Everyone knows the essential components of a superfight. Big fighters, big followings, a big venue, and a huge purse. Following the recent slew of high-profile matchups that have rejuvenated boxing, the money men are already in the process of arranging what they hope will be the sport's next global supershow.
The Golden Boy vs. Pacman. De La Hoya vs Pacquiao. Cause to be excited, yes?
Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions told ESPN.com that he and Bob Arum, President of Top Rank, had recently had a "two-hour-plus meeting" to discuss the possibility of a bout between their two star fighters.
Schaefer and Arum were both eager to express the positive nature of the meeting, which was described as "cordial" and "very productive," respectively, by the two promoters. The date and venue touted for a potential fight is Dec. 6 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand, but other details—most importantly, the weight—are yet to be finalised.
The proposed battle is an attractive one for a plethora of reasons.
De La Hoya is a legend of the modern game, and Pacquiao—the current pound-for-pound champion—is well on his way to reaching the same status.
Recent bouts such as Mayweather vs. De La Hoya, Mayweather vs. Hatton, and Cotto vs. Margarito have generated millions of pay-per-view buys, millions of column inches, and much needed revenue and the publicity for a sport that was speculated to go into a steady decline.
A supposed shortage of new marketable talent, combined with the rise of the mixed-martial art world, and spearheaded by the behemoth that is Dana White's Ultimate Fighting Championship, was a cause for worry about the future profitability of the sweet science.
However, those aforementioned reasons breathed new life into boxing, and so promoters are endlessly searching for the next big payday.
A fight between De La Hoya, with his army of loyal fans in both the U.S. and Mexico, and Pacquiao, the world's best boxer, also with a great following from the populous Philippines and the large worldwide Filipino diaspora, could not fail to generate revenue and huge interest.
Despite the obvious financial benefits, perhaps the most pertinent question to ask about the proposed fight is: Is it ethical?
One man who certainly does not think so is WBC President, Jose Sulaiman, who has already expressed forthright and outraged views on the prospect of De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao.
Condemning the proposal as "ridiculous," "absurd," and "a fraud to the public," Sulaiman focused on the weight difference between the two men by asking if the promoters planned to "stuff Manny with tamales plus beans, and reduce Oscar in the steam bath" in order to make a fight viable.
Sulaiman went on to point out that "Pacquiao has only recently won the lightweight title. It's been 13 years since De La Hoya last made that weight, and in those 13 years, he has gone up four weight divisions."
Sulaiman is a man whose presidency of the WBC, and outspoken nature, has made him an unpopular figure with many fight fans. However, in his typically incendiary manner, he brings up some important points.
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