On Saturday, February 26th, 2000, Madison Square Garden held the Oscar De La Hoya vs Derrell Coley welterweight title fight. The fight was promoted by Top Rank and aired on HBO World Championship Boxing. It was an eliminator for the WBC Welterweight Title and also for the vacant IBA World Welterweight Title.
Oscar De La Hoya, who had an impressive record of 32 wins and only one loss, was the favorite going into the fight. His opponent, Derrell Coley, had a record of 34 wins and only one loss and was known for his technical skills in the ring. Both boxers weighed in at 147 pounds.
The fight started off slow, with both boxers sizing each other up in the first few rounds. However, De La Hoya's superior speed and power became apparent in the fourth round when he landed a series of powerful punches on Coley. Coley, who was known for his defensive skills, struggled to keep up with De La Hoya's pace and had trouble finding an opening to land any significant punches.
As the fight progressed, De La Hoya's dominance became even more apparent. He continued to land powerful punches on Coley, who seemed to be tiring. In the seventh round, De La Hoya landed a devastating left hook that sent Coley crashing to the canvas. Despite trying to get up, Coley was unable to beat the count, and the referee, Wayne Kelly, called the fight at the three-minute mark.
De La Hoya's victory was not only impressive but also significant, as it set him up for a shot at his old WBC Welterweight Title.
