Hahayaan na lamang ni American trainer Freddie Roach si Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions na gawin ang kanyang trabaho ukol sa pagtatakda sa welter-weight championship fight nina Filipino Manny Pacquiao at American Oscar Dela Hoya.
“I talked to Bob Arum about it and he just told me to let him do his job,” wika ni Roach kay Arum. “He’s going to try and negotiate the deal. If it can be negotiated, the fight will happen.”
Matatandaang sinabihan ni Arum si Roach na manahimik hinggil sa inaayos niyang banggaan ng world four-division champion na si Pacquiao at ng world six-division titlist na si Dela Hoya.
Mula sa lightweight, aakyat ang 29-anyos na si Pacquiao sa welterweight division kung saan bababa naman ang 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya buhat sa light welterweight class, ayon kina Arum at Roach.
Taglay ni Pacquiao, inagaw ang suot na World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight belt ni Mexican-American David Diaz via ninth-round TKO noong Hunyo 28, ang 47-3-2 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 36 KOs, habang dala naman ni Dela Hoya ang 39-5-0 (30 KOs) card.
“I definitely think my guy will win the fight. I would never put my guy in a fight I didn’t think he could win. At this juncture of his career, I think he’s on top of the world. He’s very motivated right now and I think he has just too much speed and he can beat Oscar,” ani Roach kay Pacquiao.
Ang laban na inaasahang pinakahuli na ni Dela Hoya bago ito magretiro ay nakatakda sa Disyembre 6. (Russell Cadayona)