FOR American trainer Freddie Roach, Oscar de la Hoya?s legendary career started its decline after the Golden Boy?s classic welterweight clash with fellow legend Pernell Whitaker about a decade ago.
This was what Roach said in gracing Tuesday?s worldwide media conference call, where rival trainer Nacho Beristain, promoter Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions executive Richard Schaefer also took part in.
?We?ve been watching that fight a lot on tape. I believe that?s one of the key fights. I don?t really think he?s improved since that fight. I think he?s gone the other way,? said Roach. ?[With the age] we all get old, our reflexes get slow which is part of life. Now, he?s not the fighter that fought Whitaker at the time that?s why I?m so confident for this fight?
Whitaker was a long time World Boxing Council welterweight champion and was making his ninth title defense against de la Hoya in April 1997 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Whitaker, then a 33-year-old four-division world champion, lost his crown in what was considered by many as a controversial decision.
No rematch ever happened as de la Hoya continued his rise to legendary status, a feat Whitaker already achieved at that point.
Although Whitaker willingly agreed to be interviewed by the BusinessMirror last September, he had little to say about Pacquiao claiming that he never saw the Filipino four-division world champion in action.
?I don?t know what kind of comparison, I haven?t seen the gentleman fight. But there?s no Pernell Whitaker. It doesn?t matter how many comparisons people can make,? said Whitaker during the interview. ?There aren?t Pernell Whitakers anymore out there. It?s a good thing for people to try and compare him [Pacquiao] to me and I wouldn?t take that away.?
The only thing that will probably sound music to the ears of Pacquiao fans is the way Whitaker rated de la Hoya?s boxing skills, specifically Mexican-American?s punches during his prime.
?No, he?s [de la Hoya] not a big puncher. No he?s not. He?s a pretty skillful fighter but he?s not a big puncher. From A to E, I give him a B+. But I wouldn?t say that today. He won?t get credit from me right now because I don?t think he should be in there,? said Whitaker from his home in Norfolk, Virginia. ?Think of him 13 years to now, you just don?t get that comparison. He is not the same fighter. I just think he?s been around for too long.?
Whitaker added de la Hoya should have retired and enjoyed his earnings, a move he says will also let younger fighters take over and establish their own legacies.
?Sometimes when it?s over it?s over. You just gotta let it go and reap the benefits from it,? said Whitaker.
Added role
Apparently, Beristain has not only joined De La Hoya as lead trainer but is also playing a role aptly needed to convince everyone there will be no nightmares for the Dream Match protagonists.
Several weeks after his interview with the BusinessMirror, where Beristain said he sees a badly battered Pacquiao after his square-off with de la Hoya, the Mexican guru now thinks the Filipino fighter will give the Golden Boy fits in their 12-round clash December 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
?A southpaw like Manny Pacquiao always poses a problem to any fighter. It will be a tough fight for Oscar that he is really training very hard for this fight,? said Beristain.
Last month, Beristain said that after what will happen on December 6 Pacquiao will eventually move down to the lightweight division, alluding that the Filipino warrior?s beating at the hands of Dela Hoya will make him realize he will be too small at 147.
Arum, meanwhile, said critics of Dela Hoya and Pacquiao are not knowledgeable about the Filipino?s storied background.
?You have to understand what he means to his country, and all his countrymen being behind him. That is the most important element in this fight for Manny Pacquiao,? Arum said. ?And anybody stating that the fight is a joke, that Manny is fighting for the money doesn?t understand Manny Pacquiao or the Filipino people.?
