Pacquiao - De La Hoya Fight Result

This may not be the year of the upset in the sweet science, but it has been a year of upsets. Margarito over Cotto, Hopkins over Pavlik, Calzaghe over Jones, Dawson over Tarver, Quintana over Williams, Williams over Quintana, Mora over Forrest, Forrest over Mora, Phillips over Spinks, Clottey over Judah, Bradley over Witter, Caballero over Molitor, Ruiz over Bautista, Prescott over Khan, Latimore over Powell, Vera over Lee…the favorite has been dumped arse over teakettle repeatedly this year, making for some entertaining climaxes, and decent buzz for a sport that hasn’t grown more than a smattering of new fans in a decade.

On Saturday night, if l’il Manny Pacquaio, who will be outweighed by a good dozen pounds when the bell rings at the MGM Grand, manages to take out Oscar De La Hoya, his upset win would surpass all others in the Boxing Year 2008. Is this likely? Pundits, and vocal share of derisive fight fans, think Oscar will win handily. Too big, too strong, too much reach and height for The Golden Boy. TSS has been surprised at the vehemence of fans writing in, wondering why this “Dream” match has been made, or more accurately, skewering the bout as nothing more than a cynical cash grab by the promoters and participants. They see it as a novelty pairing, something along the lines of an Evil Knievel bus jump.

But what if Pacquaio (47-3-2, 35 KOs, enjoying an eight fight win streak) manages to make Oscar (39-5, 30 KOs, 3-3 in his last six outings, 2-3 if you give Sturm the nod in their 2004 tussle) look every hour of his 35 ¾ years, and uses his handspeed edge to do the unthinkable?

What if that weight disparity is erased by a motivation edge? Manny does after all have a nation of 90 million at his back, lifting him up, serving as a catalyst to endure when the larger man’s left hooks are banging off his skull, rattling him, and making him yearn for the relative comfort of the lightweight division.

What if his southpaw stance throws Oscar off his game; that’s not a spectacular reach, since the last time ODLH met a lefty in a real scrap was back in 1997 (Hector Camacho).

Click here to read how Team TSS sees the Saturday beef playing out.

Source: THE PREDICTION PAGE By Michael Woods