De La Hoya’s Return to Welterweight Worth the ‘Weight’?

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Dave Sholler - Oscar De La Hoya is a wealthy man. Having made millions of dollars as a prizefighter, De La Hoya enjoys some of the world’s finest luxuries.

Fancy cars? “The Golden Boy” drives them.

Expensive suits? The California native wears them.

Culinary Delicacies? The former champion eats them.

However, as the suave De La Hoya prepares for his Dec. 6 clash with Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao, some of his extravagant lifestyle indulgences have taken a hit. While the 35-year-old still dresses in Italian suits and drives flashy cars, he has had to scale back the amount of fine cuisine he normally consumes.

Preparing to fight Pacquiao at 147 pounds - a weight class he has not competed at since defeating Arturo Gatti in 2001 – De La Hoya has had to watch his waistline. It’s the only way the former middleweight can ensure that his dream fight with Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) goes off without a hitch.

“The weight is no problem,” a confident De La Hoya said on Monday’s conference call with reporters. “I feel strong. I do have to admit that in the first couple of days that I did make the weight or I tried making weight, I did feel a little lightheaded and weak. But now that I have gotten used to it and now that weeks have passed by, I feel strong and fast and very comfortable with welterweight. And I'm even thinking of going back down to 140 after this fight, so we'll see.” [details]

[Benny Leonard]

I wonder if Oscar will be so worn down from trying to make weight that he has nothing left by fight time. It could very well be that he is fine now, but it may be taking its toll as we speak.

[kenso]

I wonder if Oscar will be so worn down from trying to make weight that he has nothing left by fight time. It could very well be that he is fine now, but it may be taking its toll as we speak.

what i hate about this fight is that people are going to make excuses for the winner.

"oh oscar was washed up"
"oscar was too drained to do anything"
"manny was too small"
"manny had to beef up too much and couldnt get off"

i hate all of that, theres going to be that **** no matter who wins too. i wish people would just give proper credit to the winner of this fight, it makes me mad to think that the GREAT victory either of these fighters would have by beating the other is diminshed by boxing fans who want to bring **** into the equation that the fighters themselves have put aside.

makes me mad.....

[ferocity]

Is this Ronnies twin? I ask because he calls Delahoya a Middleweight, but calls Pacquiao a a Jr. FLYweight(106) kind of funny to hear Delahoya say he can make 140 lol, we'll see. If this goes past 6, Delahoya is going to be taking a lot of shots and probably gas by 10rd, making weight will most likly tire delahoya later in the round but with pacquiao coming forward, delahoya will only have to stick out his jab, or left hook or right hand and double impact as he throws a punch and pacquiao goes into the shoot. I'll be surprised if Delahoya doesn't ko' Pac by the 6th round and shocked if it goes 12.

[BROOKLYN CESAR]

I hope pac knocks this clowns head off!!! But i cant see that happening unless the weight is really a big problem for him!!!

[bigflip55]

i bet oscar still comes in at least a pound over lol he cant hold that weight this long, he is gonna drain himself and peak to early, and if he does make weight then hes gonna get that ass floored, when you walk around at a weight that is something you cut to you just over train yourself and waste your legs, i hate this matchup but would love to see a great fight break out, highly doubful but i can always wish right

[IMustBreakU]

The beginning of this article should have read: "Expensive dresses? The California native wears them."