Why we're getting De La Hoya - Pacquiao

Over the years I've been a huge defender of Oscar De La Hoya. That said, I've never considered Oscar an authentically great fighter, for one reason, he's not. Having said that, I like the fact that Oscar never ducked a fighter who was a perceived threat, nor has he ever fought not to lose or avoid getting hurt. Make no mistake, De La Hoya is tough and has plenty of heart.

In his big fights from 147 an up where the outcome wasn't conclusive, (I say 147 because I feel Oscar won a majority of his fights on the scales from 130-140) I think he drew with Whitaker, pulled the Quartey fight out with a 2-point 12th round, clearly beat Trinidad, and clearly lost to Mosley. I had him beating Mosley by a point at 154 (I saw it on TV, not live), and drawing with Sturm at 160.

I have always felt that De La Hoya thought if he could've beat Bernard Hopkins in 2004, he would've insured and secured his legacy. And since he was stopped by him, he's been looking for a fight to secure his legacy the way Sugar Ray Leonard did by beating Marvin Hagler. Remember, Sugar Ray Leonard is the fighter Oscar most compares and measures himself with.

In my opinion this all stems from De La Hoya never having won one of his signature fights in an impression fashion. I believe that Oscar is still looking for that career defining win, and that was the reason he fought Floyd Mayweather last year, and the reason he's fighting Manny Pacquiao this year. Like Mayweather then, Pacquiao is now considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. What a great way for Oscar De La Hoya to go out, beating the best fighter in boxing two months before he turns 36. That's why he's fighting Manny. See, Pacquiao is the perfect fit. He's a draw, along with being an exciting fighter, who's fearless and some see him as having a punchers chance....Wrong.

Oscar is too big, strong, and just fluid enough in style to decision Manny Pacquiao on December 6th 2008. He'll make another fortune, and he'll retire having defeated boxing best fighter. To which will cloud the judgment of many fight observers, and enhance his legacy to the ill informed or those having cookbook boxing insight. That's why he's fighting Manny Pacquiao! In a way, he goes out of boxing the way he entered it, beating up on guys smaller than him.