By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY
Oscar De La Hoya will try his hand again at fighting another fast, naturally smaller opponent regarded as the sport's best boxer pound-for-pound who is moving up to welterweight.
Shane Mosley, a former lightweight champion, moved up to beat the Golden Boy in 2000 via split decision. Last year, Floyd Mayweather, also a former lightweight champion, eked a split decision, too.
Now lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) — who began his career in 1995 at 106 pounds — will get his shot in a Dec. 6 welterweight bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (HBO Pay-Per-View).
It's supposed to be De La Hoya's final bout in a pro career that commenced after he won the United States' only boxing gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. However, he wouldn't concede that this would be his last hurrah in a conference call Thursday.
Pacquiao no small challenge for De La Hoya....
Pacquiao no small challenge for De La Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao camps discuss December 6 bout
By Dan Arritt, Los Angeles Times
Representatives for Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao met Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles to begin hammering out a deal for a Dec. 6 non-title welterweight bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, according to Bruce Binkow, an agent for Golden Boy Promotions.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive for Golden Boy, which represents De La Hoya, and Bob Arum, president of Top Rank, which represents Pacquiao, met for two hours but are still days away from making a deal, Binkow said.
Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao camps discuss December 6 bout....
Judah loses to Clottey but might win Margarito sweepstakes
By Tim Smith
LAS VEGAS -- Joshua Clottey promised that he would beat Zab Judah, and in doing so, would punish Judah to the point that he'd cry.
Two out of three ain't bad.
Clottey battered Judah, busted his nose and sliced open his eye, and won a ninth-round technical decision to take home the vacant IBF welterweight crown at the Palms casino on Saturday.
Clottey did not make Judah cry, though. As a matter of fact, if there was any sorrow after the fight it was on the part of Clottey, who could not cleanly put away Judah, a two-time world champion from Brooklyn, N.Y.
With his gutsy performance against Clottey, Judah (36-6, 25 KOs) remains a credible threat in the welterweight division. And because Clottey sustained a torn bicep in the fifth round of the fight, he might get leap-frogged by Judah in a possible match against Antonio Margarito on Nov. 1 if Clottey isn't healed well enough to take the date.
Judah loses to Clottey but might win Margarito sweepstakes....
