Oscar De La Hoya Says Floyd Mayweather Was The Fastest Fighter He Faced

Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya has taken time out to reflect on his own boxing career and name check some of the toughest opponents he came up against.

De La Hoya first gave props for Bernard Hopkins as the best body puncher he fought. ‘The Alien’ sensationally stopped De La Hoya with a crippiling body shot when the pair clashed in 2004 – it’s clearly something that has stuck with ‘The Golden Boy’ all these years later.

“Body punching, I mean I would have to say Bernard Hopkins. Obviously because he caught me with that amazing body shot and took me down,” De La Hoya said. “But he was very calculated with his punches. He never exerted more than what he had to exert. But every single punch was very precise. I would have to say Bernard Hopkins.”

The conversation soon moved on to who was the fastest and De La Hoya was keen to give credit to Floyd Mayweather who was not just fast but extremely intelligent inside the ring, he said.

“I would have to go with Floyd Mayweather. I mean, Floyd Mayweather was a fighter who was very intelligent, very smart, very calculated. And the reason why I will says he was the fastest — because Pernell Whitaker was the fastest — but his timing of punches were precise. And that’s where I would have to give Floyd Mayweather the most credit and the most respect.

“It was a good fight, it was a very emotional fight. It was one of those events that will obviously never forget. I will always appreciate who I went up in the ring with, including Manny Pacquiao, including Floyd Mayweather, including the very best of my era. I was very proud of my whole career, win or lose.” (Transcribed by Bad Left Hook)

Do you think Oscar De La Hoya is right to name Floyd Mayweather as the fastest boxer he faced?