SPORTS RECORDS 8: OSCAR DE LA HOYA, GOLDEN BOY OF BOXING, WORLD NO. 1 POUND-FOR-POUND FIGHTER IN 1987-1988
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 18 Jan 2025
Oscar De La Hoya won 11 world titles in six weight classes, including lineal championships in three weight classes. He was nicknamed "The Golden Boy of Boxing" by sports scribes when he won the gold medal in the lightweight division as a member of the United States boxing team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
* * *
De La Hoya was voted The Ring Fighter of the Year in 1995, and was its number one fighter in the world, pound for pound, in 1997 and 1998. De La Hoya earned approximately $700 million in pay-per-view, making him the top pay-per-view fighter before being eclipsed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He retired as an active fighter in 2009 after 16 years as a professional boxer.
* * *
De La Hoya also fought more often than the present boxing stars. From 1995 and 1997 he fought 14 times, winning all bouts. He faced opponents who had a combined record of 483-21-8. He made four WBO lightweight title defenses in 1995. In 1996, he won the WBC super lightweight belt and defended it once and in 1997, he won a WBC welterweight title and defended it three times.
* * *
In 2002, De La Hoya founded his Golden Boy Promotions, a boxing and other combat sport promotions company. He is the first American-Mexican to own a national boxing promotional outfit, and one of the few professional boxers to promote boxing fights responsibilities while still active as a boxer.
* * *
Volleyball is a team sport composed of two teams of six players each and are separated by a net. Each team strives to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It was included in the official program of the Summer Olympics since the Games in Tokyo in 1964. Beach volleyball was introduced to the program at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics. A different version of volleyball at the Summer Paralympic Games is called sitting volleyball.
* * *
William G. Morgan invented volleyball in 1895 when he was the YMCA physical education director in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He derived the game from badminton, so he initially callwd the sport mintonette. He was a one-time student of basketball inventor James Naismith and invented the game for his clients at the YMCA, mostly middle-aged businessmen who couldn't withstand the physical demands of basketball.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 19 MAY 2026: Davis Outpoints Albright; Kuse Dethrones Jerusalem; Donovan Defeats Chukhadzhian; Hrgovic Stops Allen
By Eric Armit, Wed, 20 May 20262026 NBA Playoffs: Knicks Rally from 22 Points Down to Beat Cavs 115-104 in OT
By Reylan Loberternos, Wed, 20 May 2026Filipino grabs second place in the National Canada Chess Challenge 2026
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 20 May 2026Spotlight on Mexico City: boxers speak ahead of IBA Pro 18
Wed, 20 May 20262026 NBA Playoffs: Wembanyama Outshines MVP Gilgeous-Alexander as Spurs Beat Thunder 122-115 in Double Overtime Thriller
By Reylan Loberternos, Wed, 20 May 20260 MUST GO: SELDON JR. vs. POPPER — JUNE 13 AT THE TROP
Wed, 20 May 2026CARL “THE COBRA” FROCH REUNITES WITH ANDRE WARD ON ART OF WARD FOR FIRST IN-DEPTH SIT-DOWN SINCE THEIR LEGENDARY SUPER SIX FINAL
Wed, 20 May 2026BOXING LEGEND DARREN BARKER ANNOUNCES 'THE LONGEST ROUND' – A WORLD-FIRST ENDURANCE CHALLENGE FOR MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Wed, 20 May 2026IBA stands ready to organise Jon Jones professional boxing fight in Russia
Wed, 20 May 2026USA Boxing Elite High Performance Squad Earns Eight More Wins on Day Two at 2026 Copa America
Wed, 20 May 2026QC ends PCAP Season 6 All-Filipino conference campaign
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 20 May 2026It’s in the blood
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 19 May 2026“The fans will be the true winners” – Angel Ayala ready for IBA PRO 18 in Mexico City
Tue, 19 May 2026Rematch option for Melvin
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 19 May 2026World-class stablemates John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez & Darius ‘DFG’ Fulghum fighting on same card Friday night in San Jose
Tue, 19 May 2026