Pacquiao is scheduled to face Oscar De La Hoya on Saturday, December 6, 2008 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, Inc., the bout will be a 12-round, non-title fight contested at the 147-pound welterweight limit. Although Pacquiao goes into the fight widely recognized as the leading pound-for-pound boxer in the world, some boxing pundits have speculated that 147 pounds could be too far above his natural weight against the larger De La Hoya.
Many boxing analysts believe the fight will favor De La Hoya, and consider the fight a mismatch due to De La Hoya's size advantage. Bets have already been taken with De La Hoya as the heavy favourite. Training for the mega fight Oscar hired legendary trainers Angelo Dundee, Nacho Beristain, and young boxing talent Edwin Valero. Oscar told the news that his team is unbeatable, while Freddie Roach said, "No one is going to be able to help Oscar pull the trigger when he faces Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6". While the odds are still with Oscar the mega fight will be still fight of the year and possibly break pay per view records in boxing history.
Pacquiao will receive $15 to 30 million (share of the pay-per-view), plus a guaranteed amount.
Tickets reportedly sold out just hours after they went on sale. The total gate revenues were said to be nearly $17 million dollars. That amount would give the bout has the second largest gate revenue in boxing history (after the De La Hoya-Mayweather Jr. fight in May 5, 2007 which generated $18.4 million in gate revenue).
Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. (born Floyd Joy Sinclair on February 24, 1977), is a former American professional boxer who has a record of 39-0 (25 KOs). He is the son of Floyd Mayweather Sr., a former welterweight boxing contender.
From July 18, 2005 through June 2, 2008 he was rated by The Ring magazine as the number-one pound for pound boxer in the world. Mayweather has won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007. ESPN.com listed Mayweather at #48 on their "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time" list.
Mayweather was also well known for competing on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars where he was the fourth celebrity eliminated from the competition.
From July 18, 2005 through June 2, 2008 he was rated by The Ring magazine as the number-one pound for pound boxer in the world. Mayweather has won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007. ESPN.com listed Mayweather at #48 on their "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time" list.
Mayweather was also well known for competing on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars where he was the fourth celebrity eliminated from the competition.
Ricky Hatton
Richard "Ricky" Hatton MBE (born October 6, 1978, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England), is a British boxer. He is more commonly known as Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton.
Hatton is a two-time IBF and IBO Light Welterweight Champion, having relinquished the IBF belt, only to step back down to the weight class and beat Juan Urango. He was the WBA Welterweight Champion, but relinquished this title on August 31, 2006. Hatton is also the former WBU, WBA Light Welterweight Champion and WBC, WBA, WBO Inter-Continental Light Welterweight Champion, and current Ring Magazine Light Welterweight Champion.
Ricky Hatton will fight Paulie Malignaggi of the United States at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas on November 22 of this year for Hatton's IBO Light Welterweight title, his Ring Magazine Light welterweight title and the vacant IBF Light Welterweight title. He will be trained for this fight by Floyd Mayweather, Sr.
Hatton is a two-time IBF and IBO Light Welterweight Champion, having relinquished the IBF belt, only to step back down to the weight class and beat Juan Urango. He was the WBA Welterweight Champion, but relinquished this title on August 31, 2006. Hatton is also the former WBU, WBA Light Welterweight Champion and WBC, WBA, WBO Inter-Continental Light Welterweight Champion, and current Ring Magazine Light Welterweight Champion.
Ricky Hatton will fight Paulie Malignaggi of the United States at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas on November 22 of this year for Hatton's IBO Light Welterweight title, his Ring Magazine Light welterweight title and the vacant IBF Light Welterweight title. He will be trained for this fight by Floyd Mayweather, Sr.