Oscar De La Hoya vs Shane Mosley II

On Saturday, 13th September 2003, the highly anticipated rematch between Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event, promoted by Top Rank and aired on HBO Pay-per-view, saw De La Hoya defending his WBC, WBA, and IBA World Super-welterweight titles. Weighing in at 154 lbs each, the stage was set for an evenly matched bout as they battled for the prestigious Ring Magazine Jr Middleweight Championship of the World.

During the third round that De La Hoya sustained a cut from a headbutt, which would go on to impact the rest of the match. Despite this setback, De La Hoya continued to push forward, showcasing his ability to adapt to challenging circumstances.

As the fight progressed, it became increasingly clear that this would be a closely contested match. Going into the 12th and final round, Shane Mosley's father and trainer advised him that he needed a knockout to secure victory. Despite the pressure, both fighters remained committed and fought to the final bell.

Ultimately, it was Shane Mosley who emerged victorious, with the judges awarding him a unanimous decision. Mosley's win granted him the Ring Magazine Jr Middleweight Championship of the World. However, De La Hoya expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome during the post-fight press conference, stating that he planned to file a protest of the fight. He cited punch stat numbers, among other reasons, as evidence that he should have won on the judges' scorecards.

A Top Rank poll of ringside reporters revealed varied opinions on the fight's outcome. Of the 28 polled, 16 scored the fight in favor of Mosley, eight for De La Hoya, and four deemed it a draw. This further highlights the intense and closely matched nature of the bout, which left spectators divided.

In a later development, Shane Mosley became embroiled in the BALCO doping scandal. During his testimony before a grand jury, Mosley admitted to having taken the doping agent EPO prior to his fight against De La Hoya. This revelation cast a shadow over Mosley's victory and raised questions about the integrity of the sport.