Analyst: De la Hoya working against own DNA

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/17/2008 9:59 PM

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De la Hoya, here being demolished by Mayweather.

A boxing analyst in the United States has cautioned Oscar de la Hoya for his December 6 "Dream Match" welterweight super bout against Manny Pacquiao especially since the Philippine ring icon would undoubtedly have more speed than the 10-time world champ.

"De la Hoya is also working against his own DNA," wrote Eastsideboxing.com's Shawn O'Donnell.

O'Donnell explained that at 35, de la Hoya will notice the changes in a big way.

"When he goes to fire off combinations, or move to avoid a punch, he will notice that there will be a significant disconnect between what the mind knows that it needs to do and what the body can actually perform," he added.

The analyst said traces of this decline in de la Hoya were seen during the last parts of the clash against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"In order to shore this up, the (Steve) Forbes fight was organized so that de la Hoya could work out his timing on a much slower opponent. However, the hardest thing to fight against is your own biological limitations," O'Donnell said.

He also explained Freddie Roach's joke about de la Hoya "not being able to pull the trigger anymore."

"[It's] not directed at his ability to punch hard per say, but more so his ability to execute a punch in a timely manner," he said, adding that the Hall of Fame trainer may be right when he speaks of this.

Despite these shortcomings that may be negative for de la Hoya, O'Donnell said he would not count out the Golden Boy just yet.

"De la Hoya can change fights through the actions of his iron will though. His primary tool for dealing with any form adversity is his psychological game plan," he said, though in the end, O'Donnell said posed a question if these tools would be enough against Pacquiao.

No mismatch, for the nth time

Still on Pacquiao, an boxing Website has quoted a ringside doctor close to the Filipino boxer's camp that definitely, there would not be a mismatch in the December 6 fight despite the four-inch height gap between the Filipino and de la Hoya.

"There will be no mismatched because Manny has studied how to befuddle a taller foe," the doctor who requested anonymity said.

The doctor also said that the Golden Boy's physical condition is now suspect due to a long period of idleness despite winning against Forbes this year.

"De la Hoya's mind may still be willing, but his body will tell him enough is enough," the doctor added.

In a related report, a Scottish featherweight has said that he looks up to Pacquiao for his training regimen.

"The intensity that guy trains at is phenomenal. Every round is 100 miles an hour," PA Sports' Gavin McCafferty quoted 21-year-old Jason Hastie as saying.

According to Hastie, he likes Pacquiao's attitude toward every round of training.

"He (Pacquiao) says he treats every round like his last round, even when he is shadow boxing. It has shown me what I need to do to become a better fighter," the Edinburgh native said.

"It's given me a boost in the gym, I'm always trying to do another two or three rounds and try to work harder," said Hastie, who also sparred with the World Boxing Council lightweight champ during a recent trip to Los Angeles, California.

Hastie, who has three wins in as many bouts, is set to fight against this Saturday at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley, Scotland. Roy Medina, abs-cbnNEWS.com, with a report from Philboxing.com