LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya passed what he called the toughest test of his career, getting up from a knockdown and twice knocking down Ike Quartey to retain the WBC welterweight championship on a split decision Saturday night.
De La Hoya clinched the win by storming out in the 12th round to knock down Quartey in just 12 seconds. The champion pummeled Quartey for the next minute before tiring in front of a crowd of about 12,000.Both fighters went down in the sixth round of a tremendous bout, one that compares with the welterweight showdown between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, which Leonard won in the 14th round in 1981. Both Leonard and Hearns were at ringside.
Judge Larry O'Connell of England scored it for Quartey 115-114. Judge John Keane of England scored it 115-113 and Ken Morita of Japan scored it 115-112, both for De La Hoya.
"I think the first real test of my boxing career," the unbeaten De La Hoya said before the match. It certainly was.
The 26-year-old De La Hoya, now 30-0 with 24 knockouts, showed that he could get up from a knockdown and win. He also showed tremendous determination, especially in the last round.
Both fighters showed great respect for one another's talents and power. Both fought cautiously for much of each round, but when they went toe-to-toe, they went toe-to-toe with abandon.
De La Hoya knocked down Quartey with a left hook only 12 seconds into the sixth round. Quartey got up quickly and took a mandatory eight count.
Then, Quartey knocked down De La Hoya with a right to the head. De La Hoya got right up, but he was hurt more than Quartey had been.
In that round, Quartey landed 33 of 64 punches, while De La Hoya connected on 23 of 44.
"People want to see a good, action-packed fight and I gave it to them," said De La Hoya. "He was a very, very tough opponent."
About the tremendous barrage in the final round that had referee Mitch Halpern on the verge of stopping the fight, De La Hoya said, "He just wouldn't go down. I thought I had him."
When the decision was announced, the challenger from Ghana showed disgust. But it made most of the crowd happy.
De La Hoya, who weighed 147 at the official weigh-in Friday, entered the ring at 153 pounds. The 29-year-old Quartey, who weighed in at 146 1/2, entered the ring at 156.
WOODHALL STOPS NARDIELLO: At Newcastle, England, England's Richie Woodhall held on to his WBC super-middleweight title Saturday, stopping Italy's Vincenzo Nardiello in the sixth round. Woodhall, in his second title defense, was in command in winning the first four rounds with crisp body punches as the Italian looked outclassed.