Oscar De La Hoya fought the best fighters of his generation, but no one hit him harder than Ike Quartey.
The American admitted this despite the fact he has shared the ring with all-time greats Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao, and he was knocked out by Bernard Hopkins.
But, when asked who was the best puncher he faced in his career, De La Hoya named Quartey whom he clashed with in 1999.
“His punches were like bricks,” De La Hoya told The Ring.
“He hit me and it would sting me. Every punch he would hit me with, it would rattle me.”
De La Hoya also admitted Quartey had the best jab of anyone he had faced, saying: “Not only was it powerful, it was very consistent.”
Their fight was a back and forth affair, as Quartey had De La Hoya down in the third round with a pair of thunderous left hooks.
‘The Golden Boy’ rallied, however, and returned the favour putting Quartey down in round six, but De La Hoya found himself on the canvas once again moments later.
In the final round of the fight, De La Hoya dropped Quartey for a second time and almost got him out of there, but ‘The Bazooka’ survived to the final bell.
As the judges’ scorecards were read out, De La Hoya was handed the win via split decision to defend his WBC welterweight world title.
