Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya has made his pick for the “Fight of the Century” between WBC World Welter and WBA Super World Welterweight champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather, and WBO World Welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao on May 2 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada.
The owner of Golden Boy promotions and promoter of Ugandan lightweight boxing star Sharif “The Lion” Bogere, has made his pick for the fight due this Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The smart money is on Mayweather. Look, it’s Las Vegas, Mayweather’s hometown. His picture’s on the side of the MGM,” De La Hoya told the Los Angeles Times in an interview. “The close rounds are going to go to Mayweather. It’s big business. It’s no secret.”
The American boxing legend promotes Ugandan prize fighter Bogere out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Oscar De La Hoya is one of five men who have fought both Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. The “Golden Boy” from East Los Angeles lost to both, and each battle was historic.
Mayweather will be seeking to remain unbeaten in his career while Pacquiao will want to break that record and make him the first fighter to beat the flamboyant and flashy American fighter.
De La Hoya’s May 2007 bout against Mayweather stands as the biggest-selling pay-per-view card in boxing history. It generated 2.48 million buys, and was hyped in a cross-country tour that featured the breakout of Mayweather’s “Money” persona.
De La Hoya, trained for the bout by current Pacquiao cornerman Freddie Roach, was doing well in the first half of the match, but then his effective jabs all but stopped and he was beaten by split decision.
The next fall, De La Hoya’s career ended when he retired on his stool after a dominating Pacquiao performance in which the Filipino star repeatedly beat the veteran to the punch.