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Boxing

De La Hoya dazzles on return

07/05/2006

Oscar de la Hoya produced a dazzling display on his return to the ring to reclaim the WBC light middleweight title with a sixth round stoppage of Ricardo Mayorga in Las Vegas.

De La Hoya had not fought since September 2004 but completed dominated the fight and the referee was forced to stop the bout in the sixth with Mayorga reeling.

The Los Angeles fighter said afterwards that much of his motivation had come from the Nicaraguan's talk before the fight of stopping his heart and he was pleased to do his talking in the ring.

"He motivated me so much and the plan was if he was going to talk bad about me and insult me that was going to motivate me," de la Hoya told Sky Sports.

"He tried to fight recklessly, lunging in with punches but I stood my ground and that showed the bully, 'Hey, you're not pushing me back'."

The insults ultimately backfired on Mayorga as he was knocked down inside 30 seconds of the first round after two big left hands from the new champion.

Mayorga never fully recovered and although he showed signs in rounds two and three why he was champion, de la Hoya proved too good and was using his craft around the ring to pick him off at will.

It all ended in the sixth when Mayorga was knocked down for a second time after good body shots were followed by a swift combination from de la Hoya.

He managed to get to his feet in time but by now de la Hoya smelt blood and a combination or powerful hooks forced the referee to step in soon after.

De la Hoya now plans to end his career with a farewell fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr in September before retiring to concentrate on promoting.

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