In short, there are many ways to look at this fight. First off, I don't look at this bout as a physical mismatch which puts Manny Pacquiao at too much of a disadvantage to win. Pacquiao's heart, hand speed, and combinations can all make him a legitimate threat in the fight, but I still doubt his chances of winning the fight because of his inexperience in heavier weight divisions particularly against a skilled, veteran as De La Hoya who has won titles in divisions as high as middleweight. Pacquiao has never been in a situation throughout his career in which his punching power failed to make a heavy impact in the fight, and there is a large possibility that his power may not faze Oscar the way it has done to previous opposition. However, many fighters such as Roy Jones, Michael Spinks, Bernard Hopkins, and Ray Leonard have been able to dominate higher weight divisions because all four were less dependant on their punching power. In Pacquiao's case, this jump in weight might force him to rely on a plan B which he might not be comfortable in utilizing. Pacquiao's best chance in the fight is to fight relentlessly against De la Hoya, using his speed to offset Oscar and therefore breaking him down. I think Pacquiao will offset Oscar with his speed similar to the way Shane Mosley did so back in 2000 but I think it would be very difficult for Pacquiao to sustain a relentless and probably reckless approach consistently for twelve rounds without putting himself in harms way for De la Hoya's counters. Based on previous performances, Pacquiao can be hurt by counter punches (example Juan Manuel Marquez) but his spirit generally keeps him from excessive punishment. I think the punches from a larger man like De La Hoya will affect Pacquiao far more severely than we've seen recently. However, I think Pacquiao's heart will keep him standing after twelve rounds and will also force De La Hoya to fight hard every step of the way en route to a unanimous decision victory.

 

De La Hoya by unanimous decision.