-Photo Credit: D M Warr/DKP-

    The big clash between Ricardo Mayorga and Oscar de la Hoya is imminent, and everyone is starting to give his or her predictions on the fight. Here's a look at what both fighters will need to do, and what both fighters will need to avoid on Saturday night:

               Ricardo Mayorga

•   What he needs to do to win:
  
  1. Hope that his trash talk worked and that Oscar comes inside and fights him. Mayorga's best chance is if he can induce Oscar inside, in a similar manner than he did against Vernon Forrest.
  
  2. Make Oscar feel his power. If Oscar is able to withstand Mayorga's power like Trinidad did, then it could be a long night for El Matador.
  
  3. Turn the fight into a war- This is always the best strategy for Mayorga going into any fight.
  
  4. Take advantage of potential ring rust that Oscar may have, and challenge him early. Establish a lot of pressure, and try to overwhelm Oscar.
   

•  What he needs to avoid:
  
  1. Quit worrying about money, and further trash talking. Any sort of distractions need to be set aside at this point.
  
  2. Avoid chasing, and concentrate on cutting off the ring if Oscar is mobile.
  
  3. Any pre fight partying in Vegas, no beers of cigarettes.
  
  4. Oscar's jab. Oscar has a very underrated jab that he will probably try to establish to keep El Matador at bay.
  
     Oscar de la Hoya
   

• What he needs to do to win:
  
  1. Avoid getting sucked into a machismo battle with Mayorga, and fight a smart fight.
  
  2. Be wary of ring rust, and forget recent bad memories at the MGM Grand. Note: Oscar's last three fights happened at the MGM Grand, and he's 1-2, with the one win being a disputed one against Felix Sturm.
  
  3. Stick to the game plan he said he will use. Use the jab, fight smart, and go to the body. Utilize his defense for those times when Mayorga is in front of him.
  
  4. Use his speed. Oscar's speed is also underrated, and if can utilize his speed it will negate some of Mayorga's pressure.
   

• What he needs to avoid:           
  
  1. Not letting Mayorga get in his head, which can be hard to do. Stick to his game plan, and don't get sucked into a war.
  
  2. Avoid looking ahead to September 16th. Remember the last time Oscar had a big fight looming against Bernard Hopkins, he looked very flat in the fight before Hopkins, which was against Felix Sturm. He can't let this happen to him again, because Mayorga is too dangerous.
  
  3. Avoid toe to toe exchanges- Just outbox him and when the time comes to go toe to toe don't stay in close quarters forever.
  
  4. Avoid the urge to try and KO Mayorga. This is hard to do sometimes when the opponent has gotten under a fighter's skin. If the opportunity comes, fine, but don't let hostilities dictate the fight. If Oscar sticks to his game plan the KO could come late, but he can't let anger overwhelm him. Remember, Mayorga has a good chin.
   

Questions? Comments? Email Tom Dickey
   
5-04-2006