PACQUIAO WATCH: Which Oscar will turn up?
By Edwin G. Espejo
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Dec 2008
This corner promised not to do a piece on the December 6 Oscar de la Hoya-Manny Pacquiao Dream Match until the fight is over.
Well, there are promises that are made to be broken. And for all the hypes and hyperboles that are deluging the unofficial Manny Pacquiao website, here I go again, breaking my code of omerta.
There is no question, Oscar de la Hoya is the bigger, stronger and more skilled fighter than Pacquiao who is giving away four inches in height and six inches in reach.
Oscar is heavy favorite going into Sunday's 12-stanza non title bout between boxing's biggest draw and the sport's best pound for pound fighter.
But the question is which Oscar dela Hoya will climb the ring?
Will he still be the same Golden Boy who conquered an aging Julio Cesar Chavez? The perfect guy who soundly thrashed Fernando Vargas and gave the bigger Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley all they could handle in close decision defeats?
Will he regain the spry he exhibited during his lightweight and welterweight days? Will he still have the snap in those jabs and the spring in his left hooks that sent many of his victims to dreamland?
Will a weakened de la Hoya show up or a regenerated man who found his elixir.
After amassing hundreds of millions in his fine and storied boxing career, will Oscar still have the hunger in his pangs and the fire in his eyes when he meets a man six years his junior, who, no too long ago in 2001, fought in the undercard of his 154-pound title fight with Javier Castillejo as a 122-pound wonder kid who kayoed Lehlo Ledwaba for the latter's IBF super bantamweight crown?
Or will he be the half-hearted poster boy who danced away in the championship rounds in his fight with Felix Trinidad and lost. The man who was unfairly rewarded a win against Felix Sturm and who knelt as soon as he got tagged with a wicked shot on the liver by Bernard Hopkins?
Sunday's megabout, the biggest and most anticipated this year, is Oscar's to lose ? caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Win or knockout Pacquiao, he gains nothing for being pictured and viewed as the bigger man and, thus, the bully.
Lose and it ends one of the most terrific runs of phenomenal boxing success, both financially and in athletic ability.
For all intents and purposes, de la Hoya already lost some of the luster of his stardom, literally and figuratively.
Although in the end, he will still laugh his way to the bank ? critics and all naysayer.
Pacquiao, win or lose, is already a winner. Any jaded boxing aficionado will rightfully acknowledge the feats already accomplished by the man who has taken the boxing world by storm.
Win against de la Hoya and his image will even loom larger than he is now and monuments will also be built in places where he is adored and will be adored.
Just as de la Hoya has his outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
A piece of advice for Freddie Roach, please find the corner where Manny's statue will soon rise outside his Wild Card Gym.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Edwin G. Espejo.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Boxing Golden Age Comparison - Philippines and Japan
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 04 Jul 2025Kittipong, Magdalena, Kim, Kritiphak Claim Wins in Brico Santig's Show in Bangkok
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 04 Jul 2025Kremlev, Crawford, Fury Launch IBA's Golden Era of International Boxing
Fri, 04 Jul 2025International Master Angelo Young stays on course for GM norm
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 04 Jul 2025Robby Gonzales and Yoseline Perez Progress to Semifinals at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
Fri, 04 Jul 2025Fireworks Ahead: Magsayo vs Mata in Prelims of Pacquiao vs Barrios
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 03 Jul 2025Japan's Boxing Golden Age Remains Limited to the Lower Weights
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 03 Jul 2025No issues with fight ref
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 03 Jul 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Grand Muay Thai event in Verona
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 03 Jul 2025Morelle McCane and Rene Camacho Advance to Quarterfinals of World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
Thu, 03 Jul 20253 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
Thu, 03 Jul 2025ESPN Original Series The Fight Life Returns for Season Two on July 7
Wed, 02 Jul 2025TOP-RATED LIGHTWEIGHT KO ARTIST ARMANDO MARTINEZ RABI RETURNS
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Amazing Muay Thai WBC Festival 2025
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Borromeo Leads Winners of the Philippine Speedcubing Championships
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 02 Jul 2025