Mayorga: “I have even tailed off the drinking and cigarettes”
By Michael Woods April 19th, 2006Ricardo Mayorga would rather fight and switch
Word out of Ricardo Mayorga’s training camp in Miami is that the Nicaraguan super welterweight titlist is walking the straight and narrow path in preparation for his May 6 bout with Oscar De La Hoya.
Well, straight and narrow for the 32-year-old Mayorga (28-5-1, 23 KOs). The boxing bad boy, who refuses to kick his yearning for beer and tobacco even while training for bouts, says that he’s taking the 33-year-old De La Hoya (37-4, 29 KOs) extremely seriously, and has adjusted his habits accordingly.
“It takes discipline to become a champion and even more to remain a champion,” he said. “I am being disciplined in my training camp. I have even tailed off the drinking and cigarettes.
“My motto for this fight is: I’ll live and die for my championship. De La Hoya is coming into my danger zone. The fight is being called Danger Zone because that’s where Oscar is headed. He’s stubborn and he disrespected me during the media tour and that will be his downfall come May 6.
“I don’t have to prepare mentally all that much for this match because I’m always ready to fight. That’s what I am, a Nicaraguan street fighter. Oscar is the one that needs to prepare mentally to face me.
“Honestly, I have not watched a single tape of Oscar De La Hoya’s fights. I already know what his weaknesses are. He is crazy to think he can try to stand up in front of me and take the punishment I will deliver. Oscar’s washed up. He was great at one time but logic and Mother Nature tell you he’s washed up now.
Tickets for De La Hoya vs. Mayorga, aka Danger Zone, priced at $1250, $950, $750, $350 and $150 are on sale now at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office and are also available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or
www.ticketmaster.com.
The De La Hoya vs. Mayorga pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on May 6 has a suggested retail price of $49.95.
(Email news tips to Michael Woods at Fightwrite@gmail.com)
April 20th, 2006 at 6:36 am
Didn’t he say pretty much the same thing when he was promoting his fight with Trinidad?
Although Mayorga is exciting to watch because of his ruthless, “I don’t care what you hit me with” style, it’s hard to keep a straight face when he talks trash the way he does.
Ali talked trash (in fact, I can’t recall who talked trash before him, or better than him for that matter), but when he got in the ring most of the time, he backed it up with style, heart, and power. Mayorga talks trash, and I want to throw up breakfast chunks in the toilet.
Mayorga needs to wake up and smell the Starbucks if he really believes what he’s saying about De La Hoya. A well rested, calm, experienced fighter like Oscar will probably be more dangerous than a heart attack when he enters the ring with Ricardo. Oscar will not be taunted into fighting a brawl like Vernon was. Oscar will stick to his game plan. If Mayorga’s game plan is to fight Oscar the way he fought Trinidad, then he better bring a pillow to the fight to break the fall to the canvas.
April 20th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
I keep waiting for someone to point out that Mayorga made his name - his entire career really - on illegal rabbit punches.
Go watch the first Vernon Forrest fight and see how many times Mayorga hits Forrest in the back of the head. It seemed like everytime Forrest ducked under a head-hunting missile, Mayorga followed quickly with a chopping right hand, right to the back of VF’s melon. Please tell me someone else saw this?
April 20th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
i want to hear Mayorga’s opinion on the Trinidad fight when he got busted up…..i think Oscar will do the same thing to him since mayorga’s weakness is so obvious. Just box him. In terms of talent, i don’t think he has much other than a big heart and a even bigger chin. Makes a good punching bag though.
April 23rd, 2006 at 3:50 pm
Mayorga wil knock oscar out garanteed if oscar fell for the trash talking and will stand in there and trade with mayorga and any mexican fighter will fight with pride before anything else
April 24th, 2006 at 7:55 am
LOL @ Magnum 44.
April 25th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
I like DLH just as much as anyone, but I think he picked the wrong fighter to step into the ring with after such a long absence. While Mayorga’s mouth should be glued shut at times, I like his fighting style, and determination. He was the first to admit he didn’t take the Trinindad fight as seriously as he should have. I don’t see him making the same mistake twice, especially with DLH. I’m predicting Mayorga will beat DLH within nine rounds. DLH may have the technical skill, but I just don’t think he can take the type of punishment Mayorga is known for dishing out.
April 25th, 2006 at 3:23 pm
I THINK DE LA HOYA SHOULD HAVE RETIRED 3 YEARS AGO BEFORE HE FOUGHT HOPKINS HE FOUGHT A WANKSTA AND I BELIVE HE LOST BUT THEY GAVE HIM THE FIGHT. MAYORGA IS A DIRTY MOUTH BUT BOY HE COULD TAKE PUNISHMENT LIKE IN THE TRINIDAD FIGHT HE SHOULD HE HAD MORE HEART THAN MOST BOXER’S.IF HE WAS JUST A BIT MORE ACCURATE WITH HIS SHOTS AND CONNECT HE CAN BRING DOWN ANYONE. I BELIEVE MAYORGA WILL WIN IF HE HAS BEEN TRAINING WELL LIKE HIS TEAM SAY HE HAS AND IF DE LA HOYA DOESNT RUN AROUND LIKE A CHICKEN.