Felix Sturm vs Oscar De La Hoya

On Saturday, 5th June 2004, Felix Sturm and Oscar De La Hoya met at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. This fight, promoted by Top Rank and aired on HBO Pay-per-view, saw De La Hoya challenge Sturm for his WBO World Middleweight Title in what would be Sturm's second title defense. Both fighters weighed in at 160 lbs, and the bout was officiated by experienced referee Vic Drakulich.

The two boxers engaged in a hard-fought battle that lasted the full 12 rounds. De La Hoya, a seasoned fighter and fan favorite, displayed his trademark speed. However, Sturm, the reigning champion, showcased his technical prowess and defensive skills, making it a closely contested bout.

The fight generated a significant amount of interest, resulting in 380,000 pay-per-view buys and $19 million in pay-per-view revenue. Despite the close nature of the match, De La Hoya emerged as the winner by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 115-113 in his favor. This decision sparked immediate controversy, as many viewers and commentators felt that Sturm had been the more dominant fighter throughout the contest.

In the aftermath of the fight, Felix Sturm's promoter, Klaus-Peter Kohl, filed a protest with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, challenging the scoring and ultimately the outcome of the match. This move, however, was met with dismissal, as Marc Ratner, the commission's executive director, stated that there was no basis for such a protest.

Adding fuel to the controversy, HBO commentators Jim Lampley and Roy Jones, Jr. publicly expressed their belief that Sturm had clearly won the fight. Their opinions resonated with many fans, who felt that the unanimous decision in favor of De La Hoya was not reflective of the action they had witnessed in the ring.

Despite the surrounding controversy, the result of the Felix Sturm vs Oscar De La Hoya bout remains unchanged, with De La Hoya winning the WBO World Middleweight Title.