Is De la Hoya one of the all-time greats?

The fight was even until the 10th when De la Hoya wobbled Vargas right on the bell and in the 11th he knocked him down for the first time with a perfect left hook.

De la Hoya was ahead on two scorecards and behind on the third when he caught Vargas.

De la Hoya not only retained his WBC title, but added the WBA title Vargas held.

Just how good is he?

This debate is now closed

People keep talking about how Trinidad was a great. Well, everyone knows Oscar gave him a boxing lesson when they fought. When the decision was announced after the fight you could genuinely see how surprised Oscar was by the result. He is still one of the best pound for pound fighters around and will go down as one of the greats.
Victor Cheung, England

Unlike Roy Jones Junior, De La Hoya is a living legend because he never ducks a hard fight. He's pure class.
Tony Cross, UK

I think he deserves to go down as a great. But let's make it clear there are greats then there are legends, which he is not. He is an excellent boxer/role model and when he does hang his gloves up he'll be talked about...this quailifies him for being a great boxer to me.
Chris Esson, Scotland

Definitely up there with the greats. He can mix it either way, close up or at a distance. He would need to be far more vigilant with the bigger boys though, he needs to move that head. He should take on Mosley and perhaps Trinidad and retire.
Kevin Poole, Wales

Oscar is the best! We can't get enough of him. He is a legend in the boxing profession and should take his place in the hall of fame. People who dislike him so much are merely jealous of his good looks, his professionalism, his good sportsmanlike conduct and his ability to keep winning no matter what!

Give the man is dues. Even Larry Merchant couldn't find anything bad to say about Oscar this time around. That in itself was worth it!
Jackie, USA

Oscar is one of the all time greats. He won the fight against Trinidad. He basically gave Vargas a boxing lesson.
Rex Harris, USA

This is a signature bout for Oscar, the next few fight will make him a legend.
Eze Ayala, Mexico

Bravo Oscar de la Hoya. Once again the Golden Boy shows he has the heart of an all-time great. Will Roy Jones Jnr be able to look back on his career with the same pride, knowing he never ducked a fight or took an easy pay day?
GZC, Scotland

Oscar de la Hoya is the second best pound for pound fighter in the world, next to Roy Jones Jr. The guy can't please everybody, but if you didn't think that De la Hoya was the epitome of what a fighter should be against Vargas, then you don't know what you're watching.

He showed a first-class chin, talent, speed and chilling power even late in the fight. For Sport Online's Sanjeev Shetty to say that Oscar could be on the decline is a nonsense. De la Hoya will put Shane Mosley on toast at 154lbs. Oscar is an all time great and Saturday's fight secured that.
Tom Gray, Scotland

De La Hoya fought a very intelligent fight - his speed and ability to box effectively on the back foot were too much for Vargas, who always seemed to be looking for the one big shot.
Jason Whittle, UK

Oscar is a great fighter and he has the heart to keep going and take his place in history. Against the bigger fighters he needs to move his head a little more - he was caught with too many big shots by Vargas. Against Mosley I see Oscar winning in the middle rounds.
Mark Smith, England

When someone once said that 'boxing is showbiz with blood' they must have been thinking of Oscar de la Hoya. With such blinding hand speed and the guile to outwit a top fighter like Vargas, he is without doubt a star of the boxing ring. If there were Oscars for boxers Oscar wins one hands down.
Ken Miller, United Kingdom

De la Hoya is quite definitely one of the all-time greats. He used his guile and intelligence to outwit a tough top class opponent in Vargas.

He even took time to do his 'Hollywood stuff': flashing his white teeth by pulling a cheesy grin in the corner when the cameras were on him; telling his corner man to lift him up at the end of the fight; brushing his hair back neatly in the ring when the commentator started to question after the fight - and even having the bad graze on his left cheek camouflaged by 'make-up' ready for that same interview in the ring.

This guy is like Sugar Ray Robinson both in style and ability - he has the star quality so lacking in other great fighters.
Ken Miller, United Kingdom

I have never been a De La Hoya fan, but on Saturday night he was simply awesome. His obvious class came through in the later rounds - when Vargas looked beaten and battered, Oscar kept on the pressure and Vargas looked out of it after round nine. I still think Trinidad should change his mind, come back and knock out all these clowns.
Ben Franklin, UK

Before the fight with Vargas, De La Hoya was already a hall of famer. I think he will beat Mosley in a re-match and entice Tito out of retirement for one last fight.
Rick, England

The pleasure in watching De La Hoya at work comes not only from the way the guy hands out such terrible punishment and takes the worst his opponents can hand out. He is also gracious and pleasant - both in defeat and victory. His superb performance doesn't go to his head, and he always has a good word or two for his opponents before and after the fight.

And it was no different this time around. He took all Vergas could hand out, knocked him out and then gave him credit for his strength and hard punching. That is a true sportsman. And Vergas? He just got what he deserves for not showing proper respect to a guy up there with Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray in the legends.
John Mufumba, Uganda

De La Hoya is undoubtedly the best fighter in his weight class for a long time, and if he beats Mosely and Trinidad he can rightfully claim to be great.
Usaia Ratuvili, Fiji Islands

He is a great without a shadow of a doubt - to win world title belts at five different weights proves he is something special. But despite the convincing way he finished Vargas there were still signs of decline in De la Hoya. He should look to avenge his defeat to Shane Mosely, and then consider hanging up his gloves for good.
Steve McKenna, Sudbury, England

If De la Hoya avenges his defeat over Mosley he will be more than content. I hope he retires after that fight. To start your career at nine stone four, win all those titles, then beat a man as big as Vargas, you have to call him a great.
Greg Milne, Scotland

In the end, ring craft, speed and intelligence won over aggression and power. It was as close as a fight could be but a beautifuly timed left won the fight. All De la Hoya had to do after Vargas dragged himself from off the canvas was to show a champion's desire, which he did with precise brutality. If he is to beat Mosley he will have to be consistent with his speed and craft in all twelve rounds.
Leo, England

Oscar is a master piece no doubt about it, he has proven it beyond anyone's imagination. I can wait to see him fight Mosley.
Martin Machaba, South Africa

De la Hoya is right up there with Sugar Ray Leonard as far as his place in the welter/junior middles of all time. He shines in his big fights and doesn't get knocked out. Look at the opposition he has faced as well, I think it's the best of any fighter today.

The guy can box, brawl, and do it all. Like Sugar Ray/Duran I think Oscar got caught up trying to bully Mosely and didn't do the smart things to win the fight and it was still a very close fight. In a rematch I see Oscar beating Mosely (although not easily).
Elliot, Canada

It was a masterful performance last night. My only complaint is that Vargas's refusal to even shake hands with Oscar makes him look like a petulant kid rather than a role model for young kids.
Steve Davies, Bahamas