Dela Hoya mahihirapan kay Pacquiao

Taliwas sa sinasabi ng ilan, lubhang mahihirapan si world six-division champion Oscar Dela Hoya sa kanilang non-title welterweight fight ni Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

Sinabi kahapon ni Eric Gomez, vice-president ng Golden Boy Promotions, na hindi magiging madali ang naturang laban ng 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya sa 29-anyos na si Pacquiao sa Disyembre 6 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I still think that it’s not going to be a walk in the park for Oscar,” ani Gomez. “A lot of people feel that Oscar is bigger and stronger but Manny is faster and throws a lot of punches.”

Bukod sa reach advantage, tangan rin ni Dela Hoya ang height advantage mula sa taas na 5-foot-10 1/2 kumpara sa 5’6 na si Pacquiao, nakatakdang bumiyahe sa United States sa Setyembre 14 para simulan ang kanilang training session ni trainer Freddie Roach sa Wild Card Gym.

“It’s gonna be a tough fight and Oscar is gonna prepare like all the other big fights he’s been in and he’s gonna be ready for Manny one hundred percent,” sabi ni Gomez kay Dela Hoya.

Para maging pamilyar sa suntok ng mga welterweights, kinuha ng 48-anyos na si Roach ang serbisyo nina welterweight fighters Rashad Holloway at Arron Robinson, parehong 27-anyos at regular na nagsasanay sa Wild Card Gym.

Ang 5-10 na si Holloway ay may 9-1-0 win-loss-draw card kasama ang 5 knockouts, habang dala naman ng 5’10 na si Robinson, naging sparring partner nina Antonio Margarito at Shane Mosley, ang 6-2-1 (4 KOs) slate.

Inamin ni Gomez na hindi pa napaplantsa ang muling paggabay ni Floyd Mayweather, Sr. bilang chief trainer ni Dela Hoya matapos umiskor ang huli ng isang unanimous decision kay Steve Forbes noong Mayo 3.

“Oscar is trying to work it out now but there is a chance that Floyd will still gonna be in the corner of Oscar,” wika ni Gomez kay Mayweather, nasa Great Britain na matapos tanggapin ang trabahong inalok ni Ricky Hatton. “They’ve got a few conversations and they’re trying to figure out a way to make the scheduling work.” (Russell Cadayona)