By Mark Vester
During his trip to Houston, Texas, Oscar De La Hoya was wearing two hats. One hand he was promoting the Juan Diaz-Michael Katsidis showdown, put together by De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions. On the other hand he was promoting his own showdown, with WBC lightweight champ Manny Pacquiao, scheduled for December 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
De La Hoya called Pacquiao a complex fighter and sold the fighter as a much closer contest than many predict. Pacquiao has to move up by two weight divisions to 147-pounds, De La Hoya last fought at 150. He says the reason he took the fight was because Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, challenged him. He forgot about the amount of money involved.
"Manny is very complicated; he's awkward, very explosive with both hands and fast," De La Hoya told the Houston Chronicle. "The fact that yes, I am older, and I have to come down in weight, which is going to be a struggle, is going to benefit him.
"But I chose this fight, obviously, because he challenged me, his trainer challenged me, and it was a big challenge for me to take this fight and accept it. We realize it's going to be a battle."
While De La Hoya says that he may fight on after the Pacquiao encounter, he would consider closing the door on his career if the performance against Pacquiao is spectacular.
"If I have a perfect performance against Manny and all the stars are aligned that night, why not?" De La Hoya said. "That would be a perfect moment."
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com
