Think about it. Clemens received an extended standing ovation during his supposed finale. This took place during a World Series game against the Florida Marlins, in Miami nonetheless. Yet as we all know, there’s been plenty of Rocket action since that time. The list of active retired athletes is an extensive one, especially when it comes to the great ones. So rather than focusing on the extensive coverage of this swan song, how about we take a look at the upcoming fight and go from there. 

The first thing that stands out is the fact that the fight is on HBO. That may seem insignificant, but it’s worth mentioning because De La Hoya hasn’t fought a non-pay-per-view match since 2001. It’s almost as if the powers that be are realizing that MMA-style groups such as UFC and EliteXC are gaining more and more popularity; thus forcing the once standalone sport to seek additional fans by any means necessary. This is further evidenced by the fact that last week's Hopkins-Calzaghe fight, as well as the brawls from a few weeks back, were all non-pay-per-view events. In short, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not boxing can continue the recent streak of excellent non-pay-per-view fights. 

Aside from that, the fight isn’t expected to be very competitive. Steve Forbes (33-5, 9 KO’s) is a former junior lightweight titleholder, and was also a second runner up on “The Contender.” Last time we saw someone from “The Contender” take on a big time boxer wasn’t very pretty, as Miguel Cotto pretty much toyed with Alfonso Gomez.  

However, it’s worth mentioning that anything can happen when it comes to boxing. I mean, it was just a few years back that Hasim Rahman knocked out Lennox Lewis because Lewis really didn’t take him seriously. Moreover, I’m pretty sure we all remember the match with Felix Sturm, in which an out of shape De La Hoya almost lost as a result of looking beyond the opponent at hand.  

Should De La Hoya do the same here, as in preparing for the September rematch with Mayweather Jr., it could potentially result in a favorable outcome for the younger and possibly hungrier Forbes.

On the other hand, if Oscar comes in as focused and prepared for Forbes as he claims to be, it could be a one-sided affair. He’s taking on a guy that doesn’t have much power at this weight class, and thanks to the Southern California location, Oscar will also have a huge fan base in attendance. 

As previously mentioned, it’s the first of three fights that’ll supposedly be it for Oscar. With Mayweather Jr. already lined up for September, there’s no telling who the final opponent will be. For Forbes, this could very well be a make-or-break fight, as a win will definitely lead to more money and spotlight; but the flipside of that is equally negative. 

All in all, it’s likely going to be a pleasant night for De La Hoya fans. Assuming he’s able to do away with Forbes without much trouble, the talk of the town for the next few months will definitely be fun to watch, as evidenced by the preflight coverage of his first encounter with Mayweather Jr.

Questions? Comments? Write Richard Diaz