Word is that Bob Arum of Top Rank, representing Manny Pacquiao and Richard Schaeffer of Golden Boy representing Oscar De La Hoya, had a “productive” 2-hour meeting yesterday regarding their respective terms for a de la Hoya-Pacquiao blockbuster in December.
In my previous piece in this corner, I printed the results to an unscientific, informal poll I conducted amongst friends and associates as to what their take was on the plan.
The result was revealing although not unexpected. The house was almost evenly divided- there were 36 in favor and 32 against the fight, with 3 undecided. I guess my own comment that I was more confused than ever would make that 4 on the fence.
I admitted that from the time word went around that people were thinking of the fight several months back, I had dismissed it as a ludicrous thought. The mere idea of pitting a guy who is-at best- 4 inches shorter and about 20 pounds lighter against a near-legend who keeps himself in shape and is an acknowledged purveyor of bad intentions via a left hook, was at first blush, unthinkable.
But in the aftermath of that scorching one-sided win over David Diaz, there has been a noisy bandwagon making the rounds proclaiming that Pacquiao is the most logical opponent for De La Hoya?s scheduled valedictory in December.
Indubitably the Filipino sensation?s performance against Diaz was spell-binding not only by the way he dominated, but the moves he unravelled that night validated Freddie Roach?s success in his efforts to mold him into a quintessential boxer-slugger.
Pacquiao critics have long denigrated his awkward, swarming style as unreliable and one that could not stand in the face of a calculated and educated attack. Well, Diaz?s moves were calculated and educated, and look who got schooled.
Roach had been trumpeting the work being done on Manny?s right hand (to get it more active and lethal) since four or five fights back, but it was only in the Diaz fight that it repeatedly introduced itself eliciting gasps of shock and awe both from Diaz and everyone else.
Pacquiao also showed strict adherence to the fight plan, gracefully moving in and out, forestalling any attempts at return fire from the enemy.
Evidently, Manny now has more weapons in his arsenal to go with his power and speed. He has showed marked improvement in defense as well, which was one of the kinks that sometimes showed off smudges on his otherwise shiny armor.
And so, Manny Pacquiao was hailed as the world?s number 1 fighter pound for pound after that jolly good show. Soon after, the hue and cry for De La Hoya-Pacquiao reached a crescendo.
Do I sound like I?m trying to persuade myself to backtrack and agree that the blueprint for the planned match is unassailable and inevitable? You bet I am.
For how could I argue against the learned proclamations from Roach the trainer, Arum the promoter and most importantly, of Pacquiao the fighter himself- that the fight is winnable and there is no cause for worry?
Would I stand in the way of something that would forever etch the name of one of our own in the annals of history and the golden book of fame? Okay ? of fortune too?
I certainly would not want to. But there are these pesky hairs on the back of my head that won?t stay still and give me the feeling that something may not be as hunky-dory as the drumbeaters would have us believe.
What if Oscar puts in extra effort to relive his halcyon days in order to be able to go out in a blaze rather than a sputter? What if he indeed has some reservoir of strength and panache that he could draw on for that one final kick? What if these conspire to prove that in boxing, size does matter?
There are many who say that win or lose, the fight will augur well for Manny. But what if he loses badly? What will it do to him and his future? And parenthetically, what will it do to the already fragile national ego?
All these questions however, pale in the face of the mother of all questions ? “who am I to question the decision of those who are supposed to know better? Or better yet, that of the one who should know best?”
