De La Hoya's The Pretty, Pretty Favorite

39-0 boxer forgoes $20 million payoff

(NEWSER) - Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is hanging up his gloves, nixing a high-profile rematch against Oscar De La Hoya, ESPN.com reports. “This decision was not an easy one for me to make,” the welterweight champ said. “However, these past few years have been extremely difficult for me to find the desire and joy to continue.” More»

Undefeated challenger takes 12-round split decision

(NEWSER) - Floyd Mayweather Jr. captured Oscar De La Hoya's WBC super welterweight title last night in Las Vegas, recording a 12-round split decision and running his record to 38-0. Two of the three judges gave one of the richest fights in boxing history to the 3-2 underdog, who has won a belt in five different weight classes. More»

Pacquiao fight raises excitement in the sport

(NEWSER) - Last night's big fight between Manny Pacquiao and “Sugar” Shane Mosely turned out to be a dud, with Pacquiao winning an easy decision, reports AP . But the fight had generated much buzz, leading Atlantic to ponder whether the sport might be ready to burst back into the mainstream. Some pros:

• Sports are global now: Sure, there aren’t any dominant Americans, but these days American fans follow English soccer teams and root for baseball stars like Ichiro Suzuki and Albert Pujols.
• The Internet: Newspapers don’t cover boxing anymore, but you can get plenty of news—and video—online.
• Pacquiao: He’s at the top of the sport, he’s exceedingly likeable, and has a rapid-fire style that’s a joy to watch. As his biographer once said, Pacquiao “has essentially been carrying the sport on his back.”

(NEWSER) - Boxer Oscar De La Hoya called it quits today after an electrifying career, the Los Angeles Times reports. “Knowing that you’re never going to compete again is a tough decision,” said De La Hoya, 36, who earned the nickname “Golden Boy” in a victorious 1992 Olympics that launched his career. “When I cannot compete at this level, I have come to the conclusion that it is over.” More»

Facebook group invites public to be 'next in line'

(NEWSER) - At least 1,223 people want to see Chris Brown get in another fight, and a Los Angeles martial arts expert is one of them, Fox News reports. Anthony Geisler, president of LA Boxing, started a Facebook group called "I want to fight Chris Brown" that invites the singer to step into the ring and "see what it’s like to face a real opponent"—namely, Geisler. So far, 1,222 others have joined. More»