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:
Nick Ball vs Brandon Figueroa: Scrappy Styles Matchup in Liverpool
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 07 Feb 2026Undefeated Middleweight Sebastian Juarez Returns to the Ring February 6 in Guadalajara
Fri, 06 Feb 2026Esquillo, Arpilleda to compete at Lunar Horse Battle Royal 10-Ball Tournament at Pacman's Cue Club
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 06 Feb 2026WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR MEDINA VS. CURIEL IN MEXICO, PLUS MAIN EVENT QUOTES
Fri, 06 Feb 2026Rene Tellez Giron & Luis Torres Battle for Mexican Pride in 10-Round Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
Fri, 06 Feb 2026Gomera and Ding are set to clash for the WBC Asia 126 belt
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 05 Feb 2026“Thunderdome 53 is stacked and I cant wait to see these fights March 13 at Thunderdome 53 - Promoter Tony Tolj
Thu, 05 Feb 2026WORLD ELITE SUMO MAKES ITS PRUDENTIAL CENTER DEBUT ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Sumalinog Brothers Score Wins in Bohol; Sign with Monty Flores (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 05 Feb 2026MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH TEAM BOXING LEAGUE
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Trifon Petrov unveils the signing of another USA Team member in Ariana Carrasco
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Jerome Gonzales off to a marvelous start in J&P 10 Ball Cup at Pacman's Cue Club
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 05 Feb 2026DCL amateur MMA on Feb. 21 at Sta. Lucia Mall
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 05 Feb 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 3 FEBRUARY 2026: Shakur Schools Teofimo to Become 4-Division Champ; Zayas Unifies WBA/WBO Superwelter; Kelly Beats Murtazaliev
By Eric Armit, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Grand Week for Boxing in NY
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Wed, 04 Feb 2026