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Pacquiao turns 'dream fight' into nightmare for De La Hoya

LAS VEGAS -- The end for Oscar De La Hoya on this night came as he sat in the corner after the eighth round, his left eye swollen shut and his face bruised by punches Manny Pacquiao seemed able to land almost at will.

The decision to call it a night was easy. The decision to call it a career may be a lot tougher.

"My heart still wants to fight, that's for sure," De La Hoya said. "But when your physical doesn't respond, what can you do? I have to be smart and make sure I think about my future plans."

Pacquiao gave De La Hoya a lot to think about by beating and battering him around the ring for eight rounds Saturday night before De La Hoya declined to answer the bell for the ninth round. The domination was shocking enough, but the fact that it came at the hands of a fighter who just nine months earlier had been fighting at 129 pounds had to be even more troubling for De La Hoya and his legions of fans.

De La Hoya absorbed such a beating that he was taken to a hospital afterwards for what was described as a precautionary examination. The most popular fighter of his generation won just one round on one ringside scorecard and none on the other two against a smaller opponent who fought bigger than him from the opening bell on.


Packing A Punch

The magnificent Manny Pacquiao displayed his prowess in many ways during Saturday night's defeat of Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas. But maybe his most impressive performance was in the power-punching category. Here's a look at the numbers:

Power Punch Stats De La Hoya Pacquiao
Landed 51 195
Thrown 164 333
Percent 31 59

"We knew we had him after the first round," Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said. "He had no legs, he was hesitant and he was shot."

Roach trained De La Hoya in his last big fight a year ago and said then that De La Hoya simply couldn't throw punches when he needed to anymore. That was magnified even more against Pacquiao, who not only was as elusive as Floyd Mayweather Jr. but threw punches back that kept De La Hoya off pace.

"Freddie, you're right," De La Hoya told the trainer after the fight. "I just don't have it anymore."

If De La Hoya's career is over, it will be the end of a remarkable story that began when he won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona in 1992 and went on to become the biggest box office attraction in the sport. But while he sold tickets, De La Hoya hadn't won a big fight in six years, and there were whispers long before the fight that he had nothing left.

He certainly had nothing against Pacquiao, who fought a lot bigger than he looked and who proved that speed was a lot more important than size against a fighter who at the age of 35 has seen his better days.

"That's what we were focused on every day in the gym, speed, speed would be the key to this fight," Pacquiao said. "I trained hard for this fight, and that's why I deserve tonight."

De La Hoya's left eye was swollen shut as he sat on his stool after the eighth round and the ring doctor, referee and his cornermen discussed his condition. De La Hoya offered no complaints when his corner decided he had enough, getting up from his stool and walking to the center of the ring to congratulate the victor.


Manny Pacquiao celebrates his comprehensive, eighth-round defeat of an overmatched Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas.

"You're still my idol," Pacquiao told him.

"No, you're my idol," De La Hoya said.

It was lopsided from the beginning, with Pacquiao landing punch after punch while De La Hoya chased after him, trying to catch him with a big blow. Pacquiao was winning big even before the seventh round, when he was pounding De La Hoya against the ropes in his corner and catching him with huge shots that knocked him across the ring.

De La Hoya remained upright, but with one eye closed and his reflexes seemingly gone there was no chance he was going to land the big punches he would have needed to turn the fight around. Ringside statistics showed Pacquiao landed 45 power punches in the seventh round to just four for De La Hoya.

"He's just a great fighter," De La Hoya said. "I have nothing bad to say about him. He prepared like a true champion."

Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 knockouts) came up two weight classes to fight for his biggest purse ever, while De La Hoya dropped down to meet him at 147 pounds. Though De La Hoya (39-6) towered over Pacquiao and had a big reach advantage over him, Pacquiao had no trouble getting inside what few jabs De La Hoya threw to land his shots.

Pacquiao was credited with landing 224 of 585 punches to just 83 of 402 for De La Hoya.

De La Hoya not only dropped down to fight for the first time at 147 pounds in seven years, but actually came into the ring unofficially weighing less than Pacquiao. Both fighters got on scales in their dressing rooms and De La Hoya was 147 while Pacquiao was 148 and a half.

Pacquiao will earn a guaranteed $11 million, while De La Hoya was expected to make at least twice that by the time all the pay-per-view revenues are totaled up.


Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press





The fight wasn't even close,he was always overated and he's done. I always thought De La Hoya was a chump,I'm glad he lost

I have a lot of respect for Oscar, definitely one of the best ever,and a class act in a sport with a lot of unavory characters in it. I hope this is his last fight in the squared circle. He has done quite well in setting himself up for his life after boxing, and his legacy will live on for a long time.

KING

I always liked Oscar. A good guy in this sport. I just don't want him to continue on, knowing h'es not what he once was.

I tried getting the fight online, but they kept shutting down on the links. I did see very little, and what I saw was Manny landing at will, and Oscar just trying to cover up, not throwing punches.

Well yeah he has taken some punishment in his last few fights, he is well past his prime no doubt. He is how old, in his late 30's I think? What was it '88 when he was the olympics hero? Oscar had a very nice career in his prime, but I guess people seem to only remember what happened recently. Hell even ALI lost his last couple fights, in a pretty ugly fashion at that.

KING

web page Pro Record: 39 Wins, 6 Losses, 30 KOs

Amateur Record: 223 Wins, 5 Losses, 163 KOs
Oscar De La Hoya Amateur Highlights


2008
Dec. 6 -- Manny Pacquiao, Las Vegas, NV, TKO by 8 *RECAP*
May 3 -- Steve Forbes, Carson, CA, W 12 *RECAP*


2007
May 5 -- Floyd Mayweather Jr., L 12 *RECAP*
(Lost WBC Light Middleweight Title)


2006
May 6 -- Ricardo Mayorga, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 6 *RECAP*
(Won WBC Light Middleweight Title)


2005
Inactive


2004
Sept. 18 -- Bernard Hopkins, Las Vegas, NV, KO by 9 *RECAP*
(For Unified Middleweight Title)
June 5 -- Felix Sturm, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12 *RECAP*
(Won WBO Middleweight Title)


2003
Sept. 13 -- Shane Mosley, Las Vegas, Nevada, L 12 *RECAP*
(Lost WBC Junior Middleweight Title)
(Lost WBA Junior Middleweight Title)
May 3 -- Yori Boy Campas, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 7
(Retained WBC Junior Middleweight Title)
(Retained WBA Junior Middleweight Title)


2002
Sept. 14 -- Fernando Vargas, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 11
(Retained WBC Junior Middleweight Title)
(Won WBA Junior Middleweight Title)


2001
June 23 -- Javier Castillejo, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12
(Won WBC Junior Middleweight Title)
March 24 -- Arturo Gatti, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 5


2000
June 17 -- Shane Mosley, Los Angeles, California, L 12
(For WBC Welterweight Title)
Feb. 26 -- Derrell Coley, New York, New York, KO 7


1999
Sept. 18 -- Felix Trinidad, Las Vegas, Nevada, L 12
(Lost WBC Welterweight Title)
(For IBF Welterweight Title)
May 22 -- Oba Carr, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 11 *RECAP*
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)
Feb. 13 -- Ike Quartey, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12 *RECAP*
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)


1998
Sep. 18 -- Julio Cesar Chavez, Las Vegas, TKO 8
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)
June 13 -- Patrick Charpentier, El Paso, Texas, TKO 3
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)


1997
Dec. 6 -- Wilfredo Rivera, Atlantic City, TKO 8
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)
Sep. 13 -- Hector Camacho, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)
June 14 -- David Kamau, San Antonio, Texas, KO 2
(Retained WBC Welterweight Title)
Apr. 12 -- Pernell Whitaker, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12
(Won WBC Welterweight Title)
Jan. 18 -- Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12
(Retained WBC Super Lightweight Title)


1996
June 7 -- Julio Cesar Chavez, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 4
(Won WBC Super Lightweight Title)
Feb. 9 -- Darryl Tyson, Las Vegas, Nevada, KO 2


1995
Dec. 15 -- James Leija, New York City, New York, TKO 2
(Retained WBO Lightweight Title)
Sep. 9 -- Genaro Hernandez, Las Nevada, Nevada, TKO 6
(Retained WBO Lightweight Title)
May 6 -- Rafael Ruelas, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 2
(Captured IBF lightweight title)
(Retained WBO Lightweight Title)
Feb. 18 -- John John Molina, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 12
(Retained WBO Lightweight Title)


1994
Dec. 10 -- John Avila, Los Angeles, California, TKO 9
(Retained WBO Lightweight Title)
Nov. 18 -- Carl Griffith, Las Vegas, Nevada, KO 3
(Retained WBO Lightweight Title)
July 29 -- Jorge Paez, Las Vegas, Nevada, KO 2
(Won Vacant WBO Lightweight Title)
May 27 -- Giorgio Campanella, Las Vegas, Nevada, KO 3
(Retained WBO Super Featherweight Title)
Mar. 5 -- Jimmi Bredahl, Los Angeles, California, TKO 10
(Won WBO Super Featherweight Title)


1993
Oct. 30 -- Narcisco Valenzuela, Phoenix, Arizona, KO 1
Aug. 27 -- Angelo Nunez, Beverly Hills, California, TKO 4
Aug. 14 -- Renaldo Carter, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, KO 6
June 7 -- Troy Dorsey, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 1
May 8 -- Frank Avelar, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, TKO 4
Apr. 6 -- Mike Grable, Rochester, New York, W 8
Mar. 13 -- Jeff Mayweather, Las Vegas, Nevada, TKO 4
Feb. 6 -- Curtis Strong, San Diego, California, TKO 4
Jan. 3 -- Paris Alexander, Hollywood, California, TKO 2


1992
Dec. 12 -- Cliff Hicks, Phoenix, Arizona, KO 1
Nov. 23 -- Lamar Williams, Inglewood, California, KO 1


Oscar De La Hoya Date of Birth: Feb. 4, 1973