Oscar De La Hoya has peculiar diet ? consisting of deer and kangaroo meat and organic ingredients ? specially made for him in the hope getting the needed power to topple Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.
“My diet is based on my blood type, O-positive,” De La Hoya wrote in his blog in The Ring magazine website that came out yesterday. “We had my blood drawn and sent to nutritionists we use back east. They put together a diet based on my blood type, what works for me as an individual.”
But since he is already pushing 36 early next year, De La Hoya had to make some changes in the way he eats.
“I have been doing this diet for around three years now. Finally, for this training camp, I have it down to a tee. I can eat unlimited amounts of good, a lot of deer meat, kangaroo meat, everything is organic.”
Apart from game meat, De La Hoya drowns it with “milkshakes made with rice milk,” making him feel very light but full of life.
“Everything I eat is natural,” De La Hoya said, the prohibitive favorite in the scheduled 12-round welterweight war. “I can eat unlimited amounts of food and I?m losing weight. I even eat small amounts during workouts.”
De La Hoya is so relaxed with his current condition that “a week ago, I weighed 145 (lbs) and was feeling strong. Something is working. And I owe it all to the diet. Weight has been easy for me to make. I really recommend this diet, although everybody has their own approach when it comes to eating.”
The last time De La Hoya fought at welter was in 2001 when he mauled Arturo Gatti and he feels the difference between then and now.
“I felt strong, although obviously was younger. The weight was easier for me to make then. My metabolism was full steam ahead. Adrenalin pumped through my body. I worked out hard and I lost weight. Now, being 35 years old, it?s totally different. I?ve had to adjust my diet.”
Even chief trainer Ignacio ?Nacho? Beristain, who supervises De La Hoya?s high-altitude training in Big Bear, is very surprised.
“When (trainer) Nacho (Beristain) found out, when he saw I was about 148 at one point, he said, “You have to eat more.” I told him, “Nacho, I?m tired of eating. I?m eating everything I can.” A few days ago, I came out of the gym weighing 146. Nacho tells me again, “Eat more.” So I had two big plates of pasta, some deer meat, vegetables, two liters of water and I still weighed only148 in the morning. It?s really something else. The good thing is that I really do feel very strong.”
De La Hoya and Pacquiao, whose diet is made up of white rice, veggies, fish, chicken and beef, should weigh not heavier than the welter limit of 147 lbs on the eve of the fight.
On fight night, De La Hoya will be at least 160 lbs, while Pacquiao not heavier than 150.
