LAS VEGAS ? The Uruguay matchmaker who has arranged fights for Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya, admitted he was shocked, if not disappointed, by the Golden Boy?s loss to the Filipino icon by an eighth round technical knockout here Saturday night but gave credit to the proud loser for staying on his feet until the bitter end.
Although Sampson Lewkowicz is considered Golden Boy?s main matchmaker, he refused to allow business ties to cloud his analysis of the fight. He had predicted Pacquiao to win a controversial decision because in his view, De la Hoya doesn?t get the close calls.
Lewkowicz? forecast was reported in media and there was speculation in Pacquiao?s camp that it was meant to gain sympathy from the judges, using a kind of reverse psychology.
?I sincerely believed in what I predicted, even if I am a close friend of Oscar,? said Lewkowicz who is given two ringside tickets by De la Hoya for his bouts. ?I knew Manny would win but I didn?t think he could score a knockout. So I was quite surprised with how easily Manny beat Oscar. It was the age factor, nothing else. Oscar trained hard and well but there comes a point in a fighter?s life that he just can?t do it anymore. That?s the time you sit back and assess whether or not to continue fighting.?
?Oscar is a proud and gallant warrior,? said Lewkowicz. ?He never went down. He was determined not to. He lost standing on his feet. Manny put on a superb performance and deserves the world?s admiration.?
Lewkowicz ruled out any shenanigans at the weigh-in and said if Pacquiao felt aggrieved, he should?ve voiced out his protest instead of keeping it in. Pacquiao later said he kept quiet to give De la Hoya a ?partida? in the fight.
What Lewkowicz saw in the bout was a De la Hoya, ravaged by time and a long, gruelling career. Even with Pacquiao logging eight more fights, De la Hoya has fought more rounds against a slew of top-quality champions and contenders. De la Hoya, who turned pro three years before Pacquiao, had averaged only one fight a year since 2006 and didn?t even see action in 2005.
Lewkowicz, who has made six trips to the Philippines connecting with Filipino boxing managers to showcase their talents abroad, said his advice to De la Hoya is to hang up his gloves because he just doesn?t? have it anymore.
?I wouldn?t want Oscar to get hurt,? said Lewkowicz. Pacquiao administered a brutal beating but it took Nacho (Beristain) to throw in the towel because De la Hoya wouldn?t surrender. In fact, the Golden Boy begged for one more round, hoping to salvage the situation. Beristain, like Eddie Futch was to Joe Frazier, held back the tears in telling De la Hoya it?s over.
Lewkowicz was the matchmaker who arranged for Pacquiao to come in as a late substitute for injured Mexican challenger Enrique Sanchez in a fight against IBF superbantamweight titlist Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa, also at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in 2001. Pacquiao defied the odds and wrested the crown on a convincing sixth round knockout.
Pacquiao, who revels in his underdog role, also mocked the odds in stopping Chatchai Sasakul for the WBC flyweight diadem in 1998, whipping Marco Antonio Barrera for the ?people?s? featherweight title in 2003 and demolishing Erik Morales in their rematch in 2006.
As for the Filipino fighters whom Golden Boy promotes with Lewkowicz as matchmaker, he almost guaranteed superflyweights A. J. Banal and Z Gorres would someday become world champions. Lewkowicz said another Tony Aldeguer prot?g? Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista still lacks the maturity of making a strong bid for the world crown.
?Boom Boom needs a new trainer,? said Lewkowicz. ?I think he should spend one or two more years maturing. His mind is too young. That?s not all. His corner must be overhauled. Take instance, in losing to Heriberto Ruiz last month, they brought in a friend to act as a cutman. They should bring in quality cornermen who know the business of fighting for a world title. Let?s forget the practice of using friends. Let?s use the experts and the professionals instead.?
