Pacquiao Looking to Take a Page Out of the De La Hoya-Mayweather Playbook
Throughout his career, Oscar De La Hoya was often criticized for conning fighters in to make concessions which would perceivably give him an advantage in a bout.
On the way up from super featherweight (130 lbs) to junior welterweight (140 lbs), he was criticized for making smaller fighters move up to face him in a weight class he was more comfortable at.
At welterweight (147 lbs), he continued the trend by making Julio Cesar Chavez, a smaller past prime great, move up to welterweight for their rematch.
At middleweight, he attempted to gain the upper hand by enticing Bernard Hopkins to put up his middleweight titles while weighing several pounds below the middleweight limit (160 lbs).
In 2007, he convinced Floyd Mayweather Jr., to move up to junior middleweight (154 lbs) for the first time in his career, hoping this tactic would again work out to his benefit.
In his last fight prior to announcing his retirement, he thought he’d pull a fast one by convincing Pacquiao (a 135 lb lightweight at the time) to square off against him in the the welterweight division.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. continued the trend by convincing Ricky Hatton, a prime junior welterweight, to move up to welterweight to challenge him for his welterweight title.
Now officially unretired, for his comeback bout, Mayweather has suckered Juan Manuel Marquez, the past prime featherweight (126 lbs) Mexican great, to move up four weight classes (to the welterweight division) from where he was fighting at just a few years ago.
Now Pacquiao is looking to take a page out of the De La Hoya-Mayweather playbook as Freddie Roach has stated that potential fights against top welterweights like Cotto and Mosley would have to be fought at a catch weight, somewhere between 141-146, preferably 142-144.
De La Hoya and Mayweather have both been heavily criticized for making fights where their opponents agreed to make certain concessions that would potentially put them at a level or two below their best.
If Pacquiao does challenge Cotto, Mosley, or whomever, at a catch weight for a welterweight title, Pacquiao would also be subject to the same criticism.
Pacquiao may have won his first title at flyweight, but from 112-140, he’s proven to be vastly better than the majority of his opponents. At 140, he looked better than ever as he flattened Ricky Hatton in two rounds.
Therefore, is the welterweight division really that much more dangerous?
Why not defeat welterweights at welterweight and go down as an even greater fighter? Who wants an asterisk next to an accomplishment? Who wants detractors to diminish a victory?
Defeating a weight drained welterweight at 142-144 for a welterweight title will diminish the quality of the victory.
Pacquiao’s bitter rival, Juan Manuel Marquez, only moved up several years ago from 126 lbs to 130-135 lbs to chase Pacquiao. After conquering the lightweight division, he’s now moving up two more weight classes to face Mayweather at welterweight.
That’s right. No catch weight. Mayweather will be able to weigh as high as 147 because it’ll be a welterweight bout. This is unreal considering Mayweather is a more dangerous opponent than any fighter Pacquiao has faced to date.
Many feel Marquez is in way over his head, but one cannot fault him for displaying great courage and tackling such a monumental task considering he’s a natural featherweight. Win or lose he’s earned everyone’s respect, and should he win, there won’t be an asterisk diminishing the accomplishment.
Perhaps Pacquiao should take a page out of the Juan Manuel Marquez playbook.
However, if Freddie keeps getting his way, you can scratch that idea out.
Should Marquez lose to Mayweather whenever that bout finally takes place, you can bet Freddie will definitely advise Pacquiao to stick with the De La Hoya-Mayweather playbook. And with Pacquiao and Mayweather both playing by the same rules, expect negotiations for that bout to be as dfficult as the U.N. dealing with North Korean President Kim Jong II.
http://boxingfanatics.com/
On the way up from super featherweight (130 lbs) to junior welterweight (140 lbs), he was criticized for making smaller fighters move up to face him in a weight class he was more comfortable at.
At welterweight (147 lbs), he continued the trend by making Julio Cesar Chavez, a smaller past prime great, move up to welterweight for their rematch.
At middleweight, he attempted to gain the upper hand by enticing Bernard Hopkins to put up his middleweight titles while weighing several pounds below the middleweight limit (160 lbs).
In 2007, he convinced Floyd Mayweather Jr., to move up to junior middleweight (154 lbs) for the first time in his career, hoping this tactic would again work out to his benefit.
In his last fight prior to announcing his retirement, he thought he’d pull a fast one by convincing Pacquiao (a 135 lb lightweight at the time) to square off against him in the the welterweight division.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. continued the trend by convincing Ricky Hatton, a prime junior welterweight, to move up to welterweight to challenge him for his welterweight title.
Now officially unretired, for his comeback bout, Mayweather has suckered Juan Manuel Marquez, the past prime featherweight (126 lbs) Mexican great, to move up four weight classes (to the welterweight division) from where he was fighting at just a few years ago.
Now Pacquiao is looking to take a page out of the De La Hoya-Mayweather playbook as Freddie Roach has stated that potential fights against top welterweights like Cotto and Mosley would have to be fought at a catch weight, somewhere between 141-146, preferably 142-144.
De La Hoya and Mayweather have both been heavily criticized for making fights where their opponents agreed to make certain concessions that would potentially put them at a level or two below their best.
If Pacquiao does challenge Cotto, Mosley, or whomever, at a catch weight for a welterweight title, Pacquiao would also be subject to the same criticism.
Pacquiao may have won his first title at flyweight, but from 112-140, he’s proven to be vastly better than the majority of his opponents. At 140, he looked better than ever as he flattened Ricky Hatton in two rounds.
Therefore, is the welterweight division really that much more dangerous?
Why not defeat welterweights at welterweight and go down as an even greater fighter? Who wants an asterisk next to an accomplishment? Who wants detractors to diminish a victory?
Defeating a weight drained welterweight at 142-144 for a welterweight title will diminish the quality of the victory.
Pacquiao’s bitter rival, Juan Manuel Marquez, only moved up several years ago from 126 lbs to 130-135 lbs to chase Pacquiao. After conquering the lightweight division, he’s now moving up two more weight classes to face Mayweather at welterweight.
That’s right. No catch weight. Mayweather will be able to weigh as high as 147 because it’ll be a welterweight bout. This is unreal considering Mayweather is a more dangerous opponent than any fighter Pacquiao has faced to date.
Many feel Marquez is in way over his head, but one cannot fault him for displaying great courage and tackling such a monumental task considering he’s a natural featherweight. Win or lose he’s earned everyone’s respect, and should he win, there won’t be an asterisk diminishing the accomplishment.
Perhaps Pacquiao should take a page out of the Juan Manuel Marquez playbook.
However, if Freddie keeps getting his way, you can scratch that idea out.
Should Marquez lose to Mayweather whenever that bout finally takes place, you can bet Freddie will definitely advise Pacquiao to stick with the De La Hoya-Mayweather playbook. And with Pacquiao and Mayweather both playing by the same rules, expect negotiations for that bout to be as dfficult as the U.N. dealing with North Korean President Kim Jong II.
http://boxingfanatics.com/
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