Golden Boy VS Pacman "The Dream Mismatch"

This weekend's pay per view bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny
Pacquiao is being billed as "The Dream Match".  Many feel as if
nothing could be further from the truth.  If you were to ask fans,
writers, and people in the industry a year ago for a list of matches
they would love to see I can almost guarantee you that Oscar vs Pacman
would not have made the list.  It's a long the same line as Mike Tyson
vs Pernell Whittaker.  If anything "The Dream Mismatch" would be more
appropriate.

This is a bout that pits a middleweight who has not had a meaningful
victory since his win in 2002 over what many consider a faded Fernando
Vargas versus a fighter who started his career at 106lbs and has been
been ko'd twice at flyweight (115lbs). Pacquiao has only fought once
at lightweight (135lbs) so in essence will be moving up 3 weight
classes where as the Golden Boy will be moving down one weight class
to the welterweight division (147lbs) where this fight will take
place.

The good people over at HBO/Golden Boy/Top Rank promotions would like
you to believe that this is an intriguing match up and that it has
"Fight Of The Year" written all over it.  It is anything but that.  De
La Hoya has made a career out of picking on smaller guys. The last
time he fought at the welterweight limit was in 2001 against  Arturo
Gatti, a former super featherweight who was moving up two weight classes
since a pair of losses to Ivan Robinson at 135lbs.

So you might commend the Pacman for stepping up to take on someone so
much bigger then he is but let me remind you he will be rewarded
handsomely with the biggest payday of his career.  He has the deck
stacked against him so he has nothing to lose.  Plus much of those who
follow the sport will be cheering for him saturday night.  His trainer
Freddie Roach who also trained Oscar for his bout last year's bout
with Floyd Mayweather Jr is convinced that his star pupil Pacquiao
will walk through the Golden Boy.  But how much of that is hype to
sell this fight?

A loss for the Golden Boy will mean absolute embarrassment and will
lead to the end of a overrated career.  By no means will this be the
fight of the year.  You will see plenty of celebrities and athletes
ringside but that does not mean that it will be worthy of "Fight of
the Year" honors.  Oscar will never be involved in any of those.  It
is hard to win those honors when you look for the biggest paydays
against the smallest fighters with the least risk.