Mayweather Jr. Quits Before Big Match

(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»

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»

Photogenic boxer is hot, but can title fight heat up boxing?

(NEWSER) - In the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. title fight, the defending champion with the winning smile is the overwhelming people's favorite. And the bout is for more than just the WBC light middleweight crown. It's projected to shatter pay-per-view records and perhaps even rejuvenate boxing—a notion De La Hoya rejects. 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.”

Says boxing champ took steroids for de la Hoya bout

(NEWSER) - Shane Mosley was perfectly aware he had taken steroids before defeating Oscar de la Hoya in 2003, claims convicted steroid dealer Victor Conte. "He knew what he was taking and I told him that before he took it," BALCO founder Conte said. The prizefighter says he never knowingly took steroids and is suing for libel, the LA Times reports. More»