Was Oscar De La Hoya robbed vs. Felix Trinidad? Round-by-round scoring for The Golden Boy vs. Tito in historic superfight

It’s been 25 years since Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad collided in a multi-million-dollar battle of champions in Las Vegas. Still, the controversy surrounding the result has never aged.

The fight featured two unbeaten superstars in the prime of their lives. It was the biggest welterweight showdown since Sugar Ray Leonard faced Thomas Hearns 18 years earlier. Both pound-for-pound entrants carried state-of-the-art firepower, so a knockout was all but guaranteed. It was dubbed "The Fight of the Millennium."

However, when the dust settled at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on September 18, 1999, the main topic of conversation was the judge's verdict. Against all odds, the fight had gone the distance and neither man was knocked down or even hurt.

By majority decision, Tito Trinidad posted the biggest win in Puerto Rican boxing history, igniting massive celebrations on the island. Judge Glen Hamada couldn't separate the pair and had it 114-114 but was overruled by tallies of 115-113 and 115-114 from Jerry Roth and Bob Logist, respectively.

But was Oscar De La Hoya robbed?

No one talks about what happened in the fight. De La Hoya vs. Trinidad doesn't fall into the category of timeless classics like Hagler vs. Hearns or Leonard vs. Duran 1. Instead, as with Hagler vs. Leonard or Lewis vs. Holyfield 1, fans will forever question the decision.

De La Hoya boxed beautifully through nine rounds and then inexplicably ran for the final three. However, despite The Golden Boy's tactical superiority through three-quarters of the fight, the scorecard you end up with will depend on how many rounds you believe Trinidad nicked across the first nine. Opinions vary.

To add to the debate, The Sporting News traveled back a quarter of a century and re-scored one of the most controversial fights in modern boxing history.

Round-by-round scoring for Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad

Round 1

Trinidad's jab is picked off by the quick-footed De La Hoya early. A counter left jab scores for Oscar off a Trinidad left uppercut. Left hook-right hand by De La Hoya with the right hand connecting. The clean-up left hook by De La Hoya falls just short. Trinidad scores effectively with the jab. Multi-punch combination by De La Hoya backs Tito up. Not one-sided but a De La Hoya round.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya

Round 2

Trinidad just misses with a counter right. Stiff jab by Tito. Oscar scores with his own stick in a battle of left hands. A flush jab by Oscar and Trinidad lands a right hand. A hard jab by De La Hoya, but he misses with a quick three-punch burst. A Trinidad left hook finds the chin of De La Hoya. Oscar scores a nice right hand at the bell. This was a very close round with the edge going to Tito.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Trinidad (19-19)

Round 3

Plenty of movement by De La Hoya and the fighters trade jabs again. Tito just misses with a left hook counter. Oscar falls short with the jab. Quick combination by Oscar and a sharp right lead. The jab sets up an uppercut, left hook, right hand for The Golden Boy. Another flurry from De La Hoya fails to land clean. A quick burst from Oscar at the bell. Easy round for De La Hoya.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (29-28 De La Hoya)

Round 4

Trinidad starts fast but falls short and is quickly countered by a combination. Blood begins to flow from Tito’s nose. Both men are fencing at long range. Nice right hand lands for Trinidad. Right hand-left jab combination scores for Tito. He tries the same combination again and walks on to a thumping left jab. De La Hoya releases his first left hook to the body, but although it scores, Tito nails him on the counter with a left to the head. De La Hoya’s jab doubles and triples into the face of Trinidad in the final minute. Close round with the edge to Oscar.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (39-37 De La Hoya)

Round 5

Oscar finding his rhythm now. He counters Tito with a right hand and pops home the one-two solidly. A right hand finds De La Hoya after he'd come off his toes momentarily. That punch convinced the American to start moving again and he finds a home for the jab immediately. Almost a minute passes without a solid connection and it's De La Hoya doing all the retreating. A frustrated Tito cuts the distance carelessly and is nailed by a whipping three-punch combination that wobbles him slightly. That was the highlight moment of the fight so far. The jab finds Tito, who cannot get set. Right hand lands for Tito, but Oscar makes him pay with another beautiful combination before the bell. That was a big round for De La Hoya.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (49-46 De La Hoya)

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Round 6

This time Oscar starts fast and fires a nice left hook to the body. Tito with the jab, but Oscar returns the favor and releases another quick flurry. The jab scores for De La Hoya. It's noteworthy that Trinidad is struggling to land more than one punch at a time. Two nice rights from Trinidad, but neither man is landing the kind of concussive shots that they've scored on other opponents. Another excellent combination at ring center from De La Hoya, with the signature shot being the right hand. Light right counter from De La Hoya. Sharp shots from Oscar on the outside keep Tito honest.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (59-55 De La Hoya)

Round 7

Nice short right hook inside from Tito, who timed Oscar pulling away. De La Hoya blocks the left hook attempt and thumps home the jab. Some of the crowd are booing the lack of action and Oscar responds with a three-punch combination. Trinidad has significant swelling under his left eye and his trunks are covered in the blood that's been pouring from his nose. Right hand from De La Hoya, who catches the left hook response. The jab again from Oscar, who is scoring that punch regularly. Tito misses two left hooks and is countered by a De La Hoya left hook. One-two from De La Hoya and a right. Another flurry. Some after the bell action and Tito scores a jab. Another solid round by De La Hoya.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (69-64)

Round 8

Trinidad closing faster in desperation, but De La Hoya's defense is excellent and his movement is giving the Puerto Rican star fits. Trinidad gets inside and releases some big shots but nothing lands flush. Oscar fires back a combination but it's more shoe-shining. De La Hoya triples the left jab and nails Tito with a sharp right to the chin. Excellent body attack by De La Hoya, who misses the head punches when he changes the levels. Another jab and right hand by Oscar. Right hand from Trinidad, who avoids the De La Hoya combination response. Left hook scores for Trinidad late in the round, but it's another round for De La Hoya.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (79-73 De La Hoya)

Round 9

A left hook from Tito wakes De La Hoya up. A right hand lead by De La Hoya is followed by a magnificent four-punch burst at ring center – left hook to the body, right hook to the body, left uppercut and a straight right. Another two hooks to the body by De La Hoya. Exhibition stuff from Oscar, who has never boxed better in his career. Two single shots land from Trinidad but Oscar is still keeping the left jab in his face. A good left hook from Tito scores on the inside and a right hand. A clean right hand lands for De La Hoya in the last 30 seconds of the round. Another big round by De La Hoya.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 De La Hoya (89-82 De La Hoya)

Round 10

Despite the punishment he's absorbed, Trinidad continues his attack in earnest. He scores on De La Hoya with a pair of left hooks that force Oscar into full retreat. Instead of moving and punching, De La Hoya is now moving and moving. Trinidad seems to sense that his opponent is tiring and comes harder. The jab from Tito scores and a sharp right. Nice body shots from De La Hoya, but Tito counters well upstairs. Good hook from Oscar on the move. Double right hand combination from Trinidad, who is now walking his man down and landing the cleaner shots. Fast combinations by Oscar, but there's nothing on his punches. The best round of the fight for Trinidad.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Trinidad (98-92 De La Hoya)

Round 11

Tito pounds his chest before the round begins, clearly feeling he's had a breakthrough. De La Hoya counters an early attack with a jab. Right hand by Trinidad. Single shots scoring nicely by Tito. Oscar is doing nothing, and Trinidad continues to clip him with scoring shots as he marches forward. De La Hoya attempts to clinch and is thrown off easily. The double jab from Oscar is harmless. De La Hoya jabs and scores a right, but he's taking the bigger punches and running away. Nice left hook from Trinidad, who walks through pitty-pat return fire from Oscar. Awful round from De La Hoya.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Trinidad (107-102 De La Hoya)

Round 12

More of the same. Oscar uses his feet to avoid the fire as Trinidad chases him all over the ring. The crowd is now solidly behind Trinidad as they cry "Tito! Tito Tito!" A solid right hand blasts off the jaw of Oscar, who manages to slip the next one. A nice left hook from De La Hoya makes Trinidad lose his footing momentarily. A big right from Trinidad as Oscar continues the track meet. Another right hand lead by Tito over a weak jab. While De La Hoya didn't win the 12th, it was better than the prior two. Trinidad takes it on effective punching and aggression.

SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Trinidad (116-112 De La Hoya)

Was Oscar De La Hoya robbed in Felix Trinidad fight?

• Official scorecards from Glen Hamada, Jerry Roth and Bob Logist
• Unofficial scorecard from The Sporting News

When I watched the fight live in 1999, I was positive that De La Hoya had won on points and the decision came as a shock. As ringside commentator Al Bernstein said afterwards, “I could make a stronger case for De La Hoya losing the [Ike] Quartey and [Pernell] Whitaker fights.”

Three of the first four rounds were tight. I gave De La Hoya the third easily because he controlled the action throughout, but rounds one, two and four were much closer and open to interpretation. Tito is forcing the fight, and De La Hoya isn’t landing clean shots with regularity.

However, from rounds five through nine, Trinidad is stuck in the mud and doing a lot of catching. De La Hoya’s movement, jab, and combination work carry the day and Tito is largely outclassed. Against that analysis, Logist gave Tito the seventh, Hamada gave him the eighth, and Roth gave him the ninth. All three are miles away, but Roth is the worst offender because the ninth was one of De La Hoya’s biggest rounds.

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There’s no way that I could give Oscar any of the last three sessions. He’s in full retreat mode and Tito is walking him down and landing better punches. Amazingly, Logist gave Oscar the final round, perhaps won over by the fact that Tito appeared momentarily shaken by a quick left hook.

If I bend over backwards I can get a draw, but that’s being charitable to Trinidad. The fact that Roth managed to give the Puerto Rican hero seven rounds just doesn’t work and never will. Then again, Roth had Brandon Rios winning 116-112 over Richard Abril in what was one of the most contentious decisions of the modern era.

Was De La Hoya robbed? On the basis that I can’t justify him losing the fight, then yes, he was.