Tuesday, December 2, 2008

DOES MANNY HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST OSCAR?


By Tim Smith

There is an old adage in boxing: A good big man beats a good little man. That assumes that both men are in
their prime and are at peak condition.

When Manny Pacquiao, a very good little man whom many believe is the best "Pound-for-Pound"boxer in the sport, steps into the ring against Oscar De La Hoya, a good big man in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Pacquiao will be hoping that De La Hoya isn't the De La Hoya of six years ago. Actually he'll be counting on it.

If De La Hoya is anywhere near his peak, he'll knocko ut Pacquiao within three rounds. If he is not, then the "little man" is going to give him fits.

I still believe this is a mismatch in the classic sense. It is supposed to be a welterweight match. But De La Hoya hasn't fought at 147 pounds since he beat Arturo Gatti in 2001. Since then he has fought at junior middleweight and middleweight. His last two fights against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Steve Forbes was fought at 150 pounds.Read Full Article ...

MANNY PACQUIAO 100 YEARS FROM NOW


One hundred years from now when our faces will just be faint images in the memories of our great great grandchildren and our names will just be alphabetical inscriptions in our moss-covered tombstones, Filipinos will remember Manny Pacquiao just as our generation recall and glorify the heroism of Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado.

The Rizalists may exclaim: "Blasphemy!" They would have every right to complain if Manny Pacquiao were compared to Jose Rizal in the context of the national hero's ultimate sacrifice -- dying for the his country and people.

Indeed, they are two contrasting personas.

Rizal came from a rich family which showered him with love and support. Pacquiao was a street kid who was abandoned by his father as a young boy and who had to struggle to survive in the concrete jungles of the Big City. Read Full Article ...

Oscar and Manny: Curiosity, money and an empty 45?


Go ahead, admit it. No matter how much of a purist you are, no matter how much you ridiculed this fight’s announcement, no matter how much you see this spectacle as the eulogy of a decadent era, the fact is you are damn curious to see its first minute.


The first minute of Oscar De La Hoya versus Manny Pacquiao, of course. A fight held at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. Pacquiao has only fought above 130 once. De La Hoya has not fought under 150 in almost eight years. They will meet at an in-between weight closer to De La Hoya’s side of the scale, in MGM Grand this Saturday.

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A Look At The Legacy Of Oscar De La Hoya - With And Without The Gloves


By Vivek Wallace: In less than a week, fight fans will get the opportunity to watch as one of the sports most recognized athletes delivers the latest chapter of his famed career. For the last 16 years boxing fans around the globe have watched as Oscar De La Hoya entertained in a way that only he can, and despite the many setbacks encountered, his most recent mega-fight with the sports former pound for pound king (Floyd Mayweather Jr.) showed exactly how relevant he remains. In that event Oscar set the bar even higher, breaking records in several categories - ranging from PPV buys (2.4M), to purse money received ($52M), and many more. As the week moves along we'll get into fight strategy and hype, but serving as an appetizer, today we take our first look at a man who needs no introduction. None of us know exactly how much longer the Goldenboy will dwell between the ropes, so out of respect for this legendary figure, today we take a quick trip down memory lane to revisit his many milestones, accolades, and accomplishments in the first installment of our 'Snapshot', which highlights his existence in the sport..
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