How about pairing the early Oscar De La Hoya with Diego Corrales at Lightweight? De La Hoya, who left the 135lb. division at the age of twenty-two, notched a 19-0-0 record prior to moving up. His most notable victims were Jesse James Leija &, preceding him, John-John Molina. Not a bad brace of, 'W's' for such a young up-start. He is still lacking great experience at this weight, but shows enormous potential.

His opponent here is the biggest & surely best man he has faced at this weight, however. This is the Corrales who recorded triumphs (albeit, somewhat unconvincingly in both cases) against classy adversaries in Joel Casamayor & Jose Luis Castillo. He is 40-2-0, aged twenty-eight, coming off the success against Castillo, as he approaches this bout.

A strange main event deserves a similarly-odd undercard, of course, so...

Miguel Cotto vs. Azumah Nelson at 140lbs...

Cotto is too big. Nelson MIGHT have been 140 in the ring at one point. Cotto was a big 140 lber. Remember when he was 158 for a fight at 140 lbs. Nelson is a level above him, which would make it competitive, but you gotta think Cotto's hands are too heavy.

If you're gonna match guys from different weights you gotta go something like this...

modern welter vs old school middle because they're the same size.

Floyd is the very rare exception.

My thinking was essentially as you imagined --- a good big man against a great smaller man.

How about De La Hoya-Corrales, though?

De La Hoya.

De La Hoya has more dimension to his game than Corrales IMHO. DLH by KO after an interesting slugfest.

Interesting fight actually, and one that Corrales could win if de la Hoya doesn't come in prepared to go to war. He's facing a top notch killer in Corrales with one hell of a punch who'll never quit. That's the absolute biggest gutcheck in a young DLH's career. Chances are, DLH pulls away late and possibly puts him away, but I also wouldn't rule out a war where Chico takes his heart.

i would give the pre-castillo chico a better chance in this match up. i think castillo took a lot of chico's prime in their first fight.
I favor DLH in this match up. More dimentions to his game, could hit probably just as hard as chico at that weight and dlh by nature was more willing to stink it out if that is what he needed to preserve a victory.

Cotto vs Nelson @140 lbs, i would have to favor Cotto. Too big, strong and excellent offensive attack. I remember watching Cotto early on @140 lbs (before Chop Chop and Torres) and he was a beast. Nelson would make it competitive for a while but as the fight gets into the late rounds, Cotto would wear him down.

Corrales vs Hoya is actually a good fight. Young Oscar opened it up a little more back then and actually traded with guys.

Corales's jab and straight right would mess Oscar up and bruise him, but Oscar's left hook would take the action to a whole other level and then finish it. Also, Oscar would be on the move that would end exchanges that benefit Corrales.

Early on, the fight might resemble Corrales-Frietas and Trinidad-De La Hoya, but the left hook would tell soon.

Corrales was the tallest fighter ever with the least amount of skill from range. His jab is pretty much a myth made up by Al Bernstein in the second Casamayor fight. Did he actually ever land it? I totally disagree with Chico doing anything from range. Oscar was rangier without a doubt. Corrales was a better in-fighter with a shorter hook.

Agree. Inside was his game.

Thank God for this.

Corrales's jab was never anything special, but people somehow remember a thorough boxing lesson in the rematch where Chico's jab controlled the action. I remember Bernstein saying over and over that that's what Corrales should be doing against Castillo even though EVERY time he stepped to range and worked the jab he was getting nailed with left hooks and counter rights.

Oscar absolutely demolishes Corrales by the mid rounds, though it'd be fun to see if Diego could get to Oscar with something early.

Makes a lot of sense to me. Its a funny comment becuase it has plenty of truth to it.

Whenever I say that Chico's jab was myth in the 2nd Casamayor fight I'm usually told that I'm Cuban and biased. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that sees is that way.

As far as Oscar and Chico. Oscar did not have the legs at 135 that he had at 140 and 147 he would be forced to trade more. I kind of like Chico in this one.

The longer it goes the better it would be for Chico. DLH at the lower weights was devastating early but I dont think he was really tested by a top notch fighter that took him into deep water. He was really too big for alot of guys in those divisions. With Chico that wouldnt be the case.

Al never seemed to understand what Chico was. He saw a 6 foot tall man and assumed he could jab. Corrales had those short arms and a heart that was way too big. Never, at an point in his career, did he give a shit about a jab. He was a tall devastating in-fighter.

I still love you, Al!

Am I the only one who thought Corrales was jobbed in the third Casamayor fight? Not that he ever did much damage, but...

Oscar blows out Corrales relatively easy after 5 or so knock downs. Oscar was always way too big for the lighterweight fighters.

I have always suspected the scales were sometimes rigged just for him, so they can make him into a multi division champion

DLH-Corrales would look like DLH-Ruelas..

speed kills
Oscar wins