Boxing / De LA Hoya Vs. Trinidad -- Puerto Rican Gets Judges' Decision, Title -- Win Stretches Unbeaten String To 36

LAS VEGAS - Boxing has a new golden boy. And a disbelieving old one.

Felix Trinidad, who promised his Puerto Rico homeland he would do it, defeated America's golden boy and Olympic champion, Oscar De La Hoya, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center last night on a majority decision that stunned many in the sellout crowd of 12,500.

The welterweight victory gave Trinidad, the undefeated International Boxing Federation champion, De La Hoya's World Boxing Council title and ended the Californian's dream of completing his ring career unbeaten.

Judge Glen Hamada of Tacoma scored the bout a 114-114 draw, Jerry Roth of Nevada had Trinidad ahead 115-113, and Bob Logish of Belgium scored it 115-114 for Trinidad.

Unofficial scorecards of The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times both had De La Hoya winning by a narrow margin.

"My corner said to keep attacking," Trinidad said. "I put more pressure on. I knew it was close."

"I know I won," De La Hoya said. "He's a very strong fighter, but I was making him miss and making him pay. I'm hurt - I'm hurt inside emotionally."

De La Hoya, who backed up the entire fight and fought only in lightning spurts, thought he had done enough to win and avoided Trinidad in the final round when the Puerto Rican, seemingly frustrated and desperate, chased him and landed two jarring right hands to the head.

The ringside punch statistics showed De la Hoya landing 263 of his 648 total punches compared to 166 of 462 for Trinidad. In power punches, Trinidad landed 124 of 318 to De La Hoya's 120 for 277.

De La Hoya, apparently thinking he was ahead on the scorecards, fought too infrequently and danced too much in the late going.

The best exchange, and there were few good ones, came late in the 10th round when the two stood toe to toe for the final seconds and belted each other while the crowd roared.

It was hardly the fight of the millenium as it had been billed, not even the fight of the decade, as some had predicted.

Trinidad, frustrated by De La Hoya's movement, sharp left jabs and quick combinations in the first eight rounds, won three of the last four on two official cards and all four on the third to pull out the victory.

The win was was No. 36 for Trinidad, and De La Hoya's loss was his first in 32 fights.

There was no rematch clause in the contract, but a disappointed De La Hoya said, "Let's do it again.

"I wanted to go out there and demonstrate all my ring equipment and give him a boxing lesson," De La Hoya said. "Obviously, it wasn't appreciated by everyone."

In the last three rounds, Trindiad landed several crunching rights.

"I knew Oscar was a great fighter, but I had such a will to win," the 26-year-old Trinidad said of his comeback.

Knockout was on Trinidad's mind from the opening bell. But the faster De La Hoya simply wouldn't let him get set until the final rounds, when De La Hoya tired and concentrated on protecting his lead.

"I was protecting the rounds I had in the bag," said the 26-year-old De La Hoya, who grew up in East Los Angeles. "Next time, I will be a brawler."

Trinidad said, "Oscar deserves a rematch." He also said, "We'll have to discuss it with Don King."

Trinidad is promoted by King, while De La Hoya is promoted by Bob Arum.

Boos were frequent from the sellout crowd of 11,610 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, a crowd that wanted to see knockdowns and a knockout. Still, it was an interesting fight - and the biggest-grossing non-heavyweight pay-per-view match in history.

Trinidad gets $8.5 million. De La Hoya was guaranteed $15 million.