By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Even before the official promotional tour launching the “Dream Match” between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya gets underway there are several twists and turns in the storylines.
Initially, De La Hoya told insidesport.ph in an exclusive overseas telephone conversation some weeks ago that he wouldn’t have problems making the stipulated 147 pound limit for his December 6 showdown against Pacquiao.
The other day he was quoted as saying by the US media that making the weight will be a struggle.
Now, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum tells insidesports.ph, Manila Standard and Viva Sports that somebody whom he really respects called him to say that he had seen De La Hoya during the fights in Houston , Texas last Saturday and said “Oscar is real thin and he hasn’t seen Oscar this thin in years.”
Arum said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schafer told him that “Oscar is now, now before training, at 149 pounds.”
Arum said it was not a question of saving money since there was a clause inserted in their contract that De La Hoya would pay Pacquiao $3 million for every pound or fraction thereof over the 147 pound limit.
He said “as a sportsman if Oscar says he’s going to make 147 , he’s going to make 147” and insisted that “he wont struggle. He is 149 right now and all he has to do is dehydrate for a day and he’s 147.”
Arum said its going to be “a great fight, a really interesting fight” even as he pursued the line about “how many Mexicans were pulling for Manny.”
Arum also said he was looking to put WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez on the undercard where former title challenger Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista is also scheduled to fight. However, Golden Boy Promotions has made it clear that Bautista won’t be involved in a title fight at this stage and certainly not against Lopez.
Arum said Lopez “is going to be a big, big star.”
