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© Tom Hogan / Golden Boy Promotions
The final superfight of 2008 takes place tonight when ring legends Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao square off at welterweight this weekend at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Both men have done it all in the game. De La Hoya, since turning pro in 1992, has won world titles at six weights. From his first world title at super featherweight to his middleweight crown, the list of De La Hoya victims makes impressive reading: Jimmy Bredahl, Jorge Paez, John Molina, Rafael Ruelas, Genaro Hernandez, Jesse James Leija, Julio Cesar Chavez, Manuel Angel Gonzalez, Pernell Whitaker, Hector Camacho, Ike Quartey, Fernando Vargas and Ricardo Mayorga.
The number of fights mentioned alone would make a career for most fighters, yet “The Golden Boy” still attracts criticism from a lot of pundits and fans.
Could it be the fact that he faded in the last third of the fight against Felix Trinidad in 1999, throwing away a decision in a fight he was winning? Could it be that “Sugar” Shane Mosley, jumping up two divisions from lightweight to welterweight, outhustled him in 2000? Or is it the fact that tonight he is fighting a man who won his first world title at flyweight, a full 35 pounds lighter?
That man on Saturday night is Manny Pacquiao, a former World Champion in four weight divisions. In addition to this, he defeated Marco Antonio Barrera, the man regarded in 2003 as the world’s best featherweight, in a non title matchup.
Like De La Hoya, Pacquiao’s list of victims in none too shabby. Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (twice), Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz have all tasted defeat.
Between them, both men have won 10 different world titles. This bout arguably will decide the world’s best pound for pound fighter. For me though, it’s still a fight that I wish wasn’t happening.
Both are all time greats, their places assured. However, De La Hoya is easily the naturally bigger fighter. Pacquiao, for all his speed and power that he had at the lower weights, cannot dispute that.
For the winner of tonight’s matchup, Ricky Hatton awaits and there is always the possibility that De La Hoya may fade down the stretch.
For Hatton’s sake and Pacquiao’s, I hope “Pacman” is victorious in Las Vegas, but I’ve a feeling that the size difference will be too much even for Pacquiao.
De La Hoya in seven.
