DOUBLEHEADER
DE LA HOYA VS STURM
HOPKINS VS ALLEN

THE RESULT

Oscar De La Hoya vs Felix Sturm
WBO World Middleweight Championship

Oscar De La Hoya may have dodged a bullet with a questionable 12-round decision over determined German, Felix Sturm, but he didn't dodge much else in this entertaining fight.

De La Hoya came out swinging body shots and combinations, but it had little effect on Sturm, who made a target of Oscar's face with a quick and effective left jab. He could not duck this punch all night and incurred a bleeding nose throughout the fight. His face was puffed up and bruised as Sturm's right hand found De La Hoya's head with frequent accuracy.

Full marks for De La Hoya's effort, but one gets the impression it was Oscar's name and reputation that got the nod over the more deserving Felix Sturm.

De La Hoya now has his mega fight with Bernard Hopkins on September 18. He best get a new battle plan together or they'll be carrying Oscar out of the ring on a stretcher. Either way, De La Hoya has announced the Hopkins fight will be his last.

Smart decision, but one wonders if it's one fight too late.

Bernard Hopkins vs Robert Allen
WBC/WBA/IBF World Middleweight Championship

Bernard Hopkins made his 18th defence of his middleweight title belts a successful if not exciting affair.

The one-sided bout with perennial contender, Robert Allen, was a tedious bout with a lot of holding and posing, but Hopkins won all but one round in the 12-round bout. Allen went down hard in the 7th round from a Hopkins overhand right, but Bernard never really followed up, being content to just pile up the points and win without any damage.

It was a workmanlike, take no risks, type of performance and with a huge September showdown with Oscar De La Hoya, it was the smart if not entertaining way to go.

He pleased his personal pocket book, but not the fans. One suspects his fight with Oscar will be much different.