Behind Enemy Lines is an occasional feature in which a boxer describes the experience of traveling to fight in his or her opponent's country.

Felix Sturm represented Germany at the 2000 Olympics and had quietly gone about his business after turning professional. He had been due to fight on the undercard of WBO titlist Hector Javier Velazco's defense against stablemate Bert Schenk in September 2003.

However, when Schenk pulled out through illness, Sturm stepped in on two days' notice to save the show and won the title via 12-round split decision.

The German made one defense and was preparing to defend his title against Kingsley Ikeke when the opportunity came to face one of boxing's biggest stars, Oscar De La Hoya, as part of a doubleheader dubbed "Collision Course."

In the other half of the main event, Ring and unified IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight beltholder Bernard Hopkins would defend his belts against Robert Allen. The working plan was for Hopkins and De La Hoya to meet that September - if both emerged victorious - for the undisputed middleweight championship.

"They offered me the job, and I accepted straight away," Sturm told The Ring. "I had more than enough time to prepare for the fight. I spent a total of twelve weeks preparing for the fight. Most of it was in Cologne and Hamburg."

The 25-year-old switched training camp to Las Vegas five weeks before the fight and took part in a three-city press tour in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York.

"When you see someone like that live for the first time, it's something completely different than when you only know him from television,” he said. “You also know about the aura of this person, his career, everything he has achieved.

"I knew I was a bit taller than him and that's where I saw opportunities. I've always been a boxer with a lot of self-confidence. I believed in myself. A lot of people laughed and said that I could never push myself. But I was convinced of myself and that's why I went into the press conference with a lot of courage and self-confidence."

Sturm was well looked after and found time to enjoy his time in Las Vegas; albeit away from the bright lights and trappings most go to Sin City for.

"It was a very, very good time and a lot of fun," he said. "There's a completely different atmosphere there. We trained in a great gym, great conditions.

"We were away from the Strip. We had a hotel there, which fortunately didn't have a casino, and were really happy. We had a running track in the park nearby, that's where we spent most of our time in Las Vegas."

When you face someone of the magnitude of De La Hoya, it's important not to let the occasion swallow you whole.

"He was the absolute number one boxer with the greatest prestige at the time, with the biggest name of course," he said. "De La Hoya was the Pay-Per-View king at the time.

"I watched him and really, really enjoyed watching his fighters and of course admired them. What a fantastic career he had: Olympic champion, then world championship after world championship. That was the biggest fight to date, Oscar was of course the biggest name I had boxed. As a European, as a German boxer, it's not every day that you get the chance to box against a living legend."

The official weigh-in took place at the MGM Grand. Both men came in bang on the 160-pound divisional limit. However, while Sturm looked cut and in great shape, De La Hoya weighed in with a t-shirt on and appeared fleshy.

"The weigh-in was a unique experience," he recalled. "Lots and lots of spectators. I would estimate somewhere between 3 and 4,000, which was also unique.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which I really trained very hard, twice a day. I was really looking forward to this fight. A weight was lifted from my shoulders at the weigh-in, knowing it was finally going to happen."

On fight night, Sturm, as champion, was introduced second, by the legendary Michael Buffer and made his way to the ring with "We Will Rock You" by Queen playing.

After the formalities, it was fight time.

"I remember the bell for the first round, I think you can see it quite clearly on the recordings, how I marched towards him and tried to build up pressure straight away," he said.

"That's what I set out to do from the outset, and it worked. I think it was a very good opening round. I think he was also surprised at how the first round went."

From there on Sturm's jab was a constant thorn in the "Golden Boy's" side.

"It was a very, very good fight," he said. "I also realized how much pressure Oscar puts on me. Especially with his left hand and that he is very variable. But I think he also imagined that the fight would be different."

At the end of the fight, many believed Sturm had done enough to claim the victory. However, all three judges scored the contest in favor of the uber-popular American 115-113, thus preserving a mega fight with Hopkins.

"Everyone said I had won," he said. "HBO had me ahead with 115-113.

"The last two rounds were taken away from me; those were some of the clearest rounds. In my opinion, I had them completely under control. He hardly hit me at all. That's why I didn't understand it at all, but oh well."

The fight generated 380,000 PPV buys and $19 million in revenue.

Sturm found a positive in defeat and believes it gave his career a big push.

"Everyone was talking, it gave me an incredible amount of popularity in Germany and abroad," he said. "Despite everything, I'm very happy with how everything turned out and of course grateful that I got this fight and chance. I would have loved to go to the USA again, but the main focus of the promoters at the time was to make me big in Germany, to fill the halls, and that worked out very well."

Despite the controversy and close nature of the fight there was never a second fight, and both went their separate ways.

"I never got the offer for the rematch, which I think is a great pity," he said. "I think it would have been another very good fight."