A fight that shouldn't happen

Well it’s official.

Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao will fight on December 6th, 2008.

This was supposed to be De La Hoya’s swan song fight but now it appears that he may just fight again. And while this fight is sure to sell, is it really the fight that fans want?

I am an avid boxing fan, and I think this fight is a travesty.

De La Hoya is one of the most decorated boxers and Pacquiao is the current owner of the mythical “Best Pound for Pound Boxer” title. Still, Pacquiao has to move up two weight classes to make this fight. By fight time he could literally be 10-20 pounds lighter than De La Hoya.

This is classic De La Hoya. He has made a career of fighting and beating naturally smaller fighters. Of course, the media tries to portray De La Hoya as a boxer who always fights the best. I beg to differ.

There are plenty of quality and dangerous opponents that De La Hoya could fight who are his size. But, as only he can, he finds a way to explain why they are not worthy opponents.

Not too long ago, De La Hoya, when asked if he would fight Tito Trinidad, stated that he wouldn’t fight another Puerto Rican fighter because his wife asked him not to. Yet, Miguel Cotto was supposedly the leading candidate to face De La Hoya on December 6th – and he is very Puerto Rican. Of course, Cotto lost to Antonio Margarito, and immediately De La Hoya started coming up with excuses. He said he wouldn’t face Margarito because he didn’t want to face a Mexican for his last fight. He claimed Mexicans would not forgive him.

How noble.

Yet, after Pacquiao turned down De La Hoya initially for this fight, Oscar turned to Sergio Mora. Isn’t Mora Mexican?

The fact is, De La Hoya doesn’t want to fight anyone who he thinks may hurt him. He wants to fight the safest name available in order to get the big payday.

Unfortunately, like many, I am going to watch this mess. It is going to big a huge boxing event.

I will be pulling for the major upset.

Hopefully, Pacquiao can end Oscar’s career once and for all and knock him out.

That would be just too fitting.

The Wizard has spoken.