Raring to go

Dean Juipe

Friday, Sept. 17, 1999 | 9:57 a.m.

With movie-star looks, multiple endorsement deals and a position of prominence in boxing as its most marketable star, outwardly Oscar De La Hoya has everything.

As he admits, "When you're in the position I am, money comes very easy."

Perhaps as a result, sometimes his greatest struggles are internal. And nothing gets his stomach churning like wrestling with his primary adversary: motivation.

"It's very, very difficult to be motivated," the World Boxing Council welterweight champion said. "I enjoy boxing and I know it's what put me where I am, but sometimes it's easy to go through the motions."

There is, however, an addendum that the image-conscious slugger makes clear: "I would never cheat my fans. I'm always well-trained and in good shape for a fight."

Yet that doesn't mean he always walks into the ring truly inspired. Even for his most recent "significant" fight, with Ike Quartey last February, he confesses he was halfhearted in preparing for the fight and halfhearted in the ring.

But, guess what?

This time, with fellow world champion Felix "Tito" Trinidad awaiting him Saturday at Mandalay Bay, De La Hoya says he's deadly serious and has put in a personal-record three months of training for the biggest fight of his career.

"It's time for me to prove something new," he said. "I've proven one thing or another through the years but now I want to prove to myself that I can give my best effort and maximize the talent I have.

"I'm going to make a statement with this fight."

Those around him are comfortable with his assessment and claim that he has never been this committed for a fight. Team De La Hoya is in agreement: Oscar is poised for his finest outing in what has already been a glorious boxing career.

"He's been a good boy so far," trainer Robert Alcazar said with a laugh that belied his seriousness. "Really, he looks better than ever and that's the first time since his first fight with (Julio Cesar) Chavez that I could say that."

De La Hoya, 26, is 31-0 with 25 knockouts and a natural ability that allows him to toy with lesser foes. But there will be no toying with Trinidad, whose 35-0 record (with 30 knockouts) all but mirrors De La Hoya's ring resume.

Each man is a legitimate world champion, with De La Hoya owning the WBC 147-pound title for the past two and a half years and Trinidad being boxing's longest-reigning champion with the International Boxing Federation belt in his possession since 1993.

"The work ethic has been there this time," said De La Hoya's adviser and assistant trainer, Gil Clancy. "You're not going to recognize Oscar in the ring -- he's in remarkable physical condition. He really wants this fight badly."

Even a hard sell like De La Hoya's father, Joel, apparently feels his son is primed to meet and exceed expectations Saturday. Well known for his reluctance to praise his son, Joel De La Hoya recently told the fighter's trainers "I like what I see" during a brief visit to Team De La Hoya's training camp.

While Oscar badly wants to hear something positive from his father, he acknowledges ol' dad has been right a few times in pinpointing assorted complaints. For instance, Joel De Le Hoya refused to congratulate his son after the win over Quartey.

"He was mad," Oscar said. "But he was right. I gave (Quartey) too much respect."

The phrase "too much respect" automatically translates to "not enough action" in the sport of boxing. And De La Hoya's critics routinely cite his reluctance to mix it up as a weakness in his arsenal.

"But I'm going to attack Trinidad if he lays back like Quartey did," De La Hoya said. "If Trinidad lays back and does the exact same thing as Quartey, I have to go out and be more aggressive."

Alcazar looks for him to be more aggressive, regardless.

"It fits in with our game plan," he said. "Oscar's using his jab much more often and that's an area we've spent a lot of time on. He also will use his advantage in foot speed and in lateral movement, because Trinidad can't go side to side.

"I expect Oscar to be much more active than he has in some of his earlier fights."

The numbers continue to fluctuate slightly in Las Vegas sports books, but in most cases De La Hoya is a slight (minus 130) favorite for a fight that not only is sold out but is earmarked for a nonheavyweight pay-per-view record. The fight can also be seen on closed-circuit at 19 local sites.

"Oscar didn't need this fight," said Lou DiBella of HBO, which is handling the pay-per-view telecast. "I give him a lot of credit for accepting it."

There is, of course, big money to be made. De La Hoya is guaranteed $15 million, Trinidad gets $10.5 million, if the fight exceeds 800,000 pay-per-view buys it will establish a record for a nonheavyweight fight, and on the periphery are numerous endorsement opportunities available to the winner.

With so much at stake, De La Hoya opted to buckle down.

"This fight will have a huge impact on my career," he said. "It's caused me to have a focus that's very rare for me. For three months I've done nothing but train and keep my focus on winning this fight.

"It's very important to me."

Clancy says with De La Hoya giving 100 percent he has the upper hand on Trinidad in every regard.

"Anything you want to talk about, Oscar has the advantage," he said. "He has faster hands, faster feet, better power, his punches are shorter, his combinations are better, he's fought better opponents and -- one more thing -- Oscar always comes through in the clutch."

Like every leading man.