The Moment of Truth

A funny thing has happened to Oscar De La Hoya on his way to tonight’s title fight. He has turned into Bob Arum.

Sounding more like a promoter than the World Boxing Council welterweight champion, De La Hoya has been hyping his opponent, Ike Quartey, making him sound like a combination of Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler.

After hearing for years from Arum about the threat posed to De La Hoya from opponents ranging from Rafael Ruelas to Julio Cesar Chavez to Pernell Whitaker to Patrick Charpentier--OK, not even Arum dared build up Charpentier--De La Hoya now tells us that, “in the last six or seven fights, I haven’t been in good shape,” and that Quartey poses the first “true test” of his career.

De La Hoya talks about the possibility of this being the first of a series of fights against Quartey that would define De La Hoya the way Joe Frazier defined Muhammad Ali.

“I’ve got to think about losing,” De La Hoya said.

He has even talked about how he will react if Quartey should knock him down.

Is De La Hoya merely jumping into his new role as Arum’s partner in the promotion of his fights? Is he simply trying to build up Quartey so that when he knocks him out, it will look all the more impressive?

Or does De La Hoya really believe all of this stuff? If he does, he’s in trouble tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center. Because ultimately, the only one who can beat De La Hoya tonight is De La Hoya himself. He has the superior boxing skills to beat Quartey. Only De La Hoya’s mind can betray him.

Possessing superior speed and a more versatile style, De La Hoya is facing a strong, but limited puncher who has been inactive for 16 months and is coming off his most disappointing performance.

Still two questions hover over De La Hoya’s seventh defense of his WBC crown.

* Malaria or miscalculation?

Quartey entered the ring against Jose Lopez in Ledyard, Conn., in October 1997 with a 34-0 record, 29 knockouts and a reputation as one of the toughest, most powerful welterweights in the world and the owner of arguably the best jab in boxing. After dominating the early portion of that fight, Quartey struggled at the end, getting knocked down twice by Lopez, considered before the fight to be the rising star in the welterweight division.

It later was revealed that Quartey was suffering from malaria and had been advised by his handlers to postpone the fight.

It ended in a draw, and the uncertainty lingers. Was it the effects of the malaria that made Quartey look beatable, or was it the effects of Lopez’s punches?

Quartey, who weighed in at 146 1/2 pounds Friday, says he is now healthy. But whether he can again become the force he had been in the ring against a fighter of De La Hoya’s caliber is questionable.

* Macho man or businessman?

De La Hoya, who weighs 147, knows what his strategy should be for this fight. He knows he must stay out of the range of that devastating Quartey jab.

De La Hoya knows he can move around Quartey all night, firing his effective jab from all angles. He knows he should be able to pile up enough points to win a clear decision and stay in business as a moneymaking champion.

But it’s not that simple.

De La Hoya has felt the sting of criticism, heard that he hasn’t yet proved he belongs among boxing’s elite. He knows he has yet to face a world-class fighter in his prime, that he has made his fortune by picking on those who were either over the hill or hadn’t even started up the hill yet.

Nobody says such things about Quartey. But would a victory earned while staying out of harm’s way be enough to win De La Hoya the acclaim he seeks?

“I hope Oscar does not run around,” said Dr. Oko Kwate Kwei, described as “spiritual advisor” to Quartey. “Because if he does, Ike will get mad and throw punches that are very dangerous to Oscar. He will be very sorry.”

Kwei said he is not worried about De La Hoya’s speed.

“We know the guy is fast,” Kwei said, “but punches can slow you down.”

In his first meeting with Chavez in June 1996, De La Hoya stuck to the game plan and stuck it to Chavez, staying out of Chavez’s range and taking advantage of a prefight cut over one of Chavez’s eyes to slice up an opponent he held in awe.

But in the eighth round of their rematch last September, De La Hoya, realizing that Chavez had nothing left and couldn’t hurt him, waded in to slug it out.

When that eighth round, one of the most exciting of De La Hoya’s career, was over, Chavez was a beaten man, blood streaming from a deep cut in his mouth. He quit in his corner, giving De La Hoya his current record of 29-0 with 24 knockouts.

It was an exhilarating moment for De La Hoya. He had beaten his boyhood hero and had done so with a macho approach.

That round will surely be on De La Hoya’s mind tonight.

And if at some point he is having his way, dancing around Quartey, De La Hoya might decide he doesn’t want to dance all night. He might want to stand in front of Quartey and match jabs and power in order to demonstrate his dominance.

That would be a mistake on De La Hoya’s part.

But if he plays it smart, De La Hoya will be able to pile up the punches, pick up the points, cut up Quartey and win on a TKO in the 10th round.

Tonight’s Fight At A Glance

Oscar De La Hoya

(29-0, 24 knockouts) vs. Ike Quartey (34-0, 29 KOS)

Where: Las Vegas

For: De La Hoya’s World Boxing Council welterweight title.

When: Card starts at 6

TV: Pay-per-veiw only

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

IKE QUARTEY / OSCAR DE LA HOYA

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34-0-1, 29 KOs Record 29-0, 24 KOs 29 Age 26 146 1/2 Weight 147 5-8 Height 5-11 72 inches Reach 72 inches 38 inches Chest (normal) 39 inches 41 1/2 inches Chest (expanded) 42 1/4 inches 14 1/2 inches Biceps 13 3/4 inches 11 1/2 inches Forearm 12 inches 32 inches Waist 31 3/4 inches 23 inches Thigh 21 inches 14 inches Calf 13 1/2 inches 16 inches Neck 15 1/2 inches 7 inches Wrist 7 inches 10 1/2 inches Fist 9 inches

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