Marami ang nagtaas ng kilay nang lumutang ang posibleng banggaan nina Filipino super featherweight Manny Pacquiao at dating world champion Oscar Dela Hoya.
Ngunit ayon kay Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ng Golden Boy Promotions ni Dela Hoya, hindi malayong mangyari ito sa hinaharap.
“I do see chance for that,” ani Schaefer sa Pacquiao-Dela Hoya fight. “There is history of smaller fighters moving up and fighting bigger guys. Roy Jones, Jr. moved up 40 pounds or so to fight in the heavyweight division.”
Matapos itulak si dating Mexican three-division titlist Marco Antonio Barrera sa pagreretiro sa kanilang rematch noong Oktubre 6, ipinaramdam ng 29-anyos na si Pacquiao ang kagustuhang umakyat sa lightweight class.
Ang 34-anyos na si Dela Hoya, nagbabandera ng 38-5 win-loss ring record kasama ang 30 KOs, ay dating nagdomina sa super featherweight, lightweight, super lightweight, light welterweight at light middle-wight division.
“So there definitely is a precedent to that and a possibility that something like that could happen,” wika ni Schaefer.
Kasalukuyang nasa maigting na pagsasanay si Pacquiao, nagkampeon sa flyweight, super bantamweight at featherweight category, para sa kanilang rematch ni Mexican super featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Marquez.
“It’s almost sold out, very few tickets remaining. We anticipate it will sell out before fight week,” ani Schaefer sa Pacquiao-Marquez II sa Marso 15. “There’s a tremendous amount of interest. Mexicans see that Marquez is their last legend standing after Pacquiao dismantled Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.” (Russell Cadayona)