COMING UP
• Wednesday: Mike Oliver vs. Reynaldo Lopez, 10, junior featherweights (9 p.m., ESPN2).• Friday: Mike Alvarado vs. Michel Rosales, 10, junior welterweights (8 p.m., Telefutura-Ch. 69).• Friday: Mike Arnaoutis vs. Lanardo Tyler, 12, junior welterweights(9 p.m., ESPN2).With the steppingstone firmly out of the way, Oscar De La Hoya now can concentrate on what is considered the meatier segment of a seven-month, three-fight stretch.
De La Hoya, who vows this busy stretch will culminate in his retirement, began the first sales pitch toward a possible September rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr. minutes after a convincing victory over Steve Forbes late Saturday in Carson, Calif.
''Obviously, I've always prided myself in fighting the best,'' De La Hoya said after a lopsided unanimous decision at Home Depot Center. ``I'm going to go after [Mayweather] because I know I can beat him.''
De La Hoya came close to defeating Mayweather (39-0) in their first fight in May 2007. Mayweather won by split decision, but for the first time in his career, Mayweather lost a bout on a judge's scorecard.
But talk of a rematch didn't materialize until De La Hoya laid out his three-fight plan this year. Mayweather also has avoided other fights, leaving open the possibility of a second De La Hoya matchup.
Mayweather's only ring appearance was against ''The Big Show'' in Wrestlemania two months ago, in a further attempt at selling himself outside of boxing. Still, Mayweather envisioned a second bout against De La Hoya, considering the stance he took against his uncle and trainer, Roger, who initially prepared Forbes for the De La Hoya fight.
De La Hoya (39-5) won 119-109 on two judges' scorecards and 120-108 on the third.
''It accomplished my goal of the first of three,'' De La Hoya said of his win against Forbes (33-6). ``I am ready to have two exciting fights come September and December.''
De La Hoya also dispelled the concern of looking past Forbes toward a second fight against Mayweather. De La Hoya hardly resembled the sluggish fighter who narrowly defeated Felix Sturm in the prelude to his fight against Bernard Hopkins in 2004.
MIAMI'S JULIO ON RISE
Miami resident Joel Julio moved closer to a junior-middleweight title fight after his victory by unanimous decision over Ishe Smith on Wednesday.
Julio, a highly ranked contender in all the major sanctioning bodies, maintained the pace of the 10-round fight with solid power punching. He usually landed the lead shots on Smith (19-3).
Julio (33-1) won 96-94 on two judges' scorecards and 97-97 on the third.
''Hopefully, this victory against a very difficult opponent will earn Joel the title shot he deserves,'' said Felix Zabala Jr., Julio's copromoter.
