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WRITERS' FIGHT PREDICTIONS
David Avila, Riverside Press-Enterprise: De La Hoya KO 7. He's too big and fast for Pacquiao. He's a bigger version of Juan Manuel Marquez and just as fast, taller and can take a punch. I saw Manny almost get knocked out by Victor Ortiz when they were sparring this spring.
Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press: De La Hoya by decision. I just think the size differential is too much.
Tim Smith, New York Daily News: De La Hoya TKO 5. I think he's just too big for Manny Pacquiao. If he can't beat or stop Manny Pacquiao, then it's time for him to get out of boxing. He's the bigger guy and normally bigger guys that are better beat little guys that are better.
Dan Rafael, ESPN.com: De La Hoya TKO 7. I view this fight in a similar way as the (Bernard) Hopkins-De La Hoya fight. Not that the fight itself will be like that, but you have a situation where there's the smaller fight against the bigger guy. The smaller guy might be competitive , hang around and win some rounds, but the bigger, more powerful guy eventually got the job done."
George Willis, New York Post: Oscar De La Hoya by decision. De La Hoya is the bigger fighter. I think his reach will be a factor during the fight. I think Pacquiao will put up a better fi ght than people think and it will be close for most of the fight. But I think Oscar's size, ability and reach will make the difference."
Kevin Iole, Yahoo.com: De La Hoya TKO 6. The reason I like Oscar is because size in the fight is such a big issue. Manny has fought 75 per cent of his fights at 122 or less. Oscar has held a middleweight title. Oscar is slow and not as skilled as Manny is, but I just believe when they're in there throwing punches, Manny is not going to be able to take that left hook. Sooner or later Oscar is going to be able to land it. Oscar has a great chin, so I know he's going to be able to take Manny's shots.
Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times: De La Hoya because he's naturally bigger.=2 0I believe he still has the power. It hasn't been that diminished over the years. His naturally bigger size will allow him to overpower Manny and get a knockout or TKO somewhere around the ninth round.
Chris Mannix, SI.com: De La Hoya's size will overwhelm Pacquiao. He's just far too big. It's a little ridiculous to say that he can't pull the trigger any more. I see this as a very easy knockout for De La Hoya in about six or seven rounds. Pacquiao will be bull-rushing in and take one or two hits and go down.
John Whisler, San Antonio Express-News: De La Hoya KO 8. Oscar is bigger and I think sooner or later Pacquiao will run into the left hook.
HOW PACQUIAO CAN WIN
"Manny can win by applying constant pressure, staying inside and wearing Oscar down. Oscar does have a tendency to fade in the late rounds. If they get to fight into the late rounds and it's competitive, then Manny has a chance." -- Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press.
"He has to work Oscar's body, especially early in the fight. He's got to fight at a fast pace because Oscar does wear down. If he fights at a fast pace, that's going to help him. He's got to move to Oscar's right to stay away from the jab and take away Oscar's left hook. If he does that, then Oscar wouldn't have as many weapons as he would have if Manny stood in front of him or went the other way." -- Kevin Iole, Yahoo.com Sports.
"He's got to keep moving to his right and stay away from the left hand and negate the left hand to make De La Hoya follow him. He's got to get inside and be able to stay inside. He can't win on the outside and he has to avoid that jab. If Pacquiao drags it into the eighth or ninth round, De La Hoya's history is that he slows down. That's when Pacquiao has to speed up. If he does, he can win the fight." -- Ron Borges, Boston Herald.
"The only way he can win is if Oscar can't fight anymore. That's the only way he can win this fight. It's not just the size thing. It's a style thing. Manny overwhelms his opponents and he can't overwhelm Oscar De La Hoya. Somehow he has to stay away from that left hand. But if Oscar can knock out Fernando Vargas, knock out Ike Quartey and hang in there against bigger guys and not be hurt by it, I just don't see Manny being able to stand in there." -- Kieren Mulvaney, Reuters
"There's a couple of ways Manny could win. Oscar could get old. At 35, he could walk up the steps and not have anything left. Pacquiao could also win the fight if he's able to connect as often as Steve Forbes connected on Oscar. Steve Forbes is a really slick boxer but he's not a puncher at all. Manny could also give Oscar problems by outspeeding him, getting inside like a little gnat in the ring and basically drive him crazy. Oscar does have a tendency to tire in the latter rounds." -- Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
David Avila, Riverside Press-Enterprise: De La Hoya KO 7. He's too big and fast for Pacquiao. He's a bigger version of Juan Manuel Marquez and just as fast, taller and can take a punch. I saw Manny almost get knocked out by Victor Ortiz when they were sparring this spring.
Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press: De La Hoya by decision. I just think the size differential is too much.
Tim Smith, New York Daily News: De La Hoya TKO 5. I think he's just too big for Manny Pacquiao. If he can't beat or stop Manny Pacquiao, then it's time for him to get out of boxing. He's the bigger guy and normally bigger guys that are better beat little guys that are better.
Dan Rafael, ESPN.com: De La Hoya TKO 7. I view this fight in a similar way as the (Bernard) Hopkins-De La Hoya fight. Not that the fight itself will be like that, but you have a situation where there's the smaller fight against the bigger guy. The smaller guy might be competitive , hang around and win some rounds, but the bigger, more powerful guy eventually got the job done."
George Willis, New York Post: Oscar De La Hoya by decision. De La Hoya is the bigger fighter. I think his reach will be a factor during the fight. I think Pacquiao will put up a better fi ght than people think and it will be close for most of the fight. But I think Oscar's size, ability and reach will make the difference."
Kevin Iole, Yahoo.com: De La Hoya TKO 6. The reason I like Oscar is because size in the fight is such a big issue. Manny has fought 75 per cent of his fights at 122 or less. Oscar has held a middleweight title. Oscar is slow and not as skilled as Manny is, but I just believe when they're in there throwing punches, Manny is not going to be able to take that left hook. Sooner or later Oscar is going to be able to land it. Oscar has a great chin, so I know he's going to be able to take Manny's shots.
Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times: De La Hoya because he's naturally bigger.=2 0I believe he still has the power. It hasn't been that diminished over the years. His naturally bigger size will allow him to overpower Manny and get a knockout or TKO somewhere around the ninth round.
Chris Mannix, SI.com: De La Hoya's size will overwhelm Pacquiao. He's just far too big. It's a little ridiculous to say that he can't pull the trigger any more. I see this as a very easy knockout for De La Hoya in about six or seven rounds. Pacquiao will be bull-rushing in and take one or two hits and go down.
John Whisler, San Antonio Express-News: De La Hoya KO 8. Oscar is bigger and I think sooner or later Pacquiao will run into the left hook.
HOW PACQUIAO CAN WIN
"Manny can win by applying constant pressure, staying inside and wearing Oscar down. Oscar does have a tendency to fade in the late rounds. If they get to fight into the late rounds and it's competitive, then Manny has a chance." -- Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press.
"He has to work Oscar's body, especially early in the fight. He's got to fight at a fast pace because Oscar does wear down. If he fights at a fast pace, that's going to help him. He's got to move to Oscar's right to stay away from the jab and take away Oscar's left hook. If he does that, then Oscar wouldn't have as many weapons as he would have if Manny stood in front of him or went the other way." -- Kevin Iole, Yahoo.com Sports.
"He's got to keep moving to his right and stay away from the left hand and negate the left hand to make De La Hoya follow him. He's got to get inside and be able to stay inside. He can't win on the outside and he has to avoid that jab. If Pacquiao drags it into the eighth or ninth round, De La Hoya's history is that he slows down. That's when Pacquiao has to speed up. If he does, he can win the fight." -- Ron Borges, Boston Herald.
"The only way he can win is if Oscar can't fight anymore. That's the only way he can win this fight. It's not just the size thing. It's a style thing. Manny overwhelms his opponents and he can't overwhelm Oscar De La Hoya. Somehow he has to stay away from that left hand. But if Oscar can knock out Fernando Vargas, knock out Ike Quartey and hang in there against bigger guys and not be hurt by it, I just don't see Manny being able to stand in there." -- Kieren Mulvaney, Reuters
"There's a couple of ways Manny could win. Oscar could get old. At 35, he could walk up the steps and not have anything left. Pacquiao could also win the fight if he's able to connect as often as Steve Forbes connected on Oscar. Steve Forbes is a really slick boxer but he's not a puncher at all. Manny could also give Oscar problems by outspeeding him, getting inside like a little gnat in the ring and basically drive him crazy. Oscar does have a tendency to tire in the latter rounds." -- Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
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