Kung may dating nakalaban si Oscar Dela Hoya na magbubulgar sa kanyang kahinaan kay Manny Pacquiao, ito ay si dating world middleweight champion Felix Sturm ng Germany.
Sinabi ni American trainer Freddie Roach na inialok ng 29-anyos na si Sturm ang kanyang ser-bisyo para makatulong sa paghahanda ng ka-edad niyang si Pacquiao kontra sa 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya.
“He offered his assis-tance and he said that if he could, he would love to help us prepare Manny,” ani Roach kay Sturm. “He may come over but that decision hasn’t been made 100 percent yet. But if he does come over, he’ll be able to help us out. He’s being courteous and he just wants to help and he’ll be part of our stable very soon.”
Naghari ang 5-foot-11 1/2 na si Sturm sa middleweight division ng World Boxing Organiza-tion (WBO) matapos talunin si Hector Javier Velazco via split decision noong Setyembre 13 ng 2003 kasunod ang mata-gumpay na title defense kay Ruben Varon noong Disyembre 20.
Nawala ang nasabing WBO title kay Sturm nang matalo kay Dela Hoya via unanimous decision noong Hunyo 5 ng 2004.
“Felix has the height and he has a very educa-ted left hand. We all know Oscar’s a left-hander and that’s his bread and butter,” ani Roach kay Sturm. “He knows Oscar’s style very well. I thought he beat Oscar when they did fight each other.”
Kagaya ng 5’10 1/2 na si Dela Hoya, taglay rin ni Sturm ang left jab na nagamit niya nang ilista ang 20-0 win-loss ring record bago matalo kay “Golden Boy”.
“Felix has the height. He’s got a good jab. He’s a very good boxer,” ani Roach kay Sturm, inaasa-hang makakasama nina light middleweights Ra-shad Holloway at Yuri Foreman, light welter-weight Marvin Cordova, Jr. at lightweight Amir Khan bilang sparring partners ni Pacquiao.
Kamakalawa ay pinauwi ni Roach si light middleweight Aaron “The Energizer” Robinson nang kapusin sa kanilang four-round sparring ni Pac-quiao kung saan mas pinili nitong yakapin si “Pac-man” imbes na maki-pag-bugbugan kagaya ni Holloway.
Samantala, dalawang dating world boxing cham-pions ang naniniwalang si Oscar Dela Hoya ang mananalo sa kanilang non-title welterweight fight ni Manny Pacquiao sa Disyembre 6 sa MGM Grand Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ito, ayon kina Iran Barkley at Vito Antuofer-mo, ay bunga na rin ng height at reach advantage ng 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya sa 29-anyos na si Pacquiao.
Kagaya ni Barkley, inaasahan rin ni Antuo-fermo, nagdomina sa WBC at WBA middlewight division, ang panalo ng 5’10 1/2 na si Dela Hoya sa 5’6 na si Pacquiao.
“Why would anyone want to see this fight? It is a shame that a great fighter in Pacquiao is fighting this fight. Pacquiao may have a shot to win but in the end I don’t think he’ll have much of a chance,” wika ng Italian fighter, may 50-7-2 (21 KOs) card. (Russell Cadayona)