Pacquiao fans see knockout win
By Marc Anthony Reyes
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:34:00 09/01/2008
Filed Under: Pacquiao, Boxing, Internet
MANILA, Philippines—The majority of online boxing fans believe that Manny Pacquiao will pull off a “shock knockout” victory over his boyhood idol Oscar De La Hoya when they clash on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
In a poll conducted by the Pacquiao website Pacland, 46 percent of the respondents said the national boxing hero will beat the taller, bigger and craftier De La Hoya.
In contrast, only one of seven from a total of 4,460 respondents, or 14.4 percent, said the fight will result in a “brutal KO” for De La Hoya, who will go down two weight classes to battle the Filipino WBC lightweight champion in the catchweight of 147 lb for welterweights.
Former boxer Barry McGuigan, in an article on the Internet, wrote that De La Hoya will “have Pacquiao on the end of that long jab and will be looking to drop the right hand on him at every opportunity.”
McGuigan expects Pacquiao’s corner, though, to draft a clever war strategy— “courtesy of the great tactician Freddie Roach”—to “bring De La Hoya down.”
“Pacquiao will want to dictate terms, apply pressure from the center of the ring, keep the tempo high,” said McGuigan. “If De La Hoya is weight-drained, the body will be a big target for Pacquiao to take away his opponent’s strength and resolve.”
Another article in boxingscene.com penned by T.K. Stewart said the 35-year-old De La Hoya’s fading glory was evident during his May fight against Steve Forbes, who like Pacquiao climbed a weight class for the fight, but unlike him, doesn’t pack an explosive double-barreled punch.
“At 35, De La Hoya is a tarnished version of his younger self, and since the feather-fisted Forbes cracked his cheekbone—(imagine) what will Pacquiao do?” Stewart wrote.
Still, a significant number of those polled by the Pacland website believe that the fight—easily the biggest of the year—would go the distance.
Pacquiao will prevail in a “very close contest,” according to 13.1 percent of the respondents, while 9.7 percent said it’s going to be a “competitive fight” with De La Hoya winning.
Eight percent believe that Pacquiao will “run rings around” De La Hoya and win by decision, while 4.1 percent said the Golden Boy will win by “easy decision.” Almost 4 percent said they “don’t want to take part in the circus” and 1 percent said it’s going to be a draw.
|
