PREFIGHT
It was pretty empty at the Home Depot Center leading up to the main event. I'm assuming everyone is just showing up to see the Golden Boy. They really need to start putting together some better undercards. Forbes looks to be in pretty good shape. De La Hoya appears to be in even better shape. Some celebrities in attendance: Tobey Maguire, Brooke Shields, Sylvester Stallone. Forbes comes out first to the sounds of the Eurythmics. The Eurythmics? "Sweet dreams are made of this...who am I to disagree..." I don't think I would have ever imagined that song as a ring entrance. Forbes looks confident. We'll see if he can make this sweet dream come true. The Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, comes out next. He looks focused...a serious and intense look on his face. Both fighters pace back and fourth in the ring as they wait for the action to start. A chorus of boos rain down as Forbes is announced. The crowd erupts when De La Hoya is announced.
ROUND 1
De La Hoya triples up with the jab immediately. He looks loose in there. Right hand to the body lands for De La Hoya. Forbes lands a jab. 1-2 to the body lands for Forbes and De La Hoya sneaks in a left hook. Now De La Hoya digs to the body. Jab and a 1-2 to the body lands for De La Hoya. They trade jabs. Another right to the body lands for De La Hoya. Jab and a 1-2 lands for Forbes. They trade jabs again and Oscar's harder jab backs Forbes up. De La Hoya lands two more stiff jabs. Forbes digs a 1-2 to the body. De La Hoya digs two harder ones of his own to the body. HARD right hand lands for De La Hoya...and another. Woooooooo...now Forbes lands a NICE 1-2 and a straight right hand that caught De La Hoya off guard. Round to De La Hoya, but Forbes isn't looking too shabby in there.
De La Hoya 10 Forbes 9
ROUND 2
De La Hoya lands a jab to the body and Forbes lands a nice counter over the top. De La Hoya lands another HARD shot to the body. Left hook lands upstairs for De La Hoya. Oscar letting his hands go and landing a lot while Forbes covers up. HARD uppercut lands for Forbes and now De La Hoya backs up. Forbes giving as good as he gets. They trade jabs. Forbes lands a left hook. Three shots to the body land for De La Hoya. Forbes lands a right to the body. They trade jabs again. And again. De La Hoya doubles up on his jab now. Left and a right lands for De La Hoya. They trade left hooks. Forbes sneaks in a straight right. Round to De La Hoya. Both fighters look better than expected in there.
De La Hoya 20 Forbes 18
ROUND 3
Jab and a 1-2 to the body lands for De La Hoya. WOOOOOOO...HARD left hand upstairs lands for De La Hoya. Forbes lands a 1-2 to the body. They trade jabs. NICE counter right hand lands for Forbes. HARD jab, followed by a right hand and a left hook lands for De La Hoya. Jab to the body lands for Forbes. They trade jabs. Forbes lands a straight right and De La Hoya lands a left. De La Hoya lands a left upstairs. They trade hard body shots. Forbes lands a straight right upstairs. Round to De La Hoya, but again, not the mismatch that some people were predicting so far.
De La Hoya 30 Forbes 27
ROUND 4
Both men trade combinations to the body. Forbes pressing forward and backs De La Hoya up to the ropes. De La Hoya lands a jab. 1-2 from De La Hoya is blocked and Forbes lands a nice counter right. Jab lands for Forbes. 1-2 lands for De La Hoya. HARD left hook lands for Forbes. They trade jabs. De La Hoya lands a jab and a right hand and Forbes eats it and does a little showboating. Forbes looks comfortable in there. Forbes lands a left. De La Hoya lands a right. De La Hoya backing him up and lands another jab. Jab and a left hook lands for Forbes. Very close round. Very close. I give it to De La Hoya, but it could get interesting as Forbes is getting extremely comfortable in there.
De La Hoya 40 Forbes 36
ROUND 5
De La Hoya slips in a jab. Forbes lands a jab and a left hook. De La Hoya sneaks in another jab. Nice 1-2 lands for Forbes. Another 1-2 to the body lands for Forbes. Forbes making De La Hoya miss with his left hook along the ropes. Jab to the body lands for Forbes. De La Hoya stalking and not throwing as much right now. Forbes lands a jab. 1-2 to the body lands for De La Hoya. Right hand to the body lands for Forbes. De La Hoya lands an uppercut. Forbes shoeshines with a flurry to the body. De La Hoya flurries to the crowd's delight, but most of those punches were blocked. Another very close, tactical round. I give it to Forbes, but De La Hoya may have done enough to win it on some cards.
De La Hoya 49 Forbes 46
ROUND 6
Both men flurry in the center of the ring. They trade left hooks. De La Hoya lands a hookercut. Right hand lands for Forbes. 1-2 to the body lands for Forbes. Right hand lands for De La Hoya followed by a 1-2. Left hook lands for De La Hoya. Forbes lands two jabs. They trade jabs. HARD 1-2 lands for De La Hoya to end the round. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 59 Forbes 55
ROUND 7
Both men focusing their jabs upstairs and downstairs. They trade jabs. Stiff jab lands for Forbes. Left hook lands for Forbes. De La Hoya lands a couple of jabs. Right hand lands for De La Hoya upstairs. Uppercut lands for De La Hoya. Right hand to the body lands for Forbes. De La Hoya digs three hooks to the body. Forbes sneaks in an uppercut. De La Hoya lets his hands go along the ropes and lands some nice combinations. They trade jabs. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 69 Forbes 64
ROUND 8
De La Hoya digs two jabs to the body. They trade jabs. Overhand right lands for De La Hoya. Forbes lands a jab. 1-2 lands for Forbes. Right hand lands for Forbes. Left hand lands for De La Hoya. Forbes rocks De La Hoya's head back with a jab. De La Hoya eats it and continues to walk him down. Two HARD left hands land to the body for De La Hoya as Forbes tries to tie him up. Uppercut lands for Forbes and he showboats. Nice punch, but not enough to win him the round. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 79 Forbes 73
ROUND 9
Jab lands for De La Hoya. Another. Forbes lands a right hand that's a little low. HARD jab lands for De La Hoya. They trade jabs. Right to the body lands for Forbes. De La Hoya catches him with a left hook. Right to the body lands for Forbes. De La Hoya digs a left to the body and Forbes answers with a left upstairs. 1-2 lands for De La Hoya. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 89 Forbes 82
ROUND 10
De La Hoya stalking behind his jab. HARD left hand lands for De La Hoya. Nice 1-2 to the body lands for De La Hoya. Forbes lands a left hook upstairs. HARD uppercut and a right hand lands for De La Hoya. Forbes digs a 1-2 to the body. Nice left hook to the body followed by a right hand upstairs lands for De La Hoya. Oscar lets his hands go and lands a vicious uppercut and a nice combo. Now Forbes lands a left hook that has Oscar covering up. Good exchange there. De La Hoya lands a left hook upstairs. Another HARD left hook lands for De La Hoya. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 99 Forbes 91
ROUND 11
Floyd Mayweather Sr. instructs De La Hoya to get inside and land some hard body shots in between rounds. De La Hoya walks Forbes down and lands a left to the body. Forbes throws a 10-punch combo and De La Hoya slips all of the punches with ease. HARD combo to the body lands for De La Hoya. Forbes lands a 1-2 to the body of his own. Quick jab lands for De La Hoya. Nice 1-2 from De La Hoya has Forbes backing up. De La Hoya backs him up to the ropes and lands two crushing body shots. Forbes spins to get away. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 109 Forbes 100
ROUND 12
Quick jab lands for De La Hoya. Another stiff jab lands for De La Hoya. Another. Forbes covers up. Forbes sneaks in a left hook. Right and a left lands for De La Hoya. HARD left hook from De La Hoya knocks Forbes back. De La Hoya up on his toes. Some slight boos from the crowd who are hoping for the knockout. Forbes lands a right hand. De La Hoya lands a left hook to the body and Forbes holds on. Left hook and a 1-2 to the body lands for De La Hoya. Round to De La Hoya.
De La Hoya 119 Forbes 109
Harold Lederman scored the bout 119-109
Official judges scorecards...
Max Deluca: 119-109
Marcos Rosales: 120-108
Marty Sammon: 119-109
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...THE GOLDEN BOY...OSCAR DE LA HOYA
COMPUBOX
De La Hoya total punches: 253/810
Forbes total punches: 152/776
De La Hoya jabs: 127/406
Forbes jabs: 69/470
POSTFIGHT
"Stevie Forbes...I was hoping I would stop him or knock him out, but since he's never been knocked out, I knew he would be a tough customer...the idea is to stand up and fight more straight up and use the jab...now I feel sharp after a year layoff," stated De La Hoya. "I'm ready to have two big, exciting fights come September and December...I'm going to go after him [Floyd Mayweather Jr.] because I know I can beat him," De La Hoya continued.