By Hermie Rivera

Filipino powerhouse Manny Pacquiao will know by December 6 if there can be too much of a good thing when he takes on super-powerhouse Oscar de la Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A reading of their last ten fights has Pacquiao toting a seven-win knockout slate, two by decision and a lone 12 round set-back while de la Hoya kayoed four, decisioned three, was stopped once and outpointed twice.

Manny is all keyed-up at his training quarters in Hollywood—hell-bent in retiring de la Hoya—one of  boxing’s biggest attractions if we go by his chief strategist’s latest pronouncement.

Oscar has been crooning his ultimo boxeo adios but has been awfully quiet on his exit strategy after terms of the ‘dream match’ were completed.

“Manny’s splendid gym work can only result in a stoppage of the aging Golden Boy who can’t shoot straight anymore” crowed his chief guru Freddie Roach.

“The popular myth of big beating small is what will prevail at the match-up” countered an aide as Hoya  toughened his drills at his restricted Big Bear lair.

Meanwhile, as we leave the issue of who’s having a better camp, troubling news flew out of the World Boxing Council of Jose Sulaiman, ordering Pound-for-Pound king Manny to cough up some 100,000 dollars in sanction fees—else—his belt will be stripped.

Strange, since Sulaiman previously dubbed the Oscar/Manny fight a farce. Called it an unmitigated fraud.

Far too long, boxing cartels have been duping prize-fighters of the hard-earned cash they‘ve sweated from rugged fights.

Manny should heed the suggestion of friends to thrash into waste cans his belts.

This, in keeping with champions who humiliated officers of ring blocs by dumping their tainted sash.

It’s not the first time this cabal conned Manny. Take note of the WBC International title-trinkets where they extracted sanction sums in the past.

Leave it to the transplanted Lebanese in crafting schemes where money is to be made.

Sulaiman does not owe Pacquiao an apology. He owes him money from prior bogus bouts.

By Hermie Rivera

Photos by Noel Rivera

Hollywood, CA—Manny Pacquiao revs up a pyretic grind at his private camp, aimed at handing Oscar de la Hoya a thorough-drubbing when they collide at MGM’s Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Determined to surprise the favored Golden Boy, the Pinoy idol is pulling all stops for a record-setting ‘thrillah’ certain to bust the charts ratings-wise. Live gate attendance sold out earlier in record time.

A decisive win by Pacquiao over Hoya entitles him to leave a defining legacy en route to a new plunge in politics. But that’s another story.

“It’s Manny by knockout” chief trainer Freddie Roach brags when hawks in media  asks for his take on the big vs small  confrontation.

“My man knows where to land his knockout blows. Manny is well-coached on when to plant his vicious shots— in areas where Oscar is rendered clueless as to how he’ll win ” cocky Roach explained.

“Guaranteed”  added  the two-time trainer of the year, revealing a part of the body where a well-placed punch can brutally terminate the Dec.6 showdown.

Manny is mum on Roach’s claim of an abbreviated “Dream Match” but concedes that such a possibility is not only doable but achievable.

Oplan Oscar, a well-crafted fight plan is strategized at Roach’s Wildcard Hollywood headquarters on Vine.

Away from prying eyes of spies?

Careful snoops. If caught, you’ll find yourself rushed in an ambulance to an  ICU. For an instant check-up?

Not to worry . Fans can still get his coveted signature and pose for pictures after the Pacman is through working out.

One vital move he is in-synch with his trainers is for a 145 pound weigh-in limit and a 155 lbs. fight-weight. Give or take a pound or two.

Ideal for Pacquiao but not for de la Hoya who is battling a quicker and stronger slugger—Oscar’s height, weight and heft  edges—notwithstanding.

The book titled The Art and Practice of English Boxing yields an interesting passage: “The parts of the body (head) in which a blow is struck with the greatest probability of terminating the battle are on the eye, between the eyebrows, in the bridge of the nose or the temporal artery, beneath the left ear, under the short ribs—and in the pit of the stomach.”

Sounds familiar?

Reminds you of Bernard Hopkins on that fateful night at the MGM Grand Oscar?

At Big Bear Mountains of the Golden State, Oscar Hoya is  tightening his ever-reliable left hook, ridding its arc-like delivery to exact optimum damage.

But Pacquiao is capable of unleashing  his deadly counter-blows  when threatened by such type of hooks.

As tight as the skinflints on Pugsville Row?

Keep tuned.

By Michael Marley

ATLANTIC CITY–A birthday cake with 80 candles looms but Top Rank Head Honcho Bob Arum still has young ideas.

And, as his history shows us, when Arum gets one of his thinking outside the box ideas, they usually come to fruition.

So I wouldn’t bet against Pacmaniacs from far and wide swarming to the San Francisco Bay Area in March to see their Pinoy idol fighting at the baseball Giants downtown stadium, AT&T Park.

“It may happen,” Arum told Boxingconfidential.com as he counted down the remaining hours until his unbeaten middleweight Kelly Pavlik crossed gloves with Old Man of the Mountain Bernard Hopkins. “Manny would pack that ballpark. You’ve got a huge Filipino population in the Bay Area to begin with.”

As he’s discussed previously, Arum said that, before Pacquiao-De La Hoya coalesced into a firm deal and the Dec. 6 contracts were signed, he had lengthy discussions with Giants officials about staging a Pacman fight.

This will be good news for Boxingconfidential as I won’t have to dig deep for the private plane and vodka bills for Bay Area based John Chavez and Hermie Rivera. I guess I’d still have to underwrite their liquor tabs.

“We talked to the Giants about a lot of this even going so far as to go over seating charts and plans. If Manny could fight there, I’d say we would have to do it just before they open their home season.”

The Giants begin their 2009 season at home Tuesday, April 7, against the Milwaukee Brewers.

It’s even possible that such a Pacquiao fight might be against popular Brit Ricky Hatton because Arum said he sees no reason for Manny to go to the UK to battle the Mancunian.

I can hear the Giants p.a. man even now:

“Now batting, Manny Pacquiao!”

By Hermie Rivera