Boxing analysis by Recah Trinidad, Philippine Daily Inquirer Columnist
No contest and no need to dig into prizefight records, either.
Manny Pacquiao on Friday scored his biggest, quickest off-ring knockout when he formally agreed to fight the fight of the decade against a bigger, richer, glossier Oscar de la Hoya.
So what if it has the makings of a mismatch, in favor of the Golden Boy, right at the start?
Yes, the only edge Pacquiao could visibly bring inside the ring at MGM Grand is his age.
At 29, the smaller, shorter but reputedly quicker Pacquiao will not be carrying in his legs the burden of the years, rust and cobwebs that have been predicted to hobble down the 34-year-old De la Hoya come fight time on Dec. 6.
* * *
Experts will predictably be divided on how the fight would shape up and finish.
The biggest letdown, of course, is the risk of the bout not being scored based on superb athleticism.
There's the great danger of the fight being decided mainly on physical disparity.
It could be that our man is too small or the enemy is too old and tired.
Could it be that Pacquiao would prevail mainly because De la Hoya is already slower, softer than the famed Golden Boy the world has learned to adore?
Or it could also turn out that De la Hoya, despite the visible slide in his abilities in recent fights, has one precious, golden final blast that could erase and offset Pacquiao's perceived advantage.
No contest and no need to dig into prizefight records, either.
Manny Pacquiao on Friday scored his biggest, quickest off-ring knockout when he formally agreed to fight the fight of the decade against a bigger, richer, glossier Oscar de la Hoya.
So what if it has the makings of a mismatch, in favor of the Golden Boy, right at the start?
Yes, the only edge Pacquiao could visibly bring inside the ring at MGM Grand is his age.
At 29, the smaller, shorter but reputedly quicker Pacquiao will not be carrying in his legs the burden of the years, rust and cobwebs that have been predicted to hobble down the 34-year-old De la Hoya come fight time on Dec. 6.
* * *
Experts will predictably be divided on how the fight would shape up and finish.
The biggest letdown, of course, is the risk of the bout not being scored based on superb athleticism.
There's the great danger of the fight being decided mainly on physical disparity.
It could be that our man is too small or the enemy is too old and tired.
Could it be that Pacquiao would prevail mainly because De la Hoya is already slower, softer than the famed Golden Boy the world has learned to adore?
Or it could also turn out that De la Hoya, despite the visible slide in his abilities in recent fights, has one precious, golden final blast that could erase and offset Pacquiao's perceived advantage.
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