Oscar De La Hoya has suugested Julio César Chávez did not take him seriously as a threat before their legendary 1996 bout.

The famed pair met three decades ago this June at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for the latter's WBC super-lightweight title.

Ten years younger than the champion, the 'Golden Boy' handed his rival just a second professional reverse in four brutal rounds.

Now, as part of a documentary, La Guerra Civil, reflecting on the pair's rivalry, De La Hoya has contrasted their approaches.

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"He didn't take me seriously"

Oscar De La Hoya and Julio Cesear Chavez share their attitudes towards each other in DAZN's 'La Guerra Civil' documentary 

Watch DAZN's 'La Guerra Civil' documentary in full here

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"I remember waking up at four am in the morning to go run," he said. "I would see Chavez coming in at four in the morning.

"[It felt like] he was not taking me seriously, but guess what? I [was] going to take [him] seriously. And that's a huge difference."

Chavez confirmed the meeting, adding: "Yes, I was arriving [as he left]. I arrived from a walk, and it was still dawn.

"But at that time, given how I was, I didn't even feel sorry for myself. I told him to keep preparing, because I was coming for him."

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