Oscar De La Hoya vs Rafael Ruelas

On Saturday, 18th February 1995, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, witnessed a world lightweight title unification bout between two dominant fighters of the era, Oscar De La Hoya and Rafael Ruelas. The event was promoted by Top Rank and aired on TVKO HBO Pay-per-view. De La Hoya entered the fight with a record of 17-0-0, defending his WBO World Lightweight Title for the fourth time, while Ruelas held a record of 43-1-0 and was making his third defense of the IBF World Lightweight Title.

The fight, billed as "La Batalla," commenced with De La Hoya taking control early in the first round. He managed to catch Ruelas with a shot that dazed his opponent and affected Ruelas' balance throughout the round. De La Hoya showcased his skill and precision, dominating the early exchanges and setting the stage for what was to come.

In the second round, De La Hoya's dominance continued, and a little past a minute into the round, he dropped Ruelas to the canvas with a powerful left hook. Ruelas managed to get back up, but he was visibly hurt and struggling to regain his composure. Referee Richard Steele allowed the fight to continue, despite Ruelas' evident difficulties.

With the momentum clearly in his favor, De La Hoya capitalized on Ruelas' weakened state, landing another knockdown in the same round. This time, referee Richard Steele had seen enough and stepped in to stop the contest, declaring De La Hoya the winner by TKO at 1:43 in the second round.