De La Hoya doubts Mayweather-Pacquiao bout

MANILA, Philippines – Former boxer and now promoter Oscar De La Hoya is not optimistic on a super fight happening between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

De La Hoya fought both Mayweather and Pacquiao, but it was his tussle with the former in 2007 that ended up as the richest bout in boxing history. His fight with Mayweather set the record for the most number of pay-per-view buys for a boxing match with 2.4 million units sold.

The De La Hoya-Mayweather showdown also generated PPV revenues of $136 million – a record expected to be shattered by a duel between the undefeated American and Pacquiao.

But first, the fight has to be finalized, and Mayweather provided a ray of hope when he recently called out Pacquiao to face him in May 2 next year. The Las Vegas-based fighter issued the challenge in a televised interview by Showtime, mainly as a response to repeated calls by Pacquiao for him to do the same.

De La Hoya, for his part, doubts the fight will happen and instead eyes either Mayweather or Pacquiao as the next opponent for British boxer Amir Khan, whom the six-division champion now promotes.

“If Mayweather and Pacquiao fight in May, that's understandable and we have to explore option B for Amir because that's the fight the whole world wants to see,” De La Hoya said in a boxingscene.com article by Rick Reeno.

Khan strengthened his case for a fight with either Mayweather or Pacquiao by outpointing Devon Alexander in Las Vegas on Sunday.

“Now is it going to happen? I don't think so. That's my personal opinion. So what's plan B for Mayweather?” continued De La Hoya, whom Pacquiao battered for eight lopsided rounds in 2008.

He thinks Khan has a better chance of landing a date with Mayweather.

“Not the fight that he [Mayweather] wants, but the fight that he needs? It's Amir Khan,” he added.

De La Hoya retired a year after losing to Pacquiao, compiling a record of 39-6, with 30 knockouts. - Dino Maragay