Boxing: De la Hoya back

Former champion Oscar de la Hoya made a victorious return to the ring yesterday when he stopped Arturo Gatti in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round welterweight bout in Las Vegas.

Fighting for the first time since losing his World Boxing Council welterweight crown to Shane Mosely nine months ago, de la Hoya outclassed the former junior lightweight champion.

He opened a huge cut under Gatti's right eye late in the opening round and kept the pressure up by landing dozens of big punches.