Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya returned to the ring in sensational style to reclaim a world title at the expense of Ricardo Mayorga in the early hours of Sunday.
The Los Angeles legend proved far too strong for the trash-talking Nicaraguan in his first fight for 20 months and confidently took the WBC light-middleweight title inside six rounds in Las Vegas.
De La Hoya had not fought since being knocked out by Bernard Hopkins in September 2004 but produced one of his greatest performances to revive hopes of a glorious retirement as a champion.
He showed no signs of ring-rustiness as he put Mayorga on the canvas in the opening round and had him in further trouble in the second.
Mayorga briefly recovered his composure but De La Hoya knocked him down for a second time in the sixth and then quickly moved in for the kill with a flurry of punches after a standing count.
The referee had no choice but to end the contest and hand De La Hoya a victory that must rank as one of the finest of his glittering 14-year career.
The build-up to the fight had been overshadowed by Mayorga's apparent determination to hurl crude insults at De La Hoya at every opportunity.
But Mayorga's ill-advised claims that he wanted to stop De La Hoya's heart or detach his retina - among other things - served only to motivate his illustrious opponent.
Mayorga did land a couple of telling punches but De La Hoya was inconvenienced only temporarily and went on to win with ruthless ease.
De La Hoya said on Sky Sports: "He motivated me so much. The plan was if he was going to talk bad about me and insult me that was going to motivate me. I needed that, I haven't had that since I fought Hopkins.
"He tried to fight recklessly, lunging in with punches but I stood my ground and that showed the bully, 'Hey, you're not pushing me back'."
De La Hoya now intends to bow out with a major farewell fight, possibly against his trainer's son Floyd Mayweather junior, in September.