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By Steve Kim Updated on June 19, 2025

Where Does the Time Go?

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While scanning my Twitter/X timeline on Tuesday I was reminded that on this day (June 17) in 2000, the bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Now, for many this date will be best remembered for what happened in 1994 with a certain white Bronco going down the 405 with OJ Simpson inside of it. 

But for us boxing diehards, it's about this memorable match-up of two stars that were bred in Southern California.

I was lucky to have been able to cover that event, and I had a great seat as I did the international commentary for Top Rank alongside the late Genaro 'Chicanito' Hernandez. Here are some recollections of that weekend...

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- This bout was given the title 'Destiny' by Top Rank, as both 'the Golden Boy' and 'Sugar' hailed from the Los Angeles area. De La Hoya was raised in East L.A., Mosley in Pomona. Both were very familiar with one another from their highly decorated amateur careers, and had worked together in the past.

As this bout was made, De La Hoya was still the sports biggest star, even after his controversial loss to Felix Trinidad the previous September. He rebounded by taking care of Derrell Coley in February at Madison Square Garden. For Mosley, after a productive stretch as the IBF lightweight titlist, he decided to skip 140 altogether and move up to welterweight. His initial bout at 147 was more difficult than anticipated and he needed a late 10th round KO to avert a loss to Wilfredo Rivera. Mosley was much more dominant in dispatching Willy Wise (who had just upset the faded Julio Cesar Chavez) that January.

If I recall correctly, Mosley was about a 3-to-1 'dog. The theory being that an elite big man defeats an elite smaller one. That was the case in the early rounds but by the middle stages Mosley started to get into a groove. He was a bit faster and quicker than De La Hoya, and then even went southpaw for stretches late in the bout. The fight ended with a rousing 12th round that saw Mosley hammer De La Hoya with a few overhand rights.

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It turned out to be the decisive stanza because Mosley won via split decision by the scores of 116-112, 113-115 and 115-113. So if he doesn't win that final round, it's a draw. I had it 116-112 for Mosley. For the record, coming into this bout I had picked Mosley to upset De La Hoya.

Regardless of the result, it was truly an electric night.

- In the immediate aftermath of that loss, Oscar and Bob Arum (who had promoted throughout most of his career) parted ways. De La Hoya sued to get out of his contract with Top Rank. I still recall Arum stating, "He ran from Trinidad, he ran from Mosley -- but he ain't running from me."

Eventually, De La Hoya linked up with Jerry Perenchio, the CEO of Univision, to go out on his own. But eventually he and Arum reunited to do a few more fights together, before De La Hoya went all-in on his own company, Golden Boy Promotions. Hey, money can dived, money can unite. 

- The Staples Center (now called the Crypto.com Arena) opened in 1999. Primarily as home of the Lakers, Kings and Clippers. This fight card actually took place in-between game five and six of the 2000 NBA Finals between the Lakers and Pacers. On that Friday, the Pacers down three games to one blew out the Lakers in game six at Conseco Fieldhouse to send the series back to Los Angeles. A few days later the Lakers won the title and kicked off the Shaq/Kobe dynasty. 

Picture for Where Does the Time Go?Staples Center 

I've said in the past that the opening of the Staples Center by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) was huge for boxing in Southern California. Because not only did the Staples Center become a regular destination for big fight cards, but other AEG owned properties like Dignity Health Sports Park -- better known as 'the War Grounds' -- in Carson became boxing hubs.

Before that, as I got onto the boxing beat around 1996, I really don't recall that many major cards being hosted in this area. Honestly, the local scene was kind of barren in this regard. The glory days of the Olympic Auditorium had passed, and Forum Boxing was in its last chapters as a major promotional outfit. Putting aside boxing, LA Live has been great for the city. There is a vibrant and lively scene here just about every night.

Before it was constructed, it really was L.A. dead. 

(For the record, as Staples Center was opened, there was no 'LA Live', the land was used as a parking lot. It was several years before everything began to be built on that property.)

- Just off the top of my head, the Crypto.com Arena (geez, I just hate typing that out) has hosted Lennox Lewis-Vitali Klitschko, Mosley-Antonio Margarito, Antonio Tarver-Glen Johnson I,Marcos Maidana-Victor Ortiz, Errol Spence-Shawn Porter and Gervonta Davis-Isaac Cruz, among many others. But to this day, De La Hoya-Mosley I is still the best fight they've ever had. 

Picture for Where Does the Time Go?LA Live

- That was a busy weekend of boxing. The night before the big card there was a show taking place at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California that was promoted by Top Rank as part of the ESPN2 'Friday Night Fights' series. The main event featured 'the King of Fantasy Springs Casino', Antonio Diaz, who won a decision versus the tricky Omar Weis. Also on that card was his younger brother, and future world champion, Julio. Kelly Pavlik made his pro debut on this sweltering night in the desert. I recall driving to this event with Doug Fischer during our days at 'House of Boxing'.

Then on Saturday afternoon, Top Rank staged a card from the Bicycle Club in Bell Gardens. It was one of the last boxing cards ever televised by ABC. The featured bout had the respected Stevie Johnston defending his WBC lightweight title against this relatively unknown guy from Mexico named Jose Luis Castillo. 

Hernandez and I were on the call. It was a very hot afternoon, and the black top outside only intensified the heat. Meanwhile, this Castillo guy didn't read the script, and upset Johnston in a nip-and-tuck battle. This fight was named as the 'Upset of the Year' by Ring Magazine. 

Picture for Where Does the Time Go?Jose Luis Castillo

A few months later they re-matched in Johnston's hometown of Denver, at the Pepsi Center. This bout was originally announced as a victory for Johnston, but later it was revealed that one of the scorecards had been added incorrectly. It turned this bout into a majority draw, which meant Castillo kept the title. It turned out that Castillo was actually really good as he went on to have a very long run as an elite lightweight. He was one of my favorite fighters from this era. In my view, he belongs in the International Boxing Hall-of-Fame.

As that fight ended, it seemed like everyone there made the trek to the Staples Center for the big card. Hernandez and I had no time to waste as we basically had to call the whole card, which included the likes of Erik Morales. The best bout of the undercard was the war between Diego Corrales and Justin Juuko. 

It was a memorable weekend, one that wont ever be forgotten by this scribe.

Has it really been 25 years?

 

3KR

This week on 'the 3 Knockdown Rule', Mario Lopez and I hosted Rudy Hernandez, who made another in-studio visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkwFDhW0e7s

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