IS OSCAR IN ENVIABLE POSITION?
Los Angeles, CA- In 1980 the hard punching lightweight (135 lbs) champion Roberto ?Manos De Piedra? Duran (103-16, 70 KOs) moved up to welterweight (147) and fought once (a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Palomino) before challenging the golden boy of that era, 1976 Olympic gold medalist and WBC welterweight champion ?Sugar Ray Leonard (36-3-1, 25 KOs). For Leonard his credentials were undeniable. Duran to his credit was a beast in the lightweight division.
PACMAN A REINCARNATION OF DURAN?
In brutally stopping the majority of his contenders, his overall boxing ability was often overlooked. In Saturday?s fight this appears to be the case in the welterweight match up between 35 year old ?Golden Boy? Oscar De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs) and 29 year old Filipino favorite, lightweight champion Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs). The ?Pacman? who?s been a devastating puncher in the lower divisions most recently has shown flashes of boxing skills as well.
THE BRAWL WAS IN MONTREAL
Oscar, in this case is far from his prime in contrast to Leonard when he faced Duran. Undefeated at the time at 27-0, he appeared to be at his peak when before losing to ?The Hands of Stone? by decision. ?The Golden Boy? who should still be a heavy favorite by fight time, may have a younger version of Duran in front of him Saturday; a fighter that struggled out of poverty, a slugger who may have turned boxer, and a man that still exhibits hunger.
HAS OSCAR SLIPPED TOO MUCH?
The largest question that looms is does Oscar have ?IT? anymore? Is he still considered a full-time fighter? Manny obviously has his detractors, mainly in most betting lines that have him a more than a 2-1 underdog. The case that Oscar is the bigger man may not come into play. One boxer is moving down in weight, and one is moving up. This should be a likely disadvantage for both pugs. Oscar?s best physical advantage is height and reach. He will have to use that to offset his opponents speed.
PACMAN IS IN HIS PRIME!
When you compare this to the aforementioned welterweight super fight almost 30 years ago, one must consider that the Filipino is in his prime. This might be the single most important factor in the upcoming fight. Oscar still possesses hand speed and combinations, but lacks foot speed, and lacks stamina, something that the ultra conditioned Paquiao should try to exploit. If Oscar can?t get a KO or somehow fails to deliver and can?t pull the trigger, expect ?The Pacman? to pull out a close but unanimous decision, just as Duran did in upsetting Leonard.
