Oscar De La Hoya Pay-Per-View's $700M Golden Boy

New York Times:

If Oscar De La Hoya retires, as he should, he will leave having created his own pay-per-view economy. Counting his pummeling by Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night, De La Hoya's 19 pay-per-view bouts totaled $696.4 million in gross revenues.

Before De La Hoya, Mike Tyson dominated pay-per-view and could still attract one million in buys (1.6 million against Peter McNeeley!) by living off his past ferocity.

Boxing showcases its putatively best fights to the smallest audience, on pay-per-view, a model followed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Pay-per-view distribution confers special status on a bout even if it is not always deserved. Not every blockbuster film is good, either, but like pay-per-view fights, they are the ones with the biggest hype and promises of satisfaction.

De La Hoya did not always deliver, but he could, like Tom Cruise, guarantee business.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[quepasa]

Oscar may not be the best boxer, but he has been good for the sport of boxing. He has represented it well, and he is a hell of a business man. Oscar has given back to the community which is more importatnt than giving to any former boxer. It is because of him the sport is looked at more positively, and why current boxers are now going to make some real money, like him.

[Amennyc]

He's hot.

[Oldtimer]

Oscar Hoya has not been a great contender for anything but money for a while.
It's sad that he chose to go out like this.
Tyson went out poorly to. Holyfield went out better than anyone in recent memory.
I saw Tyson fight in 83 or 84. This is back when he was the heavyweight contender NOBODY
wanted to fight. I won ring side tickets thru an Albany sports radio show and sat next to
Jose Torres - New Yotk State Boxing Commissioner.
Tyson knocked his opponent (Hosea) out in the firt round with a body punch!!
It was during his rise that Muhammed Ali stated that Tyson was the best he ever saw.
Had his manager Jacobs lived Tyson could have gone on to be the greatest that ever lived.
Robin Givens would not have gotten within ten feet of him. The fallout with the trainers
never would have occurred and Tyson would not have been allowed to hurt himself.
Is is sad to say but the youngest heavyweigjht champ could have been the best ever.

[postman606]

You've got to be kidding, Holyfield is 45 years old and still trying to fight. He has been getting beat by all kind of second rate fighters the last 8 or 9 years. The N.Y State Atheletic Commision will not license him to fight citing diminished skills. You can take a guess as to why he's still fighting.

[IntelligenceQuantifier]

Oscar is going to continue getting beaten like a borrowed mule in the ring until it's no longer profitable.

[shirleyfeeney]

I've been a fan of our hometown boy, ODLH,since the Olympics. I paid my money and watched...­sadly.

Oscar, honey...it­'s time.

And can I get my $56 back?

[KarateKid]

You paid $56? Sucker....­..........­.

[shirleyfeeney]

hey, i argued it with my husband. we get HBO, and I said we could watch it the following week for "free". He said that was what he wanted for Christmas.­..what can I say.

[zbjordan23]

Manny whooped DLH...no doubt about it.

[gnostic19]

Oscar is a scam-artist. His two biggest fights were thrown...H­opkins/Pac Man.

[sugarmoes]

good catch! i haven't seen the pacman fight yet but i also believe oscar threw the mayweather fight. that fight was 100% business deal in order to also secure rights to mayweather for the hatton fight.

so... oscar flat out ran from trinidad.

took a dive against hopkins.

and fought a completely fake fight with mayweather.

that's some good loot he's taken in based on lies.

reminds me of gee duhbyuh in many ways.

[postman606]

Are you kidding? Oscar was an over-the-hill fighter up against a great young boxer in his prime. Mayweather owned him.

[sixletters]

I've been thinking the same thing, but I haven't heard anyone else suggest this until now.
Oscar definitely had a lot of praise for Manny after the fight. It just seemed a little odd to me.

[jaydeedub]

Oscar is a great boxing promoter, but a lousy boxer these days.

[Philippa]

Age does matter in boxing.

[albiceleste]

He was overated even in his prime. He never should have been mentioned as an all-time great or best pound for pound.

Who has he beaten that's worth a damn that wasn't over teh hill? Ike Quartey? That's about it.

He has never delivered in a big fight, and quite frankly he didn't deserve that win over Pernell either.

[djgonebad]

Age matters, especially when you train with some "NEW" weight lose guru going into a title fight. Oscar needs to stop before he hurts his future mental health.

The names of countless fighters walk on their heals and shadow-box at bus stations with no pension or any-type of assistance. Maybe he should donate some of the money he received, for this disgraceful outing, and help those who make up the majority of the games athletes.