BLEACHER TALK: IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY
By Rico Navarro
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Sep 2008
Pacquiao vs. de la Hoya. For many, it doesn?t make any sense. And to many others, it?s a fight for the ages. And to many more out there, it?s all about the money. We tend to forget that beyond the left jabs and right straights of the boxing world, there is such a thing as the green-colored paper that can do wonders. And in this case, it?s practically the only thing that really matters, doesn?t it?
On Oscar de la Hoya?s part, the fight is both safe and lucrative. The fight is intended to cap his well-chronicled career that gave him his name, the ?Golden Boy.? And just as his nickname implies, it?s not really about the Olympic gold medal that?s hanging on his wall, it?s all about the business that he has created out simply being himself, the Golden Boy.
Many say that de la Hoya will go into the fight as a heavy favorite because he?s so much bigger and hits harder, while Pacquiao is moving up two weight divisions to fight at a weight at which he?s never fought before. This is the safe side of the fight that will favor de la Hoya when compared to if he went up against Antonio Margarito. He?ll earn lesser from a Margarito fight and his chances of losing are higher than if he fought the Pacman. Smart, di ba? De la Hoya would like to end his career on a high note and defeating Pacquiao will do it: he beats the world?s leading P4P boxer and also earns a huge paycheck. He?ll also make up for Pacquiao?s sudden turn-around when he nixed a Golden Boy contract in favor of Top Rank, GBP?s archrival.
On Pacquiao?s side, he?s in a nothing to lose situation. Being smaller and lighter, people will say he was bound to lose anyway, if he goes on to lose. After all, he?s the one fighting the bigger guy who happens to be named de la Hoya. A loss to de la Hoya won?t create that much of a dent to his status as the world?s leading pound-for-pound boxer. My biggest concern is the remote possibility that he could get hurt for fighting someone who?ll most likely outweigh him by at least 10 pounds of fight night. Pacquiao isn?t Superman and his defense isn?t the best. But then again, I also forget that de la Hoya will also take this into consideration when he fights Pacquiao. I just can?t see de la Hoya pouring it if on when he gets a chance to pounce on the Pacman. He?ll most likely pull his punches and remember that there?s a crowd that intends to earn every cent that they?ve invested in the fight.
The fight itself will surely be a good one. Pacquiao is going to become more of a boxer in this fight, mixing up quick combinations before moving away from trouble. He?ll rely on his handspeed, quickness and footwork to move in and out of harm?s way. Since he?s shorter, he?ll be within striking distance of de la Hoya?s punches, but will be quick enough to either step away or clinch when hurt. We can expect Pacquiao to work on de la Hoya?s body all night long since it will be the most logical and easiest target to hit.
De la Hoya is going to be on the prowl all night long. Although he?s expected to use his reach and height to go with a stick and run ploy, he?ll surely be the aggressor of the fight and will bully his way into the Pacman?s defense.
But beyond all these, the money factor seems to be THE main factor behind taking the fight. Sure, he?ll say that it?s personal and he always wants to beat the best, but one thing he fails to mention is that he can even retire after the fight (win or lose). The numbers are just mind-boggling with every figure going up each time the topic is discussed. It all started at a minimum of ten million dollars, and now talks are rife that he could earn as much as $20M!!! You don?t have to be a Math major to figure out how much that is in pesos. Fighting de la Hoya just once is already equivalent to fighting Erik Morales four or five times. I can already see Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez drooling in envy in what could have been for them. But that?s another story.
From now until December 6, the boxing world will be talking about Pacquiao-de la Hoya endlessly. There will be analysis, forecasts and a lot of pre-fight hype. But one thing is already sure. It?s simply all about the money!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rico Navarro.
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