Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao: ‘The Dream Match’
— MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada (December 6, 2008)

Freddie Roach: “I really care about this kid and, you know, I was really upset when people said that I’m just taking this fight with De La Hoya because of the money, so that’s why I made the offer. I said, ‘Manny, if you lose this fight, don’t pay me.’” (via HBO)

Round 1

Jim Lampley: “Which styles will emerge in the early rounds? Is Pacquiao here to try to create an immediate storm or to tactically bide his time and hope to pressure De La Hoya in the late rounds?”

Oscar is not firing his jab, perhaps because of the early bobbing head movement of Manny Pacquiao.”

Round 2

Emanuel Steward: “Oscar cannot time [Manny’s] head movement. The way he’s movin, bobbin and weavin, and dancin in and out.”

Round 3

Jim Lampley: “You might describe the first couple of rounds as ‘shock and awe.’ Pacquiao’s speed is taking De La Hoya to the cleaners.”

(End of Round 3) Freddie Roach (Trainer): “Beautiful! Nice head movement, son.”

Round 4

Harold Lederman: “What [Manny’s] doin is he’s turnin the guy! Look! Right hand, right hand, left hand and then he moves to the side. He’s got Oscar turnin. If Oscar can’t get set, he can’t get his punches on. And Manny’s turnin him. Oscar looks like a guy doin a 360. Three to nothing, Manny Pacquiao. Based not only on clean punching, but ring generalship when he turns the guy.”

Larry Merchant: “This is getting embarassing!”

Jim Lampley: “Many experts wondered why Pacquiao took the fight. Looking at the first four rounds, you have to wonder, why De La Hoya took the fight.”

(End of Round 4) Freddie Roach (Trainer): “[De La Hoya] can’t read you. Don’t just walk in. Walk in behind a feint and head movement. A little bit of movement. He can’t handle your speed, son!”

Round 5

Jim Lampley: “De La Hoya looked a lot better in May of 2007 against Floyd Mayweather.”

Larry Merchant: “What is the feeling of a fighter when he’s in there with somebody who is always beating him to the punch?”

Jim Lampley: “[De La Hoya’s] getting hit with virtually every shot that Pacquiao throws!”

Larry Merchant: “And Manny is still going in and out. He’s not getting careless and carried away with the fact that he’s doing this.”

Jim Lampley: “It’s a brilliant fight plan for Pacquiao. Far more intelligent and tactical fight plan than I personally had expected. And perhaps, more so than De La Hoya expected as well.”

Pacquiao’s speed is a riddle [De La Hoya] hasn’t been able to solve.”

Round 6

Larry Merchant: “Size difference in boxing is significant. Manny Pacquiao is showing that it’s not insurmountable.”

Pacquiao throws that left hand in two different ways. He throws a short quick one, almost like a jab. And then he throws the power punch right down the middle.”

Jim Lampley: “Manny Pacquiao looks largely untouched. As we come towards the end of the six, he is gradually reconfiguring De La Hoya’s beautiful face.”

Larry Merchant: “Wow!”

Round 7

Harold Lederman: “[De La Hoya’s] gettin shut out. Freddie Roach used the keyword at the end of round number five when he said, ‘Just keep turning him.’ Cause that’s what [Pacquiao’s] doin. Just like I said before. Beautiful right jab, nice straight left hand by Pacquiao and then he turns him. He moves to the side and De La Hoya can’t get set to hit him. Six to nothing, Pacquiao!”

Jim Lampley: “Manny Pacquiao is annihilitating Oscar De La Hoya! And in the 7th round, De La Hoya has zero answers for the Pacquiao assault.”

Emanuel Steward: “The fight’s over with. They are gonna have to stop it!”

Jim Lampley: “Pacquiao is closing in on landing fifty power shots in the round. It’s the most power punches ever landed on De La Hoya in a single round of his career!”

(End of Round 7) Nacho Beristain (Trainer): “If you [De La Hoya] don’t throw punches, we’re gonna finish the fight. We can’t be receiving punches like that, one after another. You understand me?”

(End of Round 7) Tony Weeks (Referee): “If you [De La Hoya] don’t throw any punches, I’m gonna stop it.”

Round 8

Jim Lampley: “Pacquiao is fighting tonight in the welterweight division. The champion of this division is the almost supernaturally big welterweight Antonio Margarito. Alright Larry, you envisioned this one. Do you see Pacquiao against Margarito?”

Larry Merchant: “No, and [Pacquiao] himself says he’s going back to 140 after this fight.”

Death by a thousand left hands.”

January 2009 (Post-De La Hoya)

Freddie Roach: “Manny wants to fight Margarito. Manny thinks he can outbox him. Margarito is a big welterweight. He’d have a lot of advantages physically but Manny doesn’t really worry about that. I don’t know but he believes he can beat him.” (via BoxingScene)

(via HBO)