Boxing promoter De La Hoya smiles during a news conference at the MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas
Boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya smiles during a news conference at the MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada April 7, 2011. REUTERS

Oscar De La Hoya revealed how he was able to KO his opponents during his prime.

Olympic gold medalist and boxing great De La Hoya is arguably the most scientific boxer of his time. Not only did he manage to defeat his opponents strategically but also with undeniable KO power.

Currently, De La Hoya has become a figure of controversy in boxing but that doesn’t change a thing in his legacy as a former world champion. Some fans may night know but De La Hoya is a natural born southpaw who fought in an orthodox stance. In simpler terms, his lethal fist is his left hand but as opposed to the norm in boxing, it is also the hand he used to throw his jabs.

In a recent talk with Elie Seckbach of EsNews, the 46-year-old legend revealed what Floyd Mayweather Sr. used to tell him about the jab. According to De La Hoya, Mayweather Sr. insisted that if he could be unbeatable just by utilizing the jab perfectly.

“Mayweather Sr. used to tell me ‘if you throw 40 jabs a round, nobody can beat you’ that’s the key,” De La Hoya revealed.

Being a “converted southpaw,” De La Hoya also demonstrated his fighting stance during his prime. And in his own words, he revealed that it was his left jab which finished his opponents back in the day.

“I used to knock guys out with a jab,” De La Hoya said while demonstrating.

Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya
Floyd Mayweather defeated Oscar De La Hoya in their 2007 meeting via split decision. In this picture, De La Hoya throws a right to the body of Mayweather as he is against the ropes during their WBC super welterweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, May 5, 2007. Al Bello/Getty Images)

Ahead of his epic fight against Manny Pacquiao, who is a legitimate southpaw, De La Hoya admitted that he has had troubles dealing with southpaws. As per the Golden Boy Promotions boss, he knew that Pacquiao wouldn’t be an easy fight despite being confident that he’s more accurate than the Filipino legend.

“Speed is fine but more than that, accuracy is more important,” De La Hoya said about Pacquiao’s speed.

"In the past the southpaw fighters that I have fought I really haven’t done very well with, so this is not going to be an easy fight," De La Hoya admitted.

A few days ago, De La Hoya finally put an end on the buzz about him calling for a rematch with Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. According to the legend, his “comeback statement” was intended for his cousin who apparently beat him in a friendly fight.

“That was for my cousin who kicked my ass a few weeks ago,” De La Hoya responded when asked about his comeback statement.

Oscar De La Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, gives a thumbs-up during an official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sept. 14, 2012. Reuters/Steve Marcus