A fight that used to be just a figment of the imagination might just end coming into fruition this year.
If a report from ESPN is to be believed, American promoter Bob Arum is already working overtime to bring into a reality a showdown that will pit Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao against boxing?s ?Golden Boy? Oscar de la Hoya.
Arum, in fact, has gone to the extent of issuing a gag order on Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach so as not to endanger the negotiations with de la Hoya?s camp. In the past few weeks, Roach has been daring de la Hoya to take on Pacquiao, insisting the Pacman has the tools to beat a fading Golden Boy.
Home Box Office fight analyst Larry Merchant first floated the idea of a Pacman-Golden Boy showdown last year and Arum went as far as penciling a September 2008 date for the dream fight. Nothing concrete came out of the boardroom.
Interest on the fight was revived when Floyd Mayweather abruptly announced his retirement in April, leaving de la Hoya with no future ring date. De la Hoya had planned on meeting Mayweather in a rematch of their May 2007 fight last yaear that grossed a record $120 million in total revenues.
Pacquiao emerged as a potential opponent for de La Hoya in June, after the Filipino demolished David Diaz in nine rounds for the World Boxing Council lightweight (135lbs) championship. Pacquiao looked awesome despite the additional weight, giving the impression that he could go as high as 147lbs (the welterweight division limit).
Arum?s latest blueprint has Pacquiao moving up to the 147-pound class and challenging de la Hoya on December 6 in a fight that could be the Golden Boy?s final ring appearance.
?Oscar is looking for a fight. I think Pacquiao should fight Oscar next,? Roach told ESPN. ?Oscar says he has one more fight left in him. If we can get Oscar to come down to 147lbs, I told Pacquiao that maybe we weigh in around 140 and by fight time we?ll be up to 145. I would never take a fight I wasn?t confident my guy could win. I?m very confident he could win. Oscar is older and he can?t pull the trigger anymore. If Steve Forbes can land shots on Oscar like he did [in their 150-pound fight May 3], Manny will hit him with ease. Manny will annihilate him, I feel.?
De la Hoya will have the final say on the proposal. According to Arum, the bout will happen if de la Hoya can find a way to go down to 147lbs. The last time de la Hoya fought in the vicinity of 147lbs was March 2001, when he weighed in at 146lbs for a fight against Arturo Gatti.
De la Hoya was seen in action in May, scoring a 12-round decision over Steve Forbes. For the fight, he weighed 150lbs, just three pounds shy of the 147-pound limit.
?There is a possibility that Oscar will fight [WBA welterweight champ Miguel] Cotto and there?s a possibility he?ll fight Pacquiao Dec. 6,? Arum said. ?Obviously, because it?s Oscar, and it?s ostensibly his last fight, he will get to pick who he wants to fight. My job is to make the best possible deal for whichever of my fighters he picks. Whoever de la Hoya wants to fight, I?ll make a deal for.?
