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28

Manny Pacquiao vs Oscar De La Hoya!

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The wait is over and the fight is on. . .Olympic gold medalist and 10-time world champion “The Golden Boy” OSCAR DE LA HOYA will face current Ring Magazine No. 1-ranked pound for pound champion MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO on Saturday, December 6 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in a bout that will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.

Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, Inc., the bout will be a 12-round, non-title fight contested at the 147-pound welterweight limit. This exciting and intriguing match-up pits two of the most recognizable and popular talents in the sport today in what will surely be the grand finale of the 2008 boxing calendar year.

“Manny Pacquiao is considered the best fighter in boxing today and I always want to fight the best,” said De La Hoya. “I am glad we were able to make this fight happen because while Pacquiao is at the pinnacle of his success and has defeated all of the top fighters he has faced, I am going to show the world that it stops with me. December 6 can’t get here soon enough.”

“This is my greatest challenge,” said Pacquiao. “When I take that walk to the ring to fight Oscar, I will carry all the people of The Philippines - the entire country - on my shoulders. I promise I will fight with all of my heart and that I will give everything I have. Like my trainer Freddie Roach says, I have what it takes to win the biggest fight of my life.”

After several weeks of amicable discussions between De La Hoya’s company, Golden Boy Promotions, and Pacquiao’s promoter, Top Rank, Inc., a deal was struck this week ensuring fans around the world the opportunity to see this dream match-up.

Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer, Golden Boy Promotions said, “This fight will have the whole world talking and will be a fantastic night for boxing. Oscar’s career has always been defined by taking on the biggest challenges and fighting best names in boxing. This fight against a great champion like Manny Pacquiao is just another testament to his readiness to face the strongest competition and continue his legacy as one of the greatest fighters boxing has ever seen.”

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, Chairman of the Board, Top Rank added, “This fight is what all sports fans are looking forward to, a contest between two champions who come to fight and who are the most popular names in boxing today. Manny Pacquiao is taking on a major task in facing the legendary Oscar de la Hoya, but we at Top Rank are very confident Manny will handle himself extremely well.”

Richard Sturm, President of Sports and Entertainment, MGM MIRAGE said, “MGM MIRAGE has hosted the greatest names in sports and entertainment and this event will certainly continue that tradition. We look forward to presenting one of the most exciting promotions in the history of boxing and there is no question this fight will have a major impact on fans worldwide.”

Mark Taffet, HBO Pay-Per-View said, “De La Hoya-Pacquiao is a dream match-up which will capture the imagination of sports fans everywhere. It’s the pay-per-view king vs. the pound-for-pound king and an event in which both fighters’ popularity clearly transcends the sport.”

Oscar de la Hoya has been a fan favorite and the most successful pay-per-view attraction in the history of the boxing. A 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist for the United States, de la Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs) is a champion in every division he has competed in from 130 to 160 pounds and has faced boxing’s elite for over 15 years, including Floyd Mayweather, Julio Cesar Chavez, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley, Felix Trinidad, Pernell Whitaker, Ike Quartey, Fernando Vargas, Arturo Gatti, Genaro Hernandez, Jesse James Leija and Hector Camacho Sr. In his fight against Mayweather on May 5, 2007, he fell short via a close split decision, but set records with the fight having the most pay-per-view buys and grossing the most revenue in the history of boxing. In his last fight against Steve Forbes on May 3, 2008 De La Hoya registered a dominating unanimous decision victory, winning nearly every round of the fight which took place in suburban Los Angeles at the outdoor Home Depot Center soccer stadium, another first for boxing’s star attraction.

Manny Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) is recognized by most knowledgeable observers as the best fighter at any weight in the world today. Pacquiao, 29, has held world titles in four weight divisions, winning the WBC flyweight world title two weeks before his 20th birthday in December of 1998, the IBF junior featherweight world title at age 22 in 2001, the WBC super featherweight world title in March of this year and most recently the WBC lightweight world title in his last fight on June 28 against defending champion David Diaz.

More information on the bout as well as a detailed schedule for a planned media tour will be distributed shortly.

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4 Responses to “Manny Pacquiao vs Oscar De La Hoya!”

  1. Tony Reid on September 3rd, 2008 7:42 pm

    If you ask me DLH needs to retire and don’t take that fight with the Pacman.He should man up and faces has real challenger like Cotto even throw he lost, Margartio who Oscar is afraid of, Berto to quick, Paul Williams to tall, and even a Joshua Clottey to powerful so the 147 class has alot of Contender and DLH wants to hand pick his fight, what a bitch move and he wants a fight with a 130 lbs.champ Manny.
    I hope manny beat his head in for that dum match-up.but most likely DLH should win this fight because he the bigger and stronger fighter between the two. Oscar vs. Pacman I wouldn’t pay top dollar for this bullshit fight. Oscar vs. Margartio is a big PPV fight to watch and around the world boxing fans wants to see two fighters the same weight go toe to toe with one another.DLH this is not MMA, Go fight Mayweather in the Cage, if its like that. DLH wants a win bad ya’ll what a true COWARD.

  2. ADemon on September 7th, 2008 1:48 am

    I am a fan of Manny Pacquiao but there is no way he can win this fight. De la Hoya is too big. How in the world is Manny going to go up to 147lbs without slowing down. This fight is ridiculous. Everyone really wants to watch De La Hoya fight Margarito but I guess that’ll never happen. This fight will not add anything to De La Hoya’s legacy. It will only highlight his obvious dodging of Magarito.

  3. ADemon on September 7th, 2008 2:16 am

    I just read that DLH wanted to fight Pacman at 151lbs not 147lbs so Pacman couldn’t use 8oz gloves. Tony Reid is right, DHL is a coward.

  4. Tony Reid on September 8th, 2008 8:37 pm

    Thanks to DLH he wants to give all his fans his ass to kiss,because he got the money to set his fights up like a Coward would do. Instead of fighting Margarito to gain more respect from his Fans but he took the easyroad out by gaining no RESPECT by fighting Manny Pacman. Manny is 25lbs. lighter than DLH and DLH is much bigger.I guess DLH wants to get a win bad. That’s some sorry shit for a ex champ or COWARD.DLH get some BALLS back and fight someone at the 147 weight class. Migual Cotto, Paul William, Andre Berto,and he don’t want to fight Joshua Clottey and Everyone know DLH is afraid of Margarito.

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