Sampson Lewkowicz, known in boxing circles as Picasso for his matchmaking masterpieces, is convinced Manny Pacquiao will win a controversial split decision over Oscar dela Hoya whom he considers ?family? because of his long involvement with Golden Boy Promotions.
Lewkowicz was recently in town for a brief visit en route to China for the WBC convention. A freelance matchmaker, the 57-year-old Lewkowicz has worked with Top Rank, the Goosens, Sycuan?s Ringside and several other promotions outfits but his best deals were with Golden Boy.
Brushing aside his association with Dela Hoya, Lewkowicz predicted Pacquiao will prevail in the 12-round duel at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 6.
?I believe it will be a very controversial decision against Oscar which is consistent with his career,? said Lewkowicz. ?He just doesn?t get the close calls. Manny will win a controversial decision because of his speed and his will as a warrior. He?s similar to Michael Katsidis. He will die before letting down his countrymen. Manny also has a weapon against Oscar ? the body shot.?
Lewkowicz, however, left the door open for a Dela Hoya victory.
?By far, this won?t be a mismatch,? he continued. ?One punch can make the difference. I don?t think Manny can knock out Oscar but with one punch, I think Oscar can knock out Manny. If it goes the distance, Manny will win by a close split decision.?
Lewkowicz said Dela Hoya will use his edge in power and reach to try to overwhelm Pacquiao.
?Oscar?s bigger so I expect him to take advantage of his reach and power,? he went on. ?He has a problem with the body shot so that?s something Manny can work on. As for fighting a southpaw, that?s not a problem for Oscar. He?s an experienced fighter. He can even fight someone with six hands. It won?t make a difference to him.?
Lewkowicz said the pressure is on Dela Hoya because for Pacquiao, he has everything to gain and nothing to lose.
?If Manny loses, he?ll lose to the best so that?s not too bad,? said Lewkowicz who tapped Pacquiao to face Lehlo Ledwaba for the IBF superbantamweight title in Las Vegas in 2001. ?If Oscar loses a controversial decision, he will continue fighting and remain a box-office icon. If he wins by knockout, he?ll be immortalized and I expect him to call out Floyd Mayweather for a rematch. If he loses badly, he?ll retire.?
What makes the fight intriguing is the bad blood between the fighters.
?It?s personal for Oscar,? explained Lewkowicz. ?He wants to get his revenge. He wants to punish Manny. Relations are definitely strained. Manny betrayed Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions by signing with Top Rank. He didn?t honor his commitment. But God works in very mysterious ways. If Manny stayed with Golden Boy, if he complied with his commitment, he would probably never get the chance to fight Oscar. This way, both Manny and Oscar stand to earn millions by fighting each other.?
