Home  >  Sporting Witness  >  Oscar De La Hoya: ‘I knocked him down, he knocked me down’
Sporting Witness
Oscar De La Hoya: ‘I knocked him down, he knocked me down’
Sporting Witness
Sep 6, 2025

In 1999, reigning WBC welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya - the “golden boy” of boxing – was facing criticism over the quality of the opponents he fought.

One match changed all that – a Las Vegas showdown with Ike Quartey, from Ghana. “My strategy was solely to make it a dogfight, to make it entertaining, to shut up the doubters all over the world,” said La Hoya.

The Mexican American champ relives the bout with Mark Wilberforce.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Ike Quartey (right) throws a right puch at Oscar De La Hoya (left) in Las Vegas in 1999. Credit: Al Bello /Allsport via Getty Images.)

More Episodes
Apr 4, 2026
'Fan man' crashes heavyweight championship

In November 1993, James Miller interrupted the highly anticipated world heavyweight championship rematch between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.

He crashed onto the boxing ring ropes after parachuting into the outdoor arena in Las Vegas.

The media dubbed him the "fan man" because of the propeller in a cage strapped to his back.

Marc Ratner, who was executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, tells Jen Dale about the bizarre bout.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the Fifa computer game was created.

(Photo: James Miller interrupts the heavyweight title fight between Bowe and Holyfield in Las Vegas. Credit: Reuters)


10min 34sec

Mar 26, 2026
First official penalty shootout

On 5 August 1970, a pre-season match between second division Hull City and European giants Manchester United changed football forever.

With the game drawn, it became the first professional competitive fixture in the world to be decided by a penalty shootout. Tied matches were previously decided by coin tosses, the drawing of lots, or replays.

The match was in the inaugural season of the Watney Cup which was a short-lived English knockout competition.

Manchester United’s team included George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton.

Hull City player Frankie Banks and fan Martyn Kelly, who was 11 at the time, tell Phil Jones how the penalties played out.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: The penalty shootout between Hull City and Manchester United. Credit: Hull City AFC)


10min 20sec

Mar 21, 2026
The Czech Republic at Euro 96

In 1996, the Czech Republic played in their first major football tournament since the country's formation three years earlier. The unfancied team went on an unexpected run in the competition. One of the stars of the team, Patrik Berger, tells Guy Kilty how it all happened.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Patrik Berger in Euro 96. Credit: Lutz Bongarts via Getty Images)


10min 36sec

Mar 14, 2026
The first Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championship

Nathalie Amiel was a star of French rugby for more than fifteen years, from when she started playing internationally aged 15.

She was part of the team which won the Five Nations, as well as the European Championship four times.

In 2002 Nathalie crowned her long career with a win in the first ever Women's Six Nations Rugby Championship.

Nathalie spoke to Laura Jones in 2023.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

(Photo: Nathalie (right) playing Rugby in 2002. Credit: Craig Prentis/Getty Images)


10min 44sec

Oscar De La Hoya: ‘I knocked him down, he knocked me down’

--:--
--:--