The weigh-in is over so predictions can begin.
Uatu's inclination all along has been Manny by decision. He is much quicker and will most likely have the superior cardio and work rate. It says here he will have enough strength and power that Oscar won't be able to just walk right through him. Seeing them standing next to each other, Manny doesn't look so much shorter that he won't be able to operate.
Manny will dart in and out and around, forcing Oscar to reset himself every time. Oscar will get frustrated, and he will try to load up on the power shots, which will tire him out even more. Oscar is so light, he may have overworked himself, and erased some of the size and strength advantage. Oscar will get marked up, Manny might too. Who knows, maybe either man might taste the canvas. Regardless, Manny takes more rounds and points.
Manny Pacquiao by UD 12.
Spartan117 says....
I couldn't agree more with Uatu. Like most of Manny's opponents Oscar will get overwhelmed by Manny's barrage of punches. I was also surprised by the small difference in size. From looking at the fighter's numbers I expected Oscar to stand almost a head taller than Manny, but this was not the case. Manny looked fit and primed for the fight. Based on looks alone he looks like he will handle the weight well. Oscar looked weaker and more sucked down.
Oscar's only hope will be to land one of his signature left hooks but Manny will be too slick and quick, dodging and ducking, but also landing some mean shots. Oscar will look sharp early on but will slow as the fight continues as he has in many of his recent fights. The weight loss won't help this any either. It's not a long shot for Oscar to go down from a lightning fast hook either. I predict Oscar will go down in late rounds as the punches and points add up, but he will get up to fight on.
Manny Pacquiao by UD 12.
The Franchise says...
The nice thing about not being a "real" boxing journalist is that I can openly root for Manny, which I will be doing. That being said, I'm a little concerned about whether or not he can actually pull this off.
I think the weight issue has been a bit overplayed, but it's definitely a fair question to wonder whether or not Manny will be able to hurt Oscar, who's been taking punches from much larger men for years. On the other hand, De La Hoya's power could definitely take a toll on Pacquiao when they trade. As my brother Uatu has pointed out before, Manny was wobbled by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fights, and he's quite a bit smaller than De La Hoya.
If the fight goes the distance, Manny should enjoy a conditioning advantage and be able to come on strong to close things out. Will he be in range of a decision by then? If the early rounds are close, it's hard to see Oscar not getting the benefit of the doubt from the judges.
History is also not on Manny's side. Fighters jumping up in weight to take on heavier guys who are world class opponents have not generally fared well. But if anyone in boxing today has the talent and heart to overcome the odds, it's Pacquiao. It's definitely possible his speed will just be too much for De La Hoya to handle.
There haven't been too many big fights this year where no outcome would surprise me, but this is one of them. I have to make a pick though, and while I'll be rooting hard for Pacquiao, I have to make my pick with my head and not my heart. That leads me to go with De La Hoya by decision.
The Franchise says...
The nice thing about not being a "real" boxing journalist is that I can openly root for Manny, which I will be doing. That being said, I'm a little concerned about whether or not he can actually pull this off.
I think the weight issue has been a bit overplayed, but it's definitely a fair question to wonder whether or not Manny will be able to hurt Oscar, who's been taking punches from much larger men for years. On the other hand, De La Hoya's power could definitely take a toll on Pacquiao when they trade. As my brother Uatu has pointed out before, Manny was wobbled by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fights, and he's quite a bit smaller than De La Hoya.
If the fight goes the distance, Manny should enjoy a conditioning advantage and be able to come on strong to close things out. Will he be in range of a decision by then? If the early rounds are close, it's hard to see Oscar not getting the benefit of the doubt from the judges.
History is also not on Manny's side. Fighters jumping up in weight to take on heavier guys who are world class opponents have not generally fared well. But if anyone in boxing today has the talent and heart to overcome the odds, it's Pacquiao. It's definitely possible his speed will just be too much for De La Hoya to handle.
There haven't been too many big fights this year where no outcome would surprise me, but this is one of them. I have to make a pick though, and while I'll be rooting hard for Pacquiao, I have to make my pick with my head and not my heart. That leads me to go with De La Hoya by decision.
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Oscar had a look of discomfort on his face at the weigh-in for sure. It was probably due to boiling down in weight. Manny looked spirited with no problems. Whether that affects the fight will be seen.
My guess is Manny weighs below 150 on fight night, maybe 147-148, and Oscar gets up to 157.
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