Sources: De La Hoya, Pacquiao agree to Dec. 6 fight in Vegas

Oscar De La Hoya, boxing's biggest star, will announce Thursday that he will meet pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6, two sources close to the fight told ESPN.com.

Top Rank's Bob Arum, whose company promotes Pacquiao, would not confirm a deal was in place for what would be the year's biggest fight, but he did tell ESPN.com that De La Hoya would host a media teleconference at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday to announce his opponent.

"We'll know who is he is fighting tomorrow," Arum said Wednesday from Youngstown, Ohio, where he was attending a promotional event for the Kelly Pavlik-Bernard Hopkins fight that he is co-promoting with De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. "I made a commitment that I wouldn't say anything and that tomorrow there would be an announcement. I'm not allowed to make any comments. Everything will be clear on Thursday."

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer would not confirm the deal, either, but sounded positive when asked about it.

"Last week the deal was 90 percent dead, but we were able to revive it. The fact that it has been so quiet is a good sign," Schaefer said from Mexico, where he was traveling on business with De La Hoya. "It's been a lot of back and forth and skillful negotiating and to try to get each side to soften their stance. If the fight was Arum vs. Schaefer, it would have been made awhile ago."

Schaefer dismissed reports this week that welterweight titleholder Paul Williams was under serious consideration to meet De La Hoya. Schaefer said that although Williams' name was thrown out during an internal meeting, it was quickly dismissed, and no contact was ever made between the De La Hoya and Williams camps. Williams promoter Dan Goossen confirmed that as well.

De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs), who has repeatedly said the December fight would be the last bout of his storied career in which he's won world titles in six weight divisions, has been in talks with Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) for weeks. But negotiations got bogged down when the sides could not come to an agreement on how to split the revenue, which is expected to exceed more than $100 million.

De La Hoya stood firm for weeks on a 70-30 split in his favor; Pacquiao was demanding a 40 percent slice of the pie.

The rest of the major issues, from the maximum weight to the size of the gloves, were agreed upon, with Pacquiao getting his way on a 147-pound weight limit and 8-ounce gloves.

The percentage split that De La Hoya and Pacquiao have apparently agreed to is unclear.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer and one of De La Hoya's former trainers, has been an outspoken advocate of the fight, going so far as to say he would train Pacquiao for free because he was so confident he would win.

Roach told ESPN.com on Wednesday that Pacquiao, whom he hadn't spoken to much recently, left him two voice mails about 7 a.m. ET.

"He left me the messages and at the end of one of them, he said, 'Thanks for all your help.' I read that as the fight is done," Roach said.

Pacquiao, a lightweight titleholder who has won belts in five weight classes and is the national icon of the Philippines, would move up to welterweight for the showdown with De La Hoya.

The fight is expected to take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where De La Hoya has fought five of his past six bouts and seven of his past 10.

Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3555960

 

:shit:

 

Agreed.

Plus i'll add some more. :shit::shit::shit::shit::shit:

 

Here's EXACTLY What U'll Hear Tomorrow...

"It's an HONOR to Face the Best Fighter in the World, Lb 4 Lb, in my Last Fight. I've Always Prided Myself on Fighting the Best, so Why Not Go Out that Way?" - DeLa

"Pacquiao's Known as the 'Mexican Assassin' and I Look Forward to Upholding the Honor of my People" - DeLa


All the While, U're Hear NO Mention of Manny's FLYWEIGHT Days (Instead they'll Hype him As a "Multi-Weight Champion") OR the Fact that he's even SMALLER than Steve Forbes...

This News PROVES what a MANIPULATIVE Little BITCH DeLa has Been ALL ALONG...If there was EVER Any Doubt, it's GONE Now...

REED is Actually STUNNED that DeLa HASN'T Found Some Flimsy Ass "Title" for him & Manny to Fight 4...

BULLSHIT Fight!!!...


REED:boohoo:

 

For once in my life I'll be rooting for a ring death.

 

Don't forget they'll also mention that the former P4P fighter didn't "come to fight" like Manny does, so come Dec 6th you can expect to see a War!!!

 

::

REED Came VERY Close to Typing "I Hope DeLa Go's Out Benny Paret Style"...

But U BEAT him 2 It...

REED ISN'T that Harsh & Would Gladly SETTLE for Gerald McClellan Style...
REED:hammert:

 

What happened, was Ivan Calderon already booked?

 

That WOULDN'T have Been Any Worse...

DeLa Could've Milked the Mexico vs Puerto Rico RIVALRY N that Instance...


REED:hammert:

 

I coulda sworn I heard yesterday that Benitez was on his short list.

 

what's funny is, the first fight I watched pacquaio from ringside was when he beat up my boy ledwaba for the title at super bantamweight. that just happened to be on the undercard of delahoyas super welterweight debut (32 pounds north) against castillejo. just to put things in perspective.

 

He beat the hell out of Ledwaba too.

 

:laughing: If this is true I can't believe DHL pulled it off. Once Pac gets hit with the left hook he will be KTFO! Bullshit fight!

 

I know. that was depressing

 

I can't see Pac making it out of this fight on his feet. I'm sure he'll make it exciting early, but he's going to sleep. It's just a case of Oscar being way to big. It's not even fair.

If Pac some how managed to win, it would be nothing short of amazing.

 

I think part of the reason this fight is happening is because negotiations broke down between Pac and Jermain Taylor.

 

watch DLH announce tomorrow that his dec match will be vs

TITO TRINIDAD!!!::

 

:atu:

 

man.. but I would like to see it! I'd be pulling for Tito to stretch him

 

I would love to see it as well. But the fact is Delahoya has been calling out Tito for years but isnt trying to make this fight happen. I would have loved to see the rematch when Tito was @ 154. DHL would have been stretched for sure.:hammert:

 

I hope Manny has rolls of quarters and Tito handwraps for this one. Then it would be a fair fight.ld:

 

Imagine if Pac wins:: Think of what will happen to DLHs legacy.

Not happening of course, DLH should be ashamed of himself.

 

:laughing:

 

I think this fight is a great idea for all parties.

Oscar gets a huge name, who is smaller and beatable for his farewell fight, Pacquiao gets a chance to further his AMAZING resume, and both guys will have enough money from it to make their great-grandkids millionaires.

Yes Pacquiao is alot smaller, but this fight screams media coverage and excitement and I'm looking forward to it.

 

What are you Hoya's cousin or something? This fight is a complet disgrace and I hope it flops. He might as well pick Tatoo or something, that would be more competitive. this will be a blowout

 

I agree I can't wait for this fight. The p4p lightweight champ moving up to fight DelaHoya in a SUPERFIGHT! I'm amped Oscar hasn't fought anyone this agressive since Tito!






















until Delahoya lands the left uppercut then its good night for the flip squad

 

I really don't think it will be that big of a deal if Pacq wins.

Hell, if Pacq is fighting under GB promotions, I'd make him the favorite.

 

This won't be a blowout, Manny Pacquiao is a GREAT fighter. I love how every clique hates on DLH, Tito, Roy, or any other.

Oscar De La Hoya has fought EVERYONE, made great fights, made boxing mainstream, and is no worse than one of the 5 greatest fighters of his generation.

He rarely talks shit, he makes for excitement in and out of the ring, and is making a fight with the biggest name in boxing that isn't DLH.

How is that bad?

 

fuck you haters! i'm going to vegas! :hammert:

 

:atu:You are going all the way to Vegas to pay 50 dollars to watch it on closed circuit? Brilliant!:laughing: