INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—Many are sounding the alarm for Manny Pacquiao in his Dec. 6 super showdown with Oscar De La Hoya.

And the loudest word of warning came Sunday from someone who only last May was at the receiving end of the Golden Boy’s powerful fists—former International Boxing Federation super featherweight champion Steve Forbes.

Forbes, in the thick of preparation to challenge World Boxing Council welterweight champ Andre Berto on Sept. 27 in Los Angeles, said the Filipino pound-for-pound king faces trouble against the eight-time world champion and reigning box-office giant at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“As soon as Manny stands in front of Oscar, he’s in trouble,” the 31-year-old Forbes told sweetscience.com. “One thing Manny is going to learn is Oscar is much bigger and hits harder than anybody he ever faced before.”

Forbes lost his May fight against De La Hoya by unanimous decision but still managed to blemish the Golden Boy’s face with welts and cuts despite not being known as a big puncher.

This fact is what trainer Freddie Roach, in several interviews, said will be exploited by Pacquiao come fight night.

Forbes, who like Pacquiao rose from the lower division to fight De La Hoya at 150 lb, also cautioned the Filipino against the Golden Boy’s long, forceful jabs.

“The most important thing I learned against Oscar is the value of a good jab,” added Forbes. He kept the left hand in my face the whole night.

“Manny is going to get hit harder than he’s ever been hit in his career. I’m really shocked about this fight.”

At 5 feet 7 with a 68-inch reach, Forbes is close to Pacquiao in size, even though experts said the 5-foot-10 De La Hoya picked him for the fight to become his “practice opponent” for a possible rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr., who beat him last year.

But Mayweather abruptly retired after dealing a first loss on Ricky Hatton last December, forcing De La Hoya to train his sights on Pacquiao, the reigning WBC lightweight king.

Forbes also said he is convinced that Pacquiao didn’t win over Juan Manuel Marquez last March in their clash for the latter’s WBC super featherweight title.

“I thought Marquez won both fights (including the first one in 2004 which ended in split draw after Pacquiao floored Marquez thrice),” said Forbes. “He punched Pacquiao good to the body and hurt him.”

In a separate article at ringsidereport.com, writer Geno McGahee said Pacquiao may be more explosive than Forbes offensively, but the Filipino certainly doesn’t have the defensive skills to ward off De La Hoya’s juggernaut.

It pointed out that while Forbes has never been knocked down, not even by De La Hoya, Pacquiao was decked twice in his career, both at 112 lb by Rustico Torrecampo (1996) and Thailand’s Medgoen Singsurat (1999).

“At 147 lbs, De La Hoya has one heck of a shot to stop Manny and to do it very early,” wrote McGahee.

The article questioned Pacquiao’s capability to pierce De La Hoya’s defenses, considering that the American has one of the hardest chins in the business.