De La Hoya sees future mega bout
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Plans for a mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have so far come to naught but boxing great Oscar De La Hoya believes the blockbuster long desired by fans will eventually take place.
Eight-time world champion Pacquiao and Mayweather, who has never lost a professional bout, are the two biggest draws in the sport and a showdown between the two would decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather had been expected to meet Filipino southpaw Pacquiao early last year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing.
Both fighters ended up taking on different opponents.
"I believe that fight will take place," De La Hoya said. "I believe Mayweather and Pacquiao understand that it has to take place. They are the best fighters out there and I feel they both really want this fight to happen. When the time comes, people will enjoy a tremendous fight because styles make fights."
De La Hoya, who held world titles in six different weight classes, predicted that a clash between the aggressive Pacquiao and defensive genius Mayweather would emulate the great battles between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns in the 1980s.
Asked to predict the victor should the bout take place, De La Hoya replied: "I see Floyd Mayweather winning and I say that not only as an ex-fighter and a promoter but as a student of the game.
"I really love dissecting styles, studying styles and Mayweather has a style to beat anybody. He calculates his punches and his timing. When he is ready to punch with power, he always connects in the right place.
"There is a lot of thinking behind the strategy of winning a fight and Mayweather has to be the best at that."
De La Hoya, a gold medal winner at the 1992 Olympics, announced his retirement from boxing in April 2009, four months after being stunned by Pacquiao in an eighth-round TKO in a non-title fight in Las Vegas.
He ended his career with a record of 39-6, including 30 knockouts, and has since spent most of his time working as a boxing promoter while continuing to raise money through his various charitable initiatives.
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