DE LA HOYA NEEDS TO FACE TOUGHER FOES.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

In terms of money, Oscar De La Hoya had a huge year: He made $38 million, according to Forbes magazine's list of highest-paid athletes.

In the ring? Could've been better.

On Saturday, the WBC welterweight champ and one of the most talented fighters in a generation ended his year with a solid, one-sided, eight-round technical knockout of Wilfredo Rivera, a tough, skilled opponent.

However, let's examine all five of his 1997 fights - all victories - and determine how they might've affected his image as a fighter.

1. Miguel Angel Gonzalez: An easy victory in the final defense of his WBC super lightweight crown. However, De La Hoya's performance was hardly flawless: He won with the left jab but threw nary a right, a stark reminder that his right is nothing special.

And De La Hoya paid a price: His left eye was bruised and swollen, the most glaring physical toll he's taken in a fight.

Grade: B.

2. Pernell Whitaker: A lousy fight and a controversial decision that gave De La Hoya the WBC welterweight title. That De La Hoya won easily on the cards was a joke. That he had such a difficult time didn't do much for his reputation.

OK, Whitaker - particularly a motivated Whitaker - can make anyone look bad. And, yes, a victory - any victory - over a fighter of Whitaker's ability should be applauded. However, the world isn't used to seeing a marginal performance by De La Hoya, including De La Hoya, who fired trainer Jesus Rivero following the bout.

Grade: B.

3. David Kamau: Kamau, who went up in weight for the bout, had no business in the ring with De La Hoya. He simply walked directly into the champion's punches and was cut down in less than two rounds.

Grade: A.

4. Hector Camacho: See No. 3. Camacho had no chance from the start: too old, too slow, no power. Still, De La Hoya couldn't take him out as he had hoped.

Two fights, two easy victories over two utterly inferior foes had the boxing world clamoring for credible opposition.

Grade: C+.

5. Rivera: Another inferior opponent, albeit a strong, natural welterweight. Too quick, too skillful for the challenger, De La Hoya did all he could except take Rivera out, more evidence that he has a relative lack of power at 147 pounds.

Most significant, it wasn't a spectacular performance, something we haven't seen from De La Hoya in years. In the end, it was just another solid victory.

Grade: B+.

What did we learn from these fights?

First, he admits he has a lot to learn and he's right.

De La Hoya has yet to settle into a style. With Rivero, he was a defense-minded fighter who discovered a tremendous jab. With Emanuel Steward, who was fired after the Camacho fight, he had become more aggressive.

Steward had the right idea. He should be deliberate but not reckless, throw more rights and jab, jab, jab, which would open his opponents up for more big shots.

It also became clear that De La Hoya doesn't have the power he once displayed. Welterweights are too big, too strong. Thus, his Tyson-like image as a destroyer is somewhat lost. Perhaps he will gain power as he grows into the division.

Second, he needs an upgrade in competition. Of the five, only Whitaker had a chance to win. And that was an accident: He was thought by many to be well into decline.

Even with less-than-De La Hoya-like performances, the champion's stock might've soared had he faced tough opponents, opponents like Felix Trinidad, Ike Quartey or Jose Luis Lopez.

As it was, he fought well but not spectacularly against marginal competition.

So when do we see him fight the best?

De La Hoya was supposed to face Terry Norris in June, which would've been a nice test. However, Norris lost to Keith Mullings on Saturday and is out of the picture.

De La Hoya-Trinidad won't happen in 1998. Trinidad, the most credible opponent out there, is too big for De La HoyaT at the moment and he's promoted by Don King, the rival of Bob Arum, De La Hoya's promoter, which makes negotiations difficult.

Quartey, also good enough to give De La Hoya a challenge, is a possibility toward the end of the year. Lopez, a skillful boxer with a hard punch, is a juicy possibility but hasn't been mentioned as a potential opponent.

In the meantime, for the first half of the year, De La Hoya will again face inferior fighters. Until real challenges come along, he'd better look better than he did in 1997 if he wants to develop into the best fighter of his era.

The bottom line: De La Hoya needs a performance that elicits ``wows.'' When's the last time that happened?

Ouch: Norris' knockout loss to Mullings was one of the costliest in history.

Forget the WBC junior middleweight title. That's nothing. Norris would have made at least $4 million for an all-but-signed bout with De La Hoya in June. That money's gone, probably forever.

Norris, who made $500,000 on Saturday, had a pending matchup - and a $1.5 million payday - against Trinidad in August had he not left King.

Norris was among the most skilled and exciting fighters of his time. Now, he looks a lot older than his 30 years. He might be through as a top-level fighter.

From a financial standpoint, the best thing that could happen to Norris is a rematch and a chance to redeem himself. A victory might keep him in line for a big-money fight, particularly in light of his vulnerability.

Retirement might be a better option.

``I got nothing to say,'' Norris said after Saturday's fight. ``I got a lot to think about.''

Let's hope he thinks hard.

Rabbit punches: Michael Nunn, whom Roy Jones Jr. refused to fight, will get a shot at the title Jones vacated: Nunn will fight former German champion Graciano Rocchigiani - and fellow lefty - for the championship in February in Germany.

Nunn, who lost the last of his two titles when he was outpointed by Steve Little in 1994, is 34 and might not get anothTer shot. . . .

Former two-time world champion Tracy Patterson, the son of former heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson, fights capable Manuel Chavez-Tellez in a 10-round lightweight bout on Dec. 20 at the Country Club in Reseda.

Patterson and Chavez-Tellez, hard-punching, action fighters, should put on a good show.

The card, which begins at 5 p.m., will be televised on Fox. . . .

A repeat of the De La Hoya-Rivera card will be televised by HBO at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. . . .

Four-time world champion Edwin Rosario, who died last week at 34, was one of the greatest fighters Puerto Rico has produced and one of the best lightweights of the 1980s.

He won his titles over eight years of remarkable consistency: over Jose Ramirez in 1983, Livingstone Bramble in 1986, Anthony Jones in 1989 and Loreto Garza in 1991.

When he lost, he lost to the best. Among his conquerors: Ramirez, Hector Camacho, Julio Cesar Chavez and Frankie Randall.

COMING UP

Friday: Erik Morales defends his WBC super bantamweight title against John Lowey in Tijuana, Mexico.

Saturday: Vince Phillips defends his IBF junior welterweight crown against Freddie Pendleton in Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Also on Saturday, on HBO, Tim Witherspoon faces Larry Donald in a 10-round heavyweight bout in Ledyard, Conn.

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Photo, Box

PHOTO Oscar De La Hoya celebrates his win over Wilfredo Rivera.

Associated Press

BOX: COMING UP (see text)