Written by Tim Starks
| 18 July 2008
ESPN's Dan Rafael is
reporting that there are very serious talks between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions to stage a mega fight between pound-for-pound and WBC lightweight champ Manny Pacquiao to face superstar Oscar De La Hoya.¬ The fight would take place on December 6th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be fought at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.¬ The fight would be De La Hoya's last before retirement.¬ ¬ I admit that at first I scoffed at the notion of Pacquiao, a fighter who started his career at flyweight, taking on a a fighter who once challenged Bernard Hopkins for the middleweight championship od the world.¬ But the more I think about it, and the fact that Pacquiao looked so damn good as a lightweight, the more I feel that the fight would be justified.¬ After all unlike the mega-money "fight" pitting De La Hoya against Floyd Mayweather Jr., this fight is sure to display some legitimate action.¬ But there are questions to be asked.¬ Can De La Hoya boil himself down to 147 pounds? The last time the Golden Boy fought at such weight was against Arturo Gatti back in 2001.¬ As for Pacquiao, how will he perform at the highest weight of his career?¬ Will his speed and power travel north with him?¬ Can he take a punch from a naturally bigger man?¬ Truthfully it is these very questions that make the fight one the public would love to see.¬ And don't get me started on the money that will line the pockets of the invested parties.¬ While it may not trump the¬previously mentioned¬Mayweather bout in terms of financial success (Mayweather's a-hole persona helped bump up the buy rate) it would be wildly popular and may bring some positive attention to the sport.¬ I think I'm sold on it.¬ While I would prefer to see De La Hoya fight the winner of the Cotto-Margarito bout and Pacquiao tackle some of the top 135 pound fighters I will not poo-poo a fight between the two.¬
