It seems that Manny Pacquiao has run out of worthy challengers that it is only Oscar De La Hoya who will force him to go the extra mile in training.
Although Pacquiao had trained long and hard when he faced the challenge of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight king believes De La Hoya will compel him to train the way he did when he fought Barrera for the first time in Nov. 2003, when he was still trying to make a name for himself on US soil.
“I will need at least two-and-a-half months or ten weeks to train for somebody like De La Hoya,” Pacquiao told a gathering of scribes late Wednesday night.
“My training for the first Barrera fight was the longest of my career because I trained for over two months so even when the referee stopped the fight in the 11th round, I felt that it was just the first round,” said Pacquiao.
“I could go on and on and on. I never felt tired and if the De La Hoya fight pushes through, I will do the same.”
Plans are afoot for De La Hoya, who now fights as a super-welter (154 lbs), and Pacquiao, the WBC 135-lb titlist, to square off on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The outcome of this weekend?s big welterweight match between Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico and Antonio Margarito of Mexico in Las Vegas will provide a sneak peek into what?s on the horizon for Pacquiao.
De La Hoya, who turns 36 in February 2009, is also training his sights on the winner of Cotto-Margarito and a couple of more names but has made his intentions clear of testing the mettle of Pacquiao at a catchweight of 147 lbs.
Pacquiao said he will not let himself end up settling for crumbs in the negotiations that will resume sometime next week with the return of De La Hoya?s right-hand man, Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer.
To enable Top Rank chief Bob Arum to make a full presentation of their offer, Pacquiao will meet with the Hall of Fame promoter this weekend or early next week to discuss numbers.
“I believe I deserve a 50-50 share,” said Pacquiao, whose statement may not augur well with De La Hoya?s people.
When De La Hoya met Floyd Mayweather, the Golden Boy got the lion?s share of purse with the former taking million ? plus share in the pay-per-view ? and the latter getting million.
If negotiations fall though for a De La Hoya bout, Pacquiao also has two other options: Humberto Soto of Mexico and Edwin Valero of Venezuela.
Asked theoretically who he wants to fight with no money at stake, Pacquiao uttered the most recognizable name.
“De La Hoya. (Because) he is a legend.”
