The Golden Boy against the Filipino’s Champion
Image source: www.wazzupmanila.com
Oscar De La Hoya has just about wrapped up a deal to finish his boxing career Dec. 6 against Filipino star Manny Pacquiao, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.
De La Hoya’s long-stalled discussion about fighting Pacquiao recently revived when the sides found an adequate way to split the possible $100 million in revenue from what’s certain to be boxing’s most profitable fight since De La Hoya’s split-decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year.
Barring any last-minute changes of heart in a sometimes contentious negotiation, the fight will bring together boxing’s most bankable star and arguably its most talented fighter at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
It hasn’t been an easy match to make. Both boxers must make physical sacrifices for the 147-pound bout, with De La Hoya dropping down to welterweight for the first time in nearly eight years while Pacquiao bulks up to the heaviest weight of his career by far.