On Saturday, 22nd May 1999, the highly anticipated WBC World Welterweight Title fight took place between Oscar De La Hoya and Oba Carr at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was promoted by Top Rank and aired on HBO World Championship Boxing. Both fighters entered the ring with impressive records, with De La Hoya defending his WBC World Welterweight Title for the sixth time and Oba Carr hoping to claim the belt for himself.
De La Hoya, weighing in at 147 lbs, showed his prowess early in the match by knocking Carr, also at 147 lbs, down in the first round. This early advantage set the tone for the rest of the fight, with De La Hoya maintaining control and dominating the contest.
However, the fight was not without controversy. In the 7th round, Carr faced two point deductions – one for a head butt and another for a low blow. This further widened the gap between the two fighters, making it increasingly difficult for Carr to mount a comeback. The referee, Richard Steele, ensured the fairness of the match by penalizing Carr's rule violations, contributing to the intensity and competitiveness of the bout.
Despite the setbacks, Carr took the fight to De La Hoya. He managed to withstand De La Hoya's power, extending the fight into the later rounds. However, De La Hoya's skill and experience eventually proved too much for Carr.
In the 11th round, De La Hoya delivered a devastating combination that sent Carr to the canvas for the second time. With Carr unable to beat the count, referee Richard Steele called a halt to the contest at 0:55 of the round, awarding De La Hoya a TKO victory.
