From the Vault 11.11.09: Oscar De La Hoya vs Ike Quartey

Posted by Patrick Cassidy on 11.11.2009

We open the vault to take a look back at this 1999 clash between two of the world's top welterweights. Patrick Cassidy breaks down the fight and weighs in on the scoring controversy while getting a few shots in at the HBO announce team...



In honor of this week's welterweight showdown, we're going back in time to 1999 for another match up of two welterweights in their prime. I'm talking about Oscar De La Hoya's match up with Ike Quartey for the WBC title.

Oscar De La Hoya was certainly in the prime of his career at this point. He was the reigning WBC Welterweight champion and had become HBO's prime bread winner. However, some were beginning to be question the opposition which he had been facing. In the two years between his victory over Miguel Angel Gonzalez, he battled an overmatched Wilfredo Rivera and David Kamau as well as a past his prime Julio Cesar Chavez in a rematch.

Quartey, meanwhile, had held his WBA belt for over four years and established himself at the top of the Welterweight division. After being stripped of his title for 16 months of inactivity, he was awarded the shot against De La Hoya in a match-up of top welterweights. So here we are, February 13th, 1999 from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas…

Round 1 - Quartey comes out looking fresh and ready while DLH is clearly tense. Quartey is coming out using his trade mark jab while DLH is having some trouble trying to pick it off. DLH is trying to get his left hook working but Quartey blocks his advances. DLH is finding it hard to get past Quartey's high guard as the round progresses. As the last minute of Round 1 approaches Quartey's jab is landing with much accuracy. As I type that, DLH comes back with several 1 2 combos and DLH is now working the body with increased frequency as the round comes to a close. DLH's flurries were solid but Quartey did enough early in the round to take it. Quartey 10 - 9

Round 2 Both fighters are starting off at a slower pace with Quartey still firing his jab. De la Hoya is trying to work his famous 123 combo but Quartey is mostly picking it off. Quartey finally gets hit with a solid right as he was following Oscar around the ring. Quartey should be jabbing and moving, not standing in front of him and leaning into his punches. Quartey finally lands a very solid 1 - 2 with about 30 second left. De La Hoya tries to come back with a response but Quartey gets the better of that exchange. Both men celebrate as the round closes. De La Hoya had that round but Quartey steals it at the end. Quartey 20 - 18

I'm now remembering why I loved this fight so much as a child. In between rounds you certainly understand why some observers criticized the perceived favoritism that was shown towards Oscar. The HBO team is practically gushing over the man, give me a break.

Round 3 Quartey comes out and is to the surprise of no one, is still pumping that jab but Oscar's able to manage it. Oscar lands a flurry of punches at the first minute mark which is the first real action of this round. De la Hoya is now coming on and Quartey is still following him around the ring, a big mistake on his part. De La Hoya lands a very solid counter right and goes right to the body. De La Hoya is starting to come alive. De La Hoya is waiting to counter punch and is picking off Quartey's jabs. Quartey throws a jab and De La Hoya comes in but is buckled by a crisp left. The two flurry to close the round. De La Hoya ekes out the round despite being stunned in the last 20 seconds. 29 - 28 Quartey

Round 4 Quartey comes out with the jab and is trying to work the body. Quartey's jabs getting a little lazy but De La Hoya is not doing much to make him pay. Quartey is finally keeping his distance and De La Hoya is going to have to initiate the action. I really like that Quartey is not completely following Oscar around and it's showing this round by the lack of offense from Oscar. We're in the last 30 seconds and this round has been decidedly lack luster. Oscar tries to come in and take the round but I like Quartey and what little offense he did have. 39 - 37 Quartey.

If Quartey can keep his distance and work that jab effectively, it's going to be very hard for Oscar to score on him

Round 5 Harold Lederman disagrees with my assessment and has the fight 39 - 37 for DLH. Quartey's right is still a little too low for my liking but DLH still is not making him pay. Quartey is working the outside well and this is frustrating Oscar. Quartey begins to smile as he knows which way the fight is turning. His jab is hitting harder and he's moving away from all of DLH's big punches. George Foreman is gushing over DLH, Larry Merchant makes sure to correct him that DLH has done nothing of importance in this round. George doesn't know what to do and is trying to come with a lame excuse that "doing little for Oscar is like doing a lot". Um ok… Anyway, this round was all Quartey who can win this fight his jab alone, it seems. Quartey 49 - 46


If any of you have a tape of this fight and want a fun little drinking game to the fight, take a drink after every time George Foreman goes out of his way to compliment Oscar. You won't see round 8. I know the man has his name on the greatest invention of the nineties but that doesn't excuse the level of bias that we're seeing here.

Round 6 Of course, as I say that Oscar comes out with a stiff jab and meets him with a left hook that floors Quartey! Classic Oscar right there, Quartey makes it to his feet but he's still a little shaken. DLH is trying to pounce but he's leaving himself open and Quartey gets the better of that exchange and now Quartey catches him with a left and Oscar is down! Oscar was a little to eager there and he paid for it. He makes the count but Ike comes back firing and Oscar is hurt! Mitch Halpern jumps in to reprimand Quartey for a minor infraction, and Oscar is given a chance to get his legs under him. Action is resumed, and Ike is really doing work, the jab is firing and his right is landing with greater frequency. De La Hoya is not doing much and Quartey is piling up the points. As the round closes, Oscar lands a solid left to the body and comes back a little but Quartey closes out the round with another crisp jab. Great round, should have been Oscar's round but he got way too overconfident and gave Quartey the chance to make him pay. 59 - 55 Quartey,


Round 7 We start the round with Mitch Halpern wanting the Vaseline off of Oscar's forehead. Oscar's corner merely rubs it around his face, smart move on their part. Quartey's jab is working again but he's reverting back to following Oscar around the ring, he needs to watch that. Oscar is starting to work his jab and it's landing with Quartey standing in front of him. Oscar lands a very solid 1 - 2 with 50 seconds left in the round. As the round closes Quartey gets Oscar with a strong right and Oscar buckles. Closer round but that exchange stole it for Quartey. 69 - 64

Round 8 Quartey's jab is still pumping but he's getting sloppy with his combo's, they're dropping and that could spell trouble. However, Quartey is still scoring but it has more to do with Oscar's inactivity. Quartey with an uppercut but Oscar moves away from it. Quartey is getting cocky and he gets a strong right hand to his chin for his efforts. Oscar comes back with a strong left hook but fails to follow it up and is now standing in front of Quartey. Oscar lands a combination to close the round. A close round but I like Oscar's surge towards the end of the round. 78 - 74 Quartey

Round 9 Quartey tries to work his jab but it's not really landing. Oscar jumps on a lazy jab from Quartey and lands two quick uppercuts. You can tell Oscar is starting to warm up. Oscar comes back with another combination that mostly is blocked but Oscar gets to the body. Quartey is now coming back with the jab as we're halfway through the round. Quartey's jab is now on point and Oscar gets tagged with a strong right hand but he takes them well. Oscar's coming back but Quartey's jab is too much for him at this point. Oscar throws a left right hook combo and Quartey ducks them both. Quartey lands a big right and that's the round. The main difference in this fight has been when Quartey unloads his right, he makes it count while Oscar is still trying to find pay dirt, this is Quartey's fight to lose. 88 – 83 Quartey


The HBO crew is beginning to sense that Oscar may be in trouble, I guarantee you they're some nervous suits in the HBO section.

Round 10 Quartey is coming in again and DLH tags him with a counter left and that hurt Quartey. Like much of this fight, every time Oscar hits pay dirt he allows Quartey to come back and tee off with some jabs. Oscar tries to come in with right, left hook combo but Quartey will not have it. DLH is now getting more aggressive but Quartey's jab is still causing too many problems for Oscar. With 45 seconds left, Oscar lands his left hook and it seems to take some energy out of Ike. Oscar lands another counter left and he's coming on as the aggressor. Close round but Quartey lets Oscar steal it in the last 30 seconds. 97 - 93 Quartey.

Round 11 We are approaching the end of the fight and Oscar is going to need two big rounds. Sadly, Quartey's corner is telling him to be careful. Do they not realize there is a reason Oscar is called the Golden Boy? Arum has him as protected as the crown jewels. First minute of the fight sees Oscar much more limber and bouncing around but he's still getting tagged by Quartey's bazooka jab. We have a minute left in the round and Oscar is going to need something to steal this. Ike Quartey is still firing with great precision and now Oscar charges with 30 seconds left. Ike fends him off and now both fighters are inactive for the last few second of the round. Ike prevents Oscar from stealing the round in the closing seconds. 107 - 102 Quartey.

Ike's corner with some great advise, "You just need to beat him". Thanks, I imagine Ike wondering why he's paying this man 10% of his purse.

Round 12 Jim Lampley gushes about Oscar's famed abilities in the 12th round and almost on cue he floors Ike with a great counter left. George Foreman proceeds to chant in a monotone voice "Oscar is brave" while the count is going on. Thanks George for taking the excitement out of that great knockdown. I'm guessing you can tell I was not saddened when I found out George was leaving the HBO team. George is still going on about Oscar being brave and now Oscar has Quartey on the corner. Oscar is throwing it all out there but Quartey is still punching and De La Hoya is landing bombs! Halpern is checking on Quartey, it might be over and yet George Foreman is still going on about Oscar being brave! Seriously, shut the hell up. One of the best single minutes of a fight you'll ever see. Quartey is clearly stunned but he's throwing punches on instinct and Halpern can't call it. He, somehow, manages to gets off the ropes and now he's coming forward while Oscar is waiting for another chance to pounce. Quartey is still coming forward and trying to steal Oscar's thunder. Quartey is landing his jab and is now beating on his chest. The clock is running down and both fighters appear tired and theirs the bell! It's a 10 - 8 round, and a great round at that. I was never a big fan of his but I can't name many who had more heart. I have the final score 115 - 112 for Quartey. Lampley and Merchant are gushing of just how great a fight it was, and George pipes in that Oscar's left hook wins him the fight "hands down". Seriously, I should have recapped this with a mute button. For those fans who have just picked up boxing, you don't know how lucky you are to have Emmanuel Steward calling the fights.

Harold Lederman has the fight 114 - 113 for Quartey and you can sense real tention in this arena. We're going to Buffer for the final scores.

Buffer gives his props by calling the fight "the best welterweight fight seen in Vegas since Hearns/Leonard". Nice call by Buffer. You know you've waged a war when Lennon or Buffer gives props to your fight. Alright here are the scores… Larry O'Connell has it 115 - 114 for Quartey and Bob Arum may have just had a heart attack. John Keane has it 116 - 113 for DLH. At this point, you can sense the fix was in. Finally, Ken Morita somehow has it 116 - 112 for De La Hoya and so the winner and still champion is one Oscar De La Hoya.

This decision is interesting to me because only a year later, Oscar would be whining to high heaven about the fact that he was screwed by the judges in his bout against Felix Trinidad. I don't dispute that claim but his whining was really incessant and childish considering he was given a gift decision in this fight and was given numerous rounds against Pernell Whitaker which could have gone either way. Oscar was no stranger to gift victories and it's sad that he decided to carry on about Trinidad.

Aftermath Of course, Oscar continued building his legacy past this fight. He would defeat an overmatched Oba Carr before finally losing to Felix Trinidad in a controversial decision. Ike Quartey would take another year off before returning to fight Fernando Vargas. Vargas was in his prime at this time and defeated Quartey in convincing fashion. Quartey would retire for five years before returning to defeat perennial contender Verno Phillips before his comeback was cut down by a controversial loss to Vernon Forrest and a final loss against Winky Wright.

So that's what I have, do you believe Quartey was robbed or did the Golden Boy deserve the nod?