De La Hoya, Pacquiao agree to Dec. 6 fight in Vegas?

[Shaazzam]

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing ... id=3555960

Oscar De La Hoya, boxing's biggest star, will announce Thursday that he will meet pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6, two sources close to the fight told ESPN.com.

Top Rank's Bob Arum, whose company promotes Pacquiao, would not confirm a deal was in place for what would be the year's biggest fight, but he did tell ESPN.com that De La Hoya would host a media teleconference at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday to announce his opponent.

"We'll know who is he is fighting tomorrow," Arum said Wednesday from Youngstown, Ohio, where he was attending a promotional event for the Kelly Pavlik-Bernard Hopkins fight that he is co-promoting with De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. "I made a commitment that I wouldn't say anything and that tomorrow there would be an announcement. I'm not allowed to make any comments. Everything will be clear on Thursday."

[BlackMamba]

it won't happen, but he said thaat he wants his last fight to be in estadio azteca in mexico city...

and what could happen is that he wants to beat pacquiao because he wants to avenge all the mexicans that have lost vs. him...

[El Hardee]

I wonder what weight they'll fight at. This will be the biggest fight since the Tyson/Holyfield fights. I cant wait!

[Shaazzam]

I wonder what weight they'll fight at. This will be the biggest fight since the Tyson/Holyfield fights. I cant wait!

Pacquiao, a lightweight titleholder who has won belts in five weight classes and is the national icon of the Philippines, would move up to welterweight for the showdown with De La Hoya.

[cowboyronnie]

lots of big money fights already for Pacquiao, probably only 25% less profitable than this (he'd be the bigger draw, get the larger portion of the purse in any other fight). but this will really cross-over and would be huge for boxing.

[Blame Rasho]

Total mismatch and the biggest ppv of the year....

[Blame Rasho]

I wonder what weight they'll fight at. This will be the biggest fight since the Tyson/Holyfield fights. I cant wait!

Welterweight... 147 and not a lb more...

[Blame Rasho]

Via ESPN Dan Rafael

The notion of the fight began in October 2007 merely as a fantasy in the fertile mind of HBO broadcaster Larry Merchant. On Thursday it became reality. After weeks of on and off negotiations, Oscar De La Hoya, boxing's most bankable superstar, and Manny Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king, jointly announced on a media teleconference that they would meet Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The fight, which could easily generate $100 million, will take place at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, meaning Pacquiao, who holds a 135-pound lightweight belt, will move up two weight classes to meet De La Hoya, who will come down to 147 for the first time since 2001.

"Manny Pacquiao is considered the best fighter in boxing today and I always want to fight the best," said De La Hoya. "I am glad we were able to make this fight happen because while Pacquiao is at the pinnacle of his success and has defeated all of the top fighters he has faced, I am going to show the world that it stops with me. December 6 can't get here soon enough." Said Pacquiao, the icon of his native Philippines, "This is my greatest challenge. When I take that walk to the ring to fight Oscar, I will carry all the people of the Philippines -- the entire country -- on my shoulders. I promise I will fight with all of my heart and that I will give everything I have. Like my trainer Freddie Roach says, I have what it takes to win the biggest fight of my life."

[Rich Rane]

Predictions anyone?

[Blame Rasho]

Oscar will win by a stoppage... The only way Pacman will win is if he potshots and runs away from Oscar, and lets be honest,.... Manny doesn't run. He is a fighter first and is always looking to go forward. I don't think he can do that vs a significantly bigger fighter like Oscar who is skilled enough to hit him with a left hook that will leave him seeing stars.

If Manny wins...he will be the best fighter of his era like Jones was in the 90s.

[cowboyronnie]

Roach on Manny's team will be an asset.

Manny's diversifed his skills a bit recently.

[Rich Rane]

Oscar will win by a stoppage... The only way Pacman will win is if he potshots and runs away from Oscar, and lets be honest,.... Manny doesn't run. He is a fighter first and is always looking to go forward. I don't think he can do that vs a significantly bigger fighter like Oscar who is skilled enough to hit him with a left hook that will leave him seeing stars.

If Manny wins...he will be the best fighter of his era like Jones was in the 90s.

I really don't see how Pacquiao can REALLY lose. He loses the fight, everyone will say it's understandable since the big move to make weight along with Oscar being a much bigger man. He wins, like you said, he's Jones Jr. of the 00s. That and with the HUGE purse from the fight along with promotions and PPV buys.

Either case, the buildup for this fight will be big. Another Hispanic-Filipino fight. Pound-for-Pound King vs The Golden Boy along with what possibly could be Oscar's last fight. On the outside, what looks like a David vs Goliath match with Pacquiao having better speed and stamina with Oscar being taller, longer reach, and a bigger power. All I know is if Oscar loses this fight, this would be pretty embarrassing even if Pacquiao is the number 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

Oscar's passed his prime, but Pacquiao is moving up two weight classes. Can Pacquiao withstand the bigger power punches to get his quick lightning shots at De La Hoya?

I think for Oscar to win, he'll need to win early. I know he went the distance back in May, but come on...it was Stevie Forbes. If Oscar can't land his punches for an early KO and Pacquiao wears him down (he's a much better fighter than Forbes)...Pacman by split.

[Blame Rasho]

Via Mark Vester

Since the formal announcement of Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao on December 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, questions poured in as to the agreed upon restrictions regarding De La Hoya being able to make the weight-limit on the day of the weigh-in.The two fighters agreed to meet at 147-pounds, with Pacquiao moving up twelve-pounds from 135 and De La Hoya moving down by three-pounds, having last fought in May against Steve Forbes at 150. One of the biggest sticking points for Team Pacquiao was to make sure that De La Hoya would make the agreed fight weight.

Initially, Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal want a weight related penalty that was under $1 million dollars, but realized the number was way too low when considering how much money was at stake and how much money De La Hoya has. Gacal revealed to well-known Filipino scribe Dennis Principe that De La Hoya agreed to pay a penalty of $3 million dollars for every pound above the welterweight limit. Even if De La Hoya weighs a fraction over a pound, it would count as a full pound and he would have to kick in an additional $3 million to Pacquiao. The amount is far larger than the $500,000 per pound penalty placed on Erik Morales for his rematch with Pacquiao.

That is one hell of a payday for Pacman if Oscar can't make weight...

[Cochulito]

De La Hoya ko 8. I dont know about that B.S about getting revenge for mexicans. Oscar is American.

[Rich Rane]

He's Mexican-American. It's not exactly a revenge fight, but more of another way of marketing the fight as another Mexican vs Pacquiao. De La Hoya said it's a bit personal because of the great Mexican boxers Pacquiao has beaten.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=15619

I'll go out on a limb and say if Oscar doesn't get a KO by the 5th, it'll go the distance. If he's really trying to end the fight early (For what could be his last fight and him being the bigger favorite unlike the Mayweather fight, I doubt he paces himself rather than going for a glorious KO), he'll be winded by then. I realize he's not a heavyweight so it's not like Oscar will be Clubber Lang or anything, but age and Pacquiao's stamina could be one of the biggest factors of the second half should the fight go the full 12.

For informational purposes, they will be using 8 oz gloves.

[6_Rings]

wow this can turn out to be a classic... how do you get tickets?

[spykelee]

I don't really follow boxing that closely, but nonetheless.

Who cares about Oscar De La Hoya anymore? As far as I can see it, this guy is a guy who is very marketable yes, but a guy who losses all his big fights. He's still descent and he'll be competitive but he wont beat pac-man. Oscar barely beat that scrub from the contender in his tune up match. I'd be surprised if Oscar even makes it to a descision.

The only news I want to hear involving Oscar De La Hoya is when Golden Boy promotions jumps into the MMA world and joins forces with Affliction.

[ManualRam]

I don't really follow boxing that closely, but nonetheless.

Who cares about Oscar De La Hoya anymore? As far as I can see it, this guy is a guy who is very marketable yes, but a guy who losses all his big fights. He's still descent and he'll be competitive but he wont beat pac-man. Oscar barely beat that scrub from the contender in his tune up match. I'd be surprised if Oscar even makes it to a descision.

The only news I want to hear involving Oscar De La Hoya is when Golden Boy promotions jumps into the MMA world and joins forces with Affliction.

i understand that ODH is interested in promoting MMA events in the future, but he's all about the boxing game. if he wanted to get into MMA promotion he wouldve already done so. he has some business sense, but he'll lose some of his leverage (esp with HBO) once he stops fighting, which could be right after the manny fight.

i love and hate this match up. actually, the only reason why i like it is cuz manny's involved. so i guess i dont really like the match up at all.
this fight is so contrived. its all about the money. there's really nothing at stake in this fight. de la hoya's already a loser in the ring and has been on the outs for the past 4 yrs or so. what's one more loss to him? manny doesnt really stand to lose anything either since hes fighting such a bigger man. theres already a built in excuse for him if he loses. i'll probably buy it, but i cant say im totally excited about it.

[cowboyronnie]

I don't really follow boxing that closely, but nonetheless.

Who cares about Oscar De La Hoya anymore? As far as I can see it, this guy is a guy who is very marketable yes, but a guy who losses all his big fights. He's still descent and he'll be competitive but he wont beat pac-man. Oscar barely beat that scrub from the contender in his tune up match. I'd be surprised if Oscar even makes it to a descision.

The only news I want to hear involving Oscar De La Hoya is when Golden Boy promotions jumps into the MMA world and joins forces with Affliction.

You don't.

Other than Hopkins and Mayweather (two all-time greats), he's had no definitive losses.

He beat Trinidad, he beat Vargas, he beat Quartey, he came razor close to beating Mosley.

[ManualRam]

Other than Hopkins and Mayweather (two all-time greats), he's had no definitive losses.

felix sturm.