Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar De La Hoya Boxing Fight

Manny Pacquiao Can Retire After Oscar De La Hoya Fight – Nazario

I don't agree with this statement by Mr. Rod Nazario, former manager of Manny Pacquiao.

His reason for Manny to retire after the fight with Oscar De La Hoya just because of the windfall of money does not justify what's Manny's purpose in doing battle in the ring.

I do believe that this fight is just the start of Manny envading the bigger stage of boxing. If he is able to beat De La Hoya, then he can be lined up and billed the same way as the Golden Boy.

More importantly, his role as the Filipino's champion and the youth's role model for success are intangible. In my own opinion, he still have some more years before he bid boxing goodbye for his retirement.

Take a look at Mr. Nazario's point of view below as to why he thinks Manny can retire after the fight with Oscar De La Hoya.

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Pacquiao can retire after DL Hoya fight – Nazario

Source: Manila Bulletin Online
By Nick Giongco

Manny Pacquiao’s former manager has expressed his concern over the wisdom of Pacquiao’s decision to fight Oscar de la Hoya in December, but said the bout could be the defining match of his career and he can retire after that, win or lose.

"After this fight, Manny can announce his retirement," said boxing promoter Rod Nazario, who handled Pacquiao from 1995 until 2005.

Nazario noted that the windfall from the fight is enough to set up even his grandchildren for life.

Pacquiao is assured of at least $ 15 million, not including the revenue from the pay-per-view buys.

In a recent rough computation made by the Bulletin, Pacquiao is expected to surpass by many millions the P1 billion mark in ring earnings from his US campaigns.

Nazario, however, warned that Pacquiao, his handlers and other boxing experts should not be lulled into believing that De La Hoya is over the hill.

"(De La Hoya) washed up? I don’t think so," said Nazario.

Nazario said that while De La Hoya has fought 44 times, and lost five since turning professional after winning the US’ only boxing gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the Mexican-American is not a fighter who have taken one punch too many and is just seeking his final shot at glory.

"De La Hoya has taken good care of his body and I do not agree that he is faded," Nazario said.

"Manny will be weighing in at 150 lbs on the night he climbs the ring and not more than that because he’ll be slowed down by too much weight," said Nazario.

How about De La Hoya?

"De La Hoya will weigh 160 lbs on fight night and that’s too big a difference in weight (between him and Pacquiao)."

Although both fighters have agreed to meet at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs on the official weighin that will be held on the eve of the match scheduled at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, they are going to put on additional weight in the next 24 hours.

"Manny will not gain much in the hours following the weighin but De La Hoya will bulk up since he can afford to do that because that’s his natural fighting weight," noted Nazario.

Nazario stressed that Pacquiao’s best chance to score an upset is to get inside in hopes of landing his power shots.

"But that’s not going to be easy because De La Hoya will stick out his left hand to keep Manny at bay. This is going to be tough for Manny," said Nazario, who is known to have given Pacquiao his big break on US soil in June 2001.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal said the stipulation in the contract that mandates De La Hoya to meet the welter limit of 147 lbs will force the Mexican-American to work out a sweat.

"That’s going to push him to get down (10 147) because if we failed to put in the contract that he will be penalized $ 3 million for every pound in excess of 147, he will try to come in at 150. De La Hoya already has a lot of advantages over Pacquiao and we cannot afford to give him another one," said Gacal.