INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?For national boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, fighting Oscar De La Hoya ?was never in his wildest dreams.?

Openly declaring his admiration for one of boxing?s biggest stars, Pacquiao wrote in his column in the tabloid Abante that he never thought he would be in the ring soon with De La Hoya, seven years after fighting in his undercard at the same MGM Grand venue.

?I believe that after seven years of fighting, I have grown better, more mature and wiser as a fighter and as a person,? Pacquiao wrote. ?I also know that I am capable of scoring an upset win over my boyhood idol.?

In that undercard fight, Pacquiao?a last-minute replacement?wrested the International Boxing Federation super bantamweight title from South African Lehlo Ledwaba. It was his second world crown.

De La Hoya also won that night, beating Javier Castillejo for the World Boxing Council light middleweight title.

?Seven years later and 25 pounds heavier, I will face the man I admired most for his speed and wisdom in the ring,? Pacquiao said. ?Oscar and I will be fighting for boxing?s most glorious win in the 147 lb weight class.?

The Filipino ring icon is expected to fly to Los Angeles in the next two weeks to start training under Freddie Roach.

But before he gets there, Pacquiao hopes that his camp will be able to finally sign the fight contracts, which still have minor kinks that need to be ironed out.

Pacquiao?s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, said there is still no decision on the schedule of the weigh-in, a ticklish issue considering that De La Hoya would be slimming down to a weight class in which he last fought seven years back.

Gacal said De La Hoya has agreed to pay $3 million for every pound in excess of the catch weight, although it is still ?a negative? if he would agree to the same-day weigh-in.