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Although I’ll be pulling for Pacquiao, because this is clearly a business venture to maximize profits for De La Hoya’s own benefit, the objectivity (and common sense) tells me to go with De La Hoya.
De La Hoya is disguising his reasoning for choosing Pacquiao as an opponent as his desire to “wanting to fight the best,” his claim is garbage and unacceptable, because he fought the best…and lost. So really, he’s fighting the interim best—and that’s no disrespect to Pacquiao, but it is what it is. He’s choosing Pacquiao because of the unprecedented size advantage and frankly, he knows he can beat him.
But before I go on ranting further, De La Hoya wins by knockout if they brawl, decision if he boxes smart.
We’ve seen 5’6” Pacquiao lose, and lose convincingly and he’s been a victim of a knockout lost to opponents his size. It’s cliché, but true: Pacquiao has never fought someone the size of De La Hoya, with only one fight at 135, the jump to 147 when his opponent will come into the ring at 160 maybe, is unprecedented and almost absurd.
It’s not even wholly about whether or not DLH can “still pull the trigger or not,” because stylistically and strategically both, Pacquiao is going to brawl because he’s going to need to get inside to hit “The Golden Boy.” Pacquiao’s reach is 67”, De La Hoya, 73” and while that’s not the biggest difference, it definitely gives DLH some room to operate, and although Pacquiao will press the action, even if he doesn’t want to—he has to, how much of a true Middleweight’s punch can Pacquiao take?
Pacquiao will use his speed and footwork, and with Mayweather Sr. in his corner, DLH will use his jab and straight right a lot more. But the intangibles will sink the Filipino icon, his desire to get in there and brawl, it wouldn’t be smart (especially if you’re placing a wager) to get all caught up in the Pac-Man hype, we shouldn’t expect a masterful boxing performance from him against De La Hoya—he’s no Floyd Mayweather Jr. And De La Hoya knows that all too well.
Carlo Miguel Narboneta wrote:
The fight will start slowly as both fighters try to feel each other out. De La Hoya will throw the first bomb of the fight as he tries to bully Pacquaio with his size advantage. Pacquaio will be unable to use his right hooks and will instead throw lots of straight left hands.
Pacquaio will attack from the outside and stick close to avoid counter shots. De La Hoya will tire out in the later rounds from Pacquaio's continued attack. In the end, both fighters will be bruised up with De La Hoya the worse for wear. Pacquaio wins a split decision in a slow and boring fight.
Yours Truly wrote:
I expect Pacquaio to win the early rounds based on speed and movement. However, Pacquaio is no defensive wizard, and at some point De La Hoya is gonna catch him with something, and that is gonna be the key to the fight. If De La Hoya hurts Pacquaio, that changes the complexion of the fight entirely. I will go with De La Hoya by decision or late stoppage.
Verdict
It seems opinions are split on this matchup, at least amongst our writers. What do you think? Is Pacman's speed and heart too much for De La Hoya? Or will De La Hoya's vaunted left hook seal the deal on the smaller man?
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