Doghouse Boxing's Weigh In Report for Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao
By Gabriel Montoya on Location for Doghouse Boxing (Dec 5, 2008) Photo © German Villasenor, DHB  
I'll say one thing for Oscar De la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions: They know how to throw a party. The weigh-in for Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar De la Hoya seemed like more of a variety show complete with George Lopez playing comic ("It's amazing that all Filipinos are the same size. Woman and the guys") to Michael Buffer's straight man. Video clips of the journey to this super fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and a spirited crowd somewhere over a thousand, boxing's biggest show finished the last of it's pre-fight rituals in grand fashion.

Legendary fighters Bernard Hopkins Shane Mosley were in attendance along with Pacquiao's chief rival Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton (who may fight the winner next) and Angelo Dundee.

"I guarantee you Oscar will win this fight by knockout," said Hopkins. "Anybody that disagrees with me, I'll be outside."

The show/ weigh-in, lasted about a half hour but was entertaining in a way few weigh-ins ever are. Lopez teased the fighters as the weighed in (He's wearing Thriller underwear") and snored at Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaeffer for being boring in hyping the fight.

Afetr some filler with Ricky Hatton where he reiterated his desire to fight the winner, it was time for Manny Pacquiao to take the stage along with trainer Freddie Roach. Having covered five Pacquiao fights and weigh ins, I can honestly say that this was the most energetically I have seen Pacquiao weigh in years.

Upon his entrance, De La Hoya seemed very relaxed, smiling and joking with his team while playing to the crowd.

Pacquiao looked lean and ripped as he posed for the crowd and took some playful shots to the stomach from Lopez' microphone. De La Hoya didn't seem as eager to get shirtless while we waited for the ESPN SportsCenter feed to begin.

Finally it was time for Pacquiao to step to the scales. Pacquiao looking perhaps a tad softer in the middle at the higher weight class though that ight be because he didn't have to drain his body to make the weight. He weighed in at a ready 142 lbs.

Lopez would ask Pacquiao how many pounds he would put on before tomorrow night.

"Five pounds," he said. "Five or eight pounds. I would like to thank all the people who came to day. And I'd like to thank all the Filipino people and everyone who supports me."

De La Hoya stepped to the scale looking a bit dehydrated weighing in at 145 pounds. Afterward, however, he claimed it wasn't hard at all to make the weight.

"I feel great," he exclaimed. "I feel like I have a lot of energy. I didn't have any trouble making weight. The only time I had trouble was when I ate tacos on Friday nights. But other than that I ate deer meat and kangaroo. I am set to take care of the job at hand."

As for his return to his Big Bear training camp for this fight?

"Big Bear was incredible," he said. "It reignited the fire inside me. It made me realize that is where i started and that is where I need to finish my career."

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