AFTER PACQUIAO
De la Hoya to face Hatton--boxing exec
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 11:56:00 10/02/2008
Filed Under: Boxing
BOXING’S biggest attraction Oscar De la Hoya will meet Europe's biggest boxing star Ricky Hatton early next year, according to Golden Boy Promotions chief executive officer Richard Schaefer.
Schaefer said that if De La Hoya takes care of WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6 and Hatton defeats Paulie Malignaggi on Nov. 22, matching the two fighters is a natural for 2009. “If everything goes well and Ricky wins against Malignaggi and Oscar wins against Pacquiao, I think a De La Hoya-Hatton fight is a natural,” Schaefer told Ron Lewis of The Times. “Both of them are, weight-wise, five to six pounds apart. That fight at Wembley Stadium is a dream of mine and a dream of many boxing fans. Sometimes dreams come true.”
De la Hoya's next move, however, hinges on the outcome of his fight with the Filipino boxing superstar.
“I think he is going to see how he feels after this fight,” Schaefer stated. “Depending on the result, depending on how he feels, he is going to have, maybe, a couple more fights next year.”
Two weeks ago, according to Boxingscene, Hatton told The Times that he laughed when first hearing about De La Hoya-Pacquiao being possible. Even though De La Hoya is his promoter and he views him as a heavy favorite, he would rather have Pacquiao win.
“He’ll be too big for Manny,” Hatton qualified. “When the fight was first mentioned, I just laughed it off. They’re like David and Goliath. I’d prefer Pacquiao to win. Then I could fight him at light-welter for all the marbles.” /Correspondent Salven Lagumbay
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