I have to give Oscar De La Hoya a lot of credit. Nobody in this boxing world can sell a line of nonsense and have people buy it. I had even read some people predicting victory for Manny Pacquiao in this now ?officially signed? Pay Per View bout.
So, here we go. December 6th, on HBO PPV, we have a blown up lightweight facing a junior middleweight and a junior middleweight that punches incredibly well. Did I mention that Manny is not the best defensive fighter in the world? Can you guess what is going to happen when this December night rolls around? I am in complete and total shock that this fight is actually happening but this is boxing and money overrules rationale most of the time.
It has been reported that the bout will be at 147 pounds, making Pacquiao all that much more immobile and easier for the vastly larger ?Golden Boy? to get to. ?Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world today and I always want to fight the best,? De La Hoya has been quoted saying, but he is facing the best lightweight?maybe. I?m not convinced that Manny could defeat Nate Campbell or Joel Casamayor, let alone De La Hoya. This is a horrible match up, but from a sales standpoint and to the people that don?t know anything about boxing, it?s a good idea. Two big names against each other. So, if we are going to do this, why not Wladimir Klitschko against Antonio Margarito?
Not only is this going to be an easy fight for Oscar and a huge financial win fall, but there is an added extra bonus. De La Hoya has wanted to be Mexico?s baby forever and wanted the reputation that Julio Cesar Chavez had and still has, but he has never been truly accepted to that point. Perhaps his singing turned them off. Whatever the case, he is facing a guy that has made a reputation by beating up Mexican fighters like Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. If and when De La Hoya knocks out the Filipino Superstar, he will be avenging the defeats of all of the Mexican warriors that Pacquiao has left in the dust, and then maybe, he will elevate his status in Mexico.
For Manny Pacquiao, this is a dangerous fight, but money talks. I have heard 100 million thrown around quite a bit lately and Manny?s cut will be in the 30 million dollar range, which is very good, but with his heart and lack of defense, he may not be healthy enough to spend it. He is going to get pummeled and possibly hurt in this match, but he is willing to gamble. I would have the ambulance doors open when the first bell rings for this bout. De La Hoya will have a hard time losing this bout.
There is a contention that Manny will KO De La Hoya and that is laughable. Manny had his hands full with Juan Manuel Marquez, who isn?t as skilled as Oscar, doesn?t take as great a punch as Oscar, and doesn?t hit half as hard as Oscar. Have I mentioned that I?m shocked that this match has been made?
So, the arguably pound for pound best in the game, Manny Pacquiao is facing one of the greatest fighters of our time, Oscar De La Hoya, and the ?Golden Boy? will do what he wanted to do with Floyd Mayweather, JR., by stopping the pound for pound best before he leaves the game. The only difference here is that Floyd was a defensive master and Manny is not and will not be able to duck and dodge and counter the way that Mayweather did.
For those that now have their panties in a bunch, you probably want to forget when Manny was nearly signed to face Diego Corrales and/or Ricky Hatton and the decision was made by all that both men were too big for Pacquiao and he could get severely injured, but now De La Hoya is considered suitable as an opponent? Come on! This is a tank running over a dirt bike.
The Oscar De La Hoya detractors have a lot to talk about after the official signing of this contest. Many contend that he has made his career by feasting on much smaller opposition like Jesse James Leija, Arturo Gatti, Julio Cesar Chavez, John Molina, Jorge Paez, and now you can add Manny Pacquiao to the mix. This fight seems made for a video game, not an actual bout, but it?s happening and if you are into paying 60 dollars for a one round massacre, this is for you. This is why De La Hoya has detractors and this is a horrible way to end a career. He?s doing it strictly for the money and the illusion that he has beaten the best in the world.
The Unappreciated Heavyweight Title Fight
This Saturday, two former champions go head to head in a rematch for the vacant WBA Heavyweight Title. Former WBA Champion, Nikolay Valuev, 48-1, 34 KO?s, will be squaring off against former 2-Time Heavyweight Champion, John ?The Quietman? Ruiz, 43-7-1, 29 KO?s. Amazingly, this bout will see no coverage in the United States, despite the fact that it is a title fight and it is compelling. Perhaps, I?m the only one compelled.
Valuev is enormous and the most confident heavyweight to lace up the gloves. He has mastered the George Foreman approach to boxing, as he casually follows his opponent around the ring, conserving energy, and gradually wearing his opponent down. He is not the puncher that Foreman was, but he is constantly improving his game and is no longer the joke that many have contended. He is one of the best big men in the game and will have one of the toughest challenges there is in Ruiz.
Ruiz is a very good fighter with an unappealing style at times. He is a mauler, clubbing his opponents, and tucking his chin where it won?t be found. He outlasts his opponents and holds more wins over quality opposition than most. He has won the title twice but hasn?t won over the American public. He is not highly skilled. He is not a destroyer like Mike Tyson, but he has done the most with what he has and has more grit than any other fighter that I have seen.
For Valuev, this will be a test because very few have solved the riddle that is Ruiz. Andrew Golota had a piece of the puzzle, ducking backward and avoiding the clumsy brawler, and then coming over the top with a right hand to drop him, but couldn?t maintain his poise. Roy Jones, JR., wrote the blue print with movement and timing. Valuev will not have movement but he can win with timing and the lean and fire strategy that Golota put into play slightly in his encounter with ?The Quietman.?
There are a lot of interesting things going into this bout. Ruiz has gotten rid of that moron, Norman Stone, who always made a mockery of his career, and has proven to be a distraction for not only Ruiz but the audience. He has not lost clearly and cleanly since the Jones, JR., defeat, and the slower Valuev?s win over him was questionable. Ruiz is full of motivation and has a sneaky right hand that could really make it interesting.
Valuev?s improvement has been amazing and he will try to erase all doubt about the last encounter by not only defeating Ruiz, but by doing it without question, hopefully stopping him. Should Valuev stop him, it will be a big feather in his cap. Outside of a Tua blitz, Ruiz has not been stopped.
Another interesting aspect of this bout is the possibility that either one of these guys, whomever wins, should get a shot at the ?People?s Champ,? IBO/IBF/WBO Kingpin, Wladimir Klitschko. If Valuev should win, there is a possibility that they will cross paths because of the marketability of it. If Ruiz wins, he will probably be ignored again and will have to continue fighting in Germany just to get paid.
I will be really interested to see who comes out on top this Saturday as these two legitimate heavyweight top contenders duke it out again for the gold.
