De La Hoya is Golden Boy no more

BY TIM SMITH

LAS VEGAS - Oscar De La Hoya picked on the wrong little man when he chose Manny Pacquiao, a lightweight champion, as his opponent to make a return to the welterweight division after a seven-year absence.

Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs) administered the worst beating that the Golden Boy has ever suffered in his 16-year career. De La Hoya's corner asked referee Tony Weeks to stop the fight after the eighth round, giving Pacquiao an eighth-round TKO victory before a packed house at the MGM Grand Saturday night.

"Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter and he put on a great fight. He was the better man tonight," De La Hoya said. "I just couldn't figure out his style. I'm not shocked because at this stage when you face someone like Pacquiao, it's going to be a hard fight.

"My style is to go forward and boxing on my toes. He was waiting for me. My body seemed not to be able to respond. I didn't have the strength to stop him when he was coming forward."

De La Hoya is Golden Boy no more....