INTERNATIONALl Matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz believes that Filipino superstar Manny “Pacman” Pacquaio has a great chance of winning against six-division world champion Oscar “Golden Boy” dela Hoya if their proposed mega-fight pushes through this December.
“Pacquiao and de la Hoya is a very intriguing fight. Even if he (Pacquiao) is small he has a good chance of winning,” said Lewkowicz during a dinner with the local press last Tuesday, at the Madrid room of Casino Español.
Pacquiao’s fight with dela Hoya has been in the offing since last year and was at first dismissed as a fantasy fight.
However, after Pacquiao’s latest victory, the talks resurfaced again with Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who first planned to have Pacquiao face Edwin Valero then Humberto Soto, getting in the middle of the fight planned at a catch weight of 147 pounds.
Lewkowicz, who had made a lot of great matches possible, believes that Pacquiao is at an advantage because of his youth and is at the peak of his game.
“He’s the younger fighter. He has the momentum and at the best of his life,” told Lewkowicz on the 29-year-old world champion.
Another aspect that would help Pacquiao win the dream match against de la Hoya would be his swiftness, which was evident in his display against the former World Boxing Council lightweight titleholder David Diaz last June 28 when he totally outpaced the former champion and scored a stunning 9th round knockout and wrested his fourth division title.
“Speed will be the answer,” said the renowned matchmaker.
Odds
He believes that the odds of this smash hit match up would be all against de la Hoya and all for the WBC lightweight titlist.
“De la Hoya has everything to lose and nothing to gain while Pacquaio has nothing to lose and everything to gain,” the WBA Matchmaker of the Year awarde said.
Meanwhile, Lewkowicz said the case would be different in a Pacquiao fight with Soto, who defeated Manny’s brother Bobby in 2006.
“It’s the other way around, Soto has everything to gain, while Pacquiao has everything to lose.”
If Pacquiao triumphs over the legendary Mexican-American, Leckowicz feels that de la Hoya would hang his gloves for good after the fight.
“I guarantee you that if de la Hoya losses. He will retire right then and there.” (EKA)
