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Mailbag: Taking shots, defending Oscar-Pacman

Yahoo Sports

There is a debate in boxing over a potential Dec. 6 fight in Las Vegas between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. I'll answer questions about that bout and other hot topics in the sport in this week's edition of the mailbag. As always, my answers are in italics.

MARKETING 101

I just wanted to comment on the multiple upcoming fights involving many "faded"/"marketable" stars. The Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones fight was made pretty much on how Roy looked against Felix Trinidad in his return from retirement. Trinidad showed us why he retired, because he looked older and slower than Roy! Calzaghe and Jones are fighting finally after 10 or so years and are now cashing in on the money that a fight in MSG involving Jones' name will generate.

The Kelly Pavlik-Bernard Hopkins fight can be understood. Hopkins looked good early against Calzaghe but faded. Hopkins still showed skills despite his age. Pavlik truly wants to fight the best available opponent and this seems to actually be Hopkins. This could be interesting.

Shane Mosley and Ricardo Mayorga I see as a complete joke. I feel Shane chose Mayorga for sheer "excitement" possibilities. Why does Oscar De La Hoya need to fight again? The apparent choice of Manny Pacquiao seems to be based solely on name recognition. Why? Granted, each of these fights will stimulate interest in the sport. These fights also seem to have a much increased risk of being mismatched failures that expose the troubles of this great sport. I would enjoy the opportunity to get your opinion.

Scott B.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The fight game is a business and I'm all for fighters making money. But I'm also for protecting the public's interests. The Calzaghe-Jones fight would have been more compelling 10 years ago and will prove little now. I agree with your take on Pavlik-Hopkins and Mosley-Mayorga. I'm so sick of Mayorga's antics, I can't begin to express. And I've made my position clear regarding a potential De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout. I don't have as big a problem with any of the fights if they're not on pay-per-view. But when they ask the fans to reach into their pockets again, that's when I take offense.

GETTING OLD

Bernard Hopkins has been a great fighter over the years. I really feel that when he fights Pavlik, though, we will see him get old real quick. He should retire so he can be remembered as a great champion and not let the world seem him as a washed up old man.

Randy
Church Point, La.

The possibility exists that Bernard will get old overnight and get thrashed by Pavlik, but I have my doubts. Bernard has been fighting A-level competition for years and has hung in there, even in fights he didn't win.

CAN BERNARD PULL IT OFF?

What do you think about Hopkins' shot of beating Pavlik? In my opinion, Pavlik is tailor made for Hopkins. He is not fleet of foot and he's not the best defensive fighter out there. Yes, he can punch like there is no tomorrow, but Hopkins can take a punch very well. Hops will stick it out and pop Kelly with right hands all night. I say Bernard by a unanimous decision. Your thoughts?

Justin Lee
Las Vegas

I don't think Bernard can keep the pace that Pavlik sets, Justin. I like Pavlik by late stoppage or decision.

NO FREAK SHOW

I agree with your boxing opinions more than 80 percent of the time. About 10 percent of the time I agree to disagree. But sometimes, I think you're just plain wrong. When you called the likely Pacquiao/De La Hoya matchup a circus act and a freak show, I think you are not only wrong about the fact that this could be a competitive and exciting fight, you're being disrespectful to both fighters. Honestly, tell me which of these fights below would you consider a freak show? Carlos Monzon-Jose Napoles, John Ruiz-Roy Jones Jr., Barney Ross-Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson-Joey Maxim, Billy Conn-Joe Louis? You should read Steve Kim's article on this potential mega-fight with an open mind.

Jason Lee
San Diego

I read Steve's article, Jason, but I don't agree. None of the guys in the fights you cite moved up as much as Pacquiao is moving up in this one. He's giving up four inches in height and six inches of reach. How's he going to get inside? And I wouldn't have such a big problem with the fight if there weren't good options for De La Hoya around his own weight. He's declining a fight with WBA welterweight champ Antonio Margarito and he's declining a fight with Pavlik, to mention two. Why? They're too big and too strong for him. He's too big and too strong for Manny. I think Manny is the far better pound-for-pound fighter at this stage, but he's nowhere near Oscar's size. If Oscar loses, it will be because he's declined that much.

EXPENSIVE TICKETS

My friends and I were going to go to Atlantic City to watch B-Hop and Pavlik, but I refuse to pay $75 to sit in the nosebleeds.

Ryan Graham
Washington, D.C.

It's not my place to tell you how to spend your money, Ryan. But in Boardwalk Hall, you're not that far away from the action and the atmosphere in the arena will be intense. You'll rarely see tickets for a major fight priced less than $75.

OSCAR'S TOO BIG

I think Pacman will lose to Oscar because Oscar is too big. If Oscar is really a fighter, he should fight in his division or bigger guys like Margarito or Pavlik.

Hyacinth
Manila, Philippines

Amen.

NO EMBARRASSMENT

How could you say that De La Hoya will be embarrassed by fighting Pacman? Are you sure that the Golden Boy can beat the Pacman? It's been a long time since Pacman was lying on the canvas helpless. Pacquiao is used to fighting men bigger and taller than he is. He is the pound-for-pound king and he can do it.

Alfie B. Kenny
London

Oscar should be embarrassed simply for taking the fight and not picking on someone of his own size. If Oscar wins, what does it prove? Not that he's better than Pacquiao, because clearly at this stage, he is not. It proves he was the bigger man. If Pacquiao wins, it proves Oscar is completely shot.

REMEMBER ALI-BERBICK?

I agree with you, a De La Hoya-Pacquiao match would be as awkward as a Shaquille O'Neal-Chris Paul one-on-one basketball game. It would be a circus fitted only for children to watch. I'm an avid fan of Pacquiao, but if he fights De La Hoya and wins, could he tell the whole world "Hey, I've beaten one of the greatest fighters on the planet?" De La Hoya is past his prime, just like when Trevor Berbick fought Muhammad Ali and won.

Loy Lacson
Toronto

The sport will be better off when its biggest stars and best fighters want to fight each other and don't want to pick on guys in weight classes far below them. How would the public react if Wladimir Klitschko was calling out Pavlik? I'll tell you: They'd be outraged. And they should be outraged at Oscar for pulling this money-grabbing stunt.

GIVE OSCAR CREDIT

Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Margarito? Did not happen. De La Hoya-Margarito? Why should it happen! Who dodged Margarito? Floyd "Running Bull" Mayweather ran, that's who. Mayweather fought a giant (at WrestleMania) and it was OK with you. Pacman wants to fight a giant and it's wrong? Print this and see what happens. Let your readers vote on this fact!

Daniel
California

Daniel, I am going to break this to you easily: Pro wrestling is fixed. Faked. Pre-determined. So when Floyd fought "The Big Show," they kind of knew how it was going to come out. It's not wrong of Pacman to want to fight a giant. It's wrong of Oscar to pick on someone so much smaller.

HITMAN-PACMAN

Assuming Ricky Hatton beats Paulie Malignaggi when they meet on Nov. 22 in Las Vegas, do you think a Hatton-Pacquiao could become a reality? Who do you think would emerge victorious? I think Hatton by knockout in the fourth or fifth.

Eric Aronson
Salina, Kan.

I'd like Pacquiao in that fight, Eric, and I do think it can occur for 2009. I think Manny would be too slick and has too many weapons for Ricky. Ricky's best bet would be to physically maul Manny. The biggest issue, again, is size.

GOOD FIGHT

I simply must take exception to the implication that if Oscar fights Pacquiao, it would be embarrassing to him. Like you said, Pacquiao is a fine fighter. To me, he is one of the finest to enter the ring. I would have much respect for Oscar if he were to beat Manny. As a boxer who has been involved in the "science" for a number of years, I can attest that a better fighter, who is 30, 35 or even 40 or more pounds lighter than their opponent, has just as much of a chance to win a fight as the other. I understand that weight classes have been put in place in order to be as "fair" as possible. I personally think weight means very little. If this fight does happen, I pick Pacquiao to win by knockout.

Chris Belaen
Location

Chris, I agree that the weight classes are virtually meaningless when you're pitting fighters of vastly different skill levels. But when you're talking world-class fighters, it's a very different story.