Pleas Oscar No More Excuses You Were Beaten By The Better Man ……….

For all of the functionality of the sport of boxing and we know that the sport is made up of stars  and their egos. It can be said that  last night’s bout between Manny Pacquiao and  Oscar De La Hoya had all that one could’ve envisioned from two of the biggest stars in the sport.  De La Hoya one again trying to prove that  he’ll willingly take on anyone as long as the price is right. But not all too willing  to admit  when  he’s made  a  profound mistake. 

 

Manny Pacquaio the WBC lighweight champion throws a right hand to the head  of  Oscar De La Hoya  during their none title bout held in Las Vegas, Nevada. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Eric Jamison….

 

Well for Oscar  last  night that  held through  as  he was unwittingly surprised and  beaten  by his Filipino opponent in an 8th  round TKO in their none-title  fight.  De La Hoya unable to answer the bell  for  the ninth round just sat  on  his stool  as  Pacquaio  was later  announced  the  winner.  Much to  the joy  of  fans in attendance  who  were supporters  of the victorious  Filipino ,  Manny  Pacquiao.  

 

De La Hoya stands ground as Pacquaio  throws a right  to the head of his opponent during the fourth round of  their fight. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Eric Jamison ……………

 

 

Now for De La Hoya comes some  home truths  as  to the future of his career.  He  may  well  think of  himself as the savior  of the sport during  these turbulent times.  But  if  anything this particular  loss  has  proven that he’s  now way past  his prime  once and for all. And though a rematch may  not be out of the offing  , I’d  think  that  after tonight’s decision  it wouldn’t prove anything  were Pacquiao enter into  such a discussion.  Such was the lopsided  of the bout that  De La Hoya  has  to admit  at no point was  he in a position to conclusively win the bout outright. H  certainly  didn’t take the pace of the fight  and if  anything  it was Pacquiao who  held the  upper  hand right from the start and through  much of the duration of the bout.

 

De La Hoya connects to the  head  of Pacquiao  during their welterweight  bout in Las  Vegas on Saturday  night. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Ethan  Miller ……………..

 

Businesswise De La Hoya  comes  out a winner as he was co-promoter of the the event  through  his  Golden Boy Promotions Inc, alongside Bob Arum of  Top Rank Inc.  And with Arum  the promoter  of  Pacquiao  proving  to  be victorious  it’d appear  that everyone  came off  a winner in this  PPV event.  With  the price of $54.95 being charged  for subscribers to the event. It  can be  said  that it was more than a profitable night for all.   Both the Arum and the De La Hoya camp  were  hoping  for in excess of  2m buys  for  the event as that  would bring  a whopping $110m alone  in  terms of  the  PPV revenues. And  less one  forgets we also  have  the paying  members  of  the  public  in attendance  plus the  concessions  to  be  accounted. In light of  that we could well hear  that  this  bout  being close to if  not  surpassing the  take of  the previous  highest  grossing   PPV bout.  Which  again  De La Hoya was  a  part of  when  he  faced  Floyd  Mayweather  Jr.  That  fight  took in over  $160m  in gross  revenues  inclusive  of the  PPV total.  Business  is  business and  when it comes to  the  financial pulling  power it would appear that  in the worldof  boxing  no one has that  power  other  than  De La Hoya himself.  He knows it  and he craves both  that  and  the limelight that  it brings.  And for a fighter  that  it’s  said  has  earned purses in excess  of $275m  and counting  over the  course of  his career. Another $10 or  $20m  mightn’t do  him anymore  harm when it’s all said  and done.

 

De La Hoya is hugged by his Filipino opponent  Manny Pacquiao after a surprising end to their much heralded bout.  Pacquiao was  declared the winner  by a TKO  after De La  Hoya  was unable  to answer the bell for the ninth round. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Mark  J Terrill  …………………

 

The fact of the matter is the more Oscar continues to fight albeit  that he’s willing to take on  allcomers as  long as he feels that  he’s in with a chance of beating that opponent. He’ll  fight and it will  have  nothing to  do with his legacy  as  it’s now  become  nothing  more than about the money at the end of the day.  Well  those  days  now may well be coming  to  close  after  what’ll be viewed as a much heralded loss against an opponent he  was favored to  beat. 

 

Oscar De La Hoya  on his stool ringside  looks  across at his opponent  Manny Pacquiao during the interval of the fifth round of their  fight  held at the  MGM Grand  Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. picture appears courtesy of getty images/Jed Jacobsohn …………….

 

The outcome to  many  may not have been surprising  at  all when one considers the punching power of Pacquiao. What may have  surprised many in the audience and  those  viewing by  PPV was the abrupt way that the fight  ended.  De La Hoya seemingly unable  to defend  himself with any great authority looked tired and old  in the  ring. And what might’ve  been viewed an advantage for him in terms  of him  fighting  at  a weight that  he’d seemingly  become accustomed to.  In  many  respects  for  Pacquiao  it was he who looked the  more  accustomed  fighter  at the welterweight division  than  De La Hoya.  For  Pacquiao to  move up  two weight  classes and still sustain such power and  aggression  is compliment to the fighter and  his profound skills.  And for  De La Hoya it now appears  that those days  if being  the big draw in the sport are  now coming  mercifully to an end. If ever a  fight  and  the way in which  he  was defeated ouhgt  to signal an end to  an illustrious career.  Then  this was that  fight without a doubt !

 

Manny Pacquaio  of the Phillipines celebrates  his 8th round TKO victory over  Oscar De La Hoya with the  accompaniment of his country’s  Vice President  Noll De Castro standing  to his left. picture appears courtesy of  ap/photo/Jae C Hong  …………………..

 

The future now is so bright for Pacquiao  that it’s  now extremely  hard to see how  he could  top this feat. Not only  has he tamed a legend  but  he beat  that  legend  ever  so convincingly. The excuses from  De La  Hoya’s  camp  may  well be rife.  But  it’s plain to see that  Oscar is no longer the supremely gifted fighter he once was  or  he that  he  himself  thinks he  still is.  

 

Manny Pacquaio connects with a left hook to  the body of Oscar De La Hoya during their welterweight bout in  Las Vegas  on Saturday  night.  picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Ethan Miller  …………..

 

No one can deny  the acclaim that  De La Hoya has  brought  the sport  and the rewards that he’s attained from it. But at the end of  the  day old Father Time has cought up with a fighter whose  better days are most certainly  not ahead of him  but  if  anything  he can actually  see those days for  himself  have  passed  him  by and he can view them  through a  rear view mirror.  Slowly as they say all  good  things must come to an  end.  And now is the time Oscar to call it quits once  and for all. No amount of excuses  can  be  made  for the  severity and abruptness  of  this loss.  And  even if  he makes the claim  of wanting  a rematch against  Pacquiao.  Is there  really  anyone of  the opinion  who’d view the  outcome any different ?  Oscar you’re  good  but on this night Manny was markedly  better.  And  he  was so  by a very wide margin !

 

A forelorn De La Hoya looks on duriing the interval of  the third and fourth rounds as his trainer Ignacios Beristain implores his fighter to keep his guard up. picture appears  courtesy of ap/photo/Mark J Terrill ….

 

The public may well  clamor for a rematch and  most definitely it’s  not out  of the realms of possibility that Oscar might want  to redeem himself against Pacquiao. But the fact the matter  he  threw  his hat into  the ring once too often an  this time  around he was found to be  wanting.  As alluded to before this may mark  the end of an  illustrious career  once and for  all.  But  there’ll be those  around  De La Hoya advising him  otherwise. The  cash cow that is  Oscar De La Hoya  brings along  with him  much  more  than the  sport itself but also  name recognition.  And  at a time when  the  world  is undergoing an economic  crisis  it  is  the big marquee names that  the fans are  interested  in.  And not  the  bottom  feeders  within the sport as whole.  One can understand  that at this juncture  there aren’t  many recognisable names within the sport.  Merely  from the  lackluster  talent  and  in many  cases  many  of the titlists being  unwilling to  face each other or  major contenders.  With  the sport being so fractured  it can only  left  to the  likes of  De La Hoya  and  Pacquiao  to offer  the fans what  they  so  desperately  crave.

 

 A broken and beaten Oscar De La Hoya  looks  on  after his loss to Manny Pacquiao in their  welterweight bout held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Nevada.  picture appears courtesy of ap/phot/Mark J Terrill  ……………………..

 

Surprisingly though what  I now  crave to  see  Oscar ride off into the sunset  once and  for all. For if he still really has anything to offer the sport.  Then  it can be done by  involving himself in the promotional  side of the  sport. And in nurturing  future  talent that the  public may  well be  interested  in seeing.  I’d rather see him now doing that than viewing  him  flailing  inside the ring with skills being questioned and being ridiculed by the fans. If nothing else  we tend to remember  our heroes when they’re more  so on top.  But when they’re on the decline we tend not to look at them  so deservedly with  the reverence  with which we once held them. 

 

 

 

 

tophatal ……………………….

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Oscar’s Now All About The Money……..And Not Much Else ……..

Strange  as it  may    seem   the    long  held  wish    for    an  athletes   to   just  retire  and  call  it  quits  without  any  recourse    tends  not  sit  well   with  a  number  of  athletes.   In  the  case  of    boxer    Oscar  de La Hoya    that   has   been  the  case.     His   farewell   fight   tour   and   all   it’d   suggest   is    nothing   more    than   a  box   office   extravaganza   for   his   own   well  being  and  lining  his  already   burgeoning   bank   account.  

Floyd  Mayweather   seen  here   defending   his   world   welterweight    title  against  Oscar  de La Hoya .    Mayweather    would  win  the   fight   with  a  split    decision   against     the   former  champion.  picture  appears  courtesy  of  getty images/ James   Haddon ………………. 

And  with  his  most  recent   announcement   that  it is   his  intention  to   fight    the  Phillipine   boxer  Manny   Pacquiao  on   December  the   6th    should    come   as   no  surprise    to  many.   With  a   bout   in   the  making   against   former   welterweight   champion   Miguel   Cotto   no   longer    feasible.    Oscar   had   to   look   elsewhere   for  an  opponent   and    it    had  to   be   someone   with  name   recognition.    He   never   considered  facing  Cotto’s   nemesis   Antonio  Margarito  who’d   knocked   out   Cotto  in  their   welterweight   title   bout.

A  forelorn   Erik   Morales   looks   on  from   the  canvas   Manny    Pacquiao  is  guided  to  a  neutral   corner   by the  referee    in  the   superfeatherweight  title   bout  in  November  2006.  picture courtesy  of   getty  images/ Thom   McElhorn  ………….

For  Pacquiao   this   is  a  welcoming   experience   as  it’ll   give    him   the  chance    to    further    justify    the  accolades   being    bestowed   upon   him   as  being    the  best   pound   for   pound  boxer   on  the  planet.   Thought  of  as    hero   in  his   native    Phillipines   and   amongst   those   whom  are   naturalized   citizens    here   in  the  United   States.  It   can   be   said    that   this   fight  may   well   go  a   long    way   in  cementing    Pacquiao’s legacy  and    accpetance   here   in  the   United   States.    And  for    de   La    Hoya   there’s  a  thinking   that   even   with  a  lopsideed   victory    in  his  last   bout  against   Steve   Forbes   where   his    hand   picked   opponent    is   no   longer   the  fighter   he   once  was.  If   anything   his   best   years    are   behind  him   in   the   rear   view   mirror.

De La Hoya connects to the head of Steve Forbes .....

 De  La Hoya   connects  to   the   head    of    Steve   Forbes   in   their    light  welterweight  bout.  picture  appears   courtesy   of   getty  images/    Mack   Phillipps  ………………………

Fights   nowadays  for    de   La  Hoya   aren’t   about   polishing  his   skills   as  a  fighter    but   a  way   of  building    on  his    already   burgeoning    bank   account.    For   which     Oscar    through    the   course   of  his   career   to  date   has    earneed    in   excess   of     $150m   dollars    in   purses   alone.   And   with    his   outside    business   ventures   he’s    a   wealthy    individual     in  his    own   right   with  an   array  of    interests.     The  fight  itself    will   be  promoted   by   his   company    Golden  Boy Promotions    in  conjunction   with   Top  Rank.   The   expected   revenues    for   the   fight   may    well   surpass    the    $130m    in  gross   revenues   attained    when    de  La  Hoya   fought   Mayweather   in  what    said   to  be    highest  grossing    fight   in   boxing    history.   It  is  expected     that    the  upcoming   bout   will   gross   in  excess  of   that  bout    when   the   merchandizing    is   taken   into   account.    And   with   PPV   rulling   the   roost   in   the  sport    even   when   the  bout   are   between   none   established  stars.    One  can  well   understand   why  it   is   that  the   fans   have  become   disenfranchised     and    uninterested in   the  sport.    

Pacquiao    is  waved  to    a  neutral    corner    having    floored    his    opponent    Juan  Manuel   Marquez  in  their   superfeatherweight    bout.     Marquez   and   Pacquaio    had   a   trilogy  of    fights   that   proved  to be   very   exciting   in   terms  of   action   and   aggression   shown   by    both  fighters. pictures  appear    courtesy  of   getty  images/  Ray    Hochtner  ……………

A  bout  of  this magnitude   may   however   revive    some   interest   in  the    sport   as   what     we’ll   have    on  view   will   be   two   marquee  fighters  who   are   still   at   the   height   of   their   pugilistic    skills.   And   whilst   the   cost    of    viewing    this   event     $49.95    isn’t   deemed  inexpensive    it   can   be   said    that     you’re   likely   to    get   value   for   money    when   these   legendary  fighters meet.    Discouraging   as   it may   seem   these   are   the   type  of   fights    the   fans    can   appreciate .  But    the   expense   though   considered  exorbitant  one  has  to   take into   account  there    can’t  much    else    that    could    be   asked   of    these    fighters.    De  La  Hoya    though    for   that   matter     however    may   well be   viewed   with     a  great    deal  of   suspicion.   Merely   because    he’s   now   fighting    not     for   pride    but     money.    And   that  seems  to   be  the   driving   force    behind   his   mere   exsitence    in   the     ring.

 

Oscar  de  La  Hoya   faces  middleweight    Bernard  Hopkins   in  a  middleweight   title   bout.   Hopkins   would   win  the fight  with  a   TKO .   picture  appears   courtesy   of   ap/photos/ Thomas   Glendon……

And    in  facing    a   fighter   of    Pacquiao’s   pedigree  he  may   well   be   in  for   a  surprise   beyond     what   he  could’ve   envisioned.      He’s    hand   picked    fighters    where   they’ve    either   been    on   the   downside   of  their   careers   or   ones     whom   he   knows   are     prepared  to   meet    him  because   of   the  money.   When   he’s   calling   the   shots    as   the   promoter  and    then   as  a  participant    in  the  very    event  itself .   You  can   well  understand   the   reason    why    for   Oscar  it’s  merely   about   the  money.

 

 

abritishman    aka   tophatal  ……………………