De La Hoya's career was packed with achievements. He won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics and started his pro career with 31 unbeaten fights. He grabbed titles in six weight classes and beat iconic figures like Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker.
Out of 45 total fights, De La Hoya lost only five. These losses came against top-tier opponents like Felix Trinidad, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Bernard Hopkins, and Shane Mosley.
When asked about the best fighter he faced, De La Hoya didn't hesitate to pick Pacquiao. He explained:
"I would have to say Pacquiao. I think his determination, his conditioning, his skill, his power, speed, footwork … he's one of the fighters I most appreciated."
De La Hoya even suggested that Pacquiao would have easily beaten Mayweather if they had fought in their primes.
The fight between De La Hoya and Pacquiao turned out to be De La Hoya's last. Pacquiao's corner stopped the fight in the ninth round. De La Hoya later admitted he struggled with alcohol during his training for this bout.
Pacquiao's career soared after beating De La Hoya. He knocked out Ricky Hatton in his next fight and moved up to welterweight. There, he secured a world title with a final-round stoppage against Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao cemented his legacy as the sport's only eight-division world champion.
Even now, Pacquiao still thinks about returning to boxing. He's considering a potential match with Amir Khan, which will likely be an exhibition.