As the saying goes, styles make fights.

Mayweather's game inside the squared circle is all about winning rounds. Lateral movement, feints, dazzling hand and foot speed, with a brain of boxing intelligence up there with the Sugar Ray Robinson's and Leonard's. Those two greats of the past are often compared to Mayweather, and rightly so. He has comfortably outclassed 37 opponents in a rather "Sugar like" fashion.

De La Hoya sure has a puzzle to solve on Saturday night. And a very difficult one at that, no question about it.

Looking back analyzing De La Hoya's fights with Oba Carr and the Shane Mosley, he was rather lacking in imagination. Throughout both fights, he was one dimensional. Constantly came forward aggressively, threw wild hooks, stood flat-footed, lacked variation, and took many flush punches in return. Carr out-boxed De La Hoya during the middle rounds, with Mosley out-slicking him down the stretch. A recipe for disaster come Saturday night with such a game plan.

I'm in the minority here, but De La Hoya should not constantly pressure Mayweather. Because when he goes all out attack, he's too easy to hit. He doesn't slip punches with head movement. And as I said earlier, he stands flat-footed and does not think defense enough. Mayweather in my opinion has the perfect style to offset a one dimensional De La Hoya. Ring generalship, foot speed, hand speed, and a busy jab.

Mayweather has extremely quick hands. Only Zab Judah came close to matching him in that department. De La Hoya's speed has always been an impressive area of his game, especially when triggering punches off in bursts of three's and four's. Probably only Mosley was quicker than him when they fought at welterweight.

Forcing Mayweather against the ropes could be vital regarding De La Hoya having success with accurate combinations. One combination to look out for is De La Hoya going to the body with both hands, then finishing off with a left hook upstairs. It has always been his favorite combination.

I'm in agreement with Emanuel Steward. He said De La Hoya's best chance of winning is to try and force Mayweather into being the aggressor. That's where he'll catch Mayweather in my opinion, counter left hook while measuring him. De La Hoya is at his best when employing a boxer/counter-puncher style. Lateral movement, combinations, jabs, etc.

For De La Hoya to win he must vary his game. Now, he has good boxing skills, so he should use them. Some rounds pressure, other rounds get behind the jab and make Mayweather force the fight. De La Hoya has a very good jab, but has not used it enough in the past. Certainly not in the manner of a Thomas Hearns. He needs to throw 30 jabs per round to keep Mayweather occupied. And right hands to the body and head while Mayweather moves away from his left hook.

If De La Hoya varies his game I think he can win by decision, and maybe get a KO. He should not look for the knockout, but instead let it come by itself.