Pacquiao Proves Me Wrong

Didn't I warn you guys that my predictions weren't legally binding?

I mean, even the World's Greatest Sportswriter is entitled to the occasional wrong prediction, and in manhandling Oscar de la Hoya Saturday night Manny Pacquiao rendered me only half right.

If you guys can think back about 45 hours you'll remember me pointing out that Pacquiao would press his speed advantage, land a bunch of clean shots and win plenty of rounds over the Golden Boy.

And didn't he do that?

But I also predicted Oscar would fight back.

And he didn't.

More accurately, he couldn't. 

In the bout's immediate aftermath several boxing observers said de la Hoya looked old as he absorbed stinging blows from Pacquiao while offering little in return.

But it goes beyond just looking old. At 35, after 16 years in the pro game, Oscar is old. Too old, anyway, to fight a guy as fast as Pacquiao, who doesn't appear to have lost much speed as he packed on pounds to become a welterweight.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, looked comfortable in his new weight class, and his thrashing of De La Hoya suggests he'll similarly steamroll any other smallish (Oscar entered the ring at just 147 pounds), slowish welterweight he faces.

So what's next for these two?

FOR OSCAR

I've heard several experts predict -- heck, damn near beg  for -- his retirement, which would seem reasonable after such a lopsided loss. Even without the Pacquiao fight he's generated more money than any fighter ever, and earned more money for himself than anyone (excluding Michael Vick) could ever spend. With his legacy set (Olympic Gold, six-time world champ, new pay scale for PPV headliners) and his health intact he has little reason to continue fighting.

Besides pride.

It's a powerful motivator. Powerful enough to propel him into the ring one last time next spring or fall, but not against a top flight fighter in his prime. I'm thinking Oscar takes a vacation, then signs to fight a third or fourth-tier welterweight with a decent pedigree -- someone like former Olympian Terrance Cauthen, former "Contender" Alfonzo Gomez, or even Ricky Hatton's brother Matthew. The fight headlines an expensive pay per view card, Oscar pounds out a lacklustre 10-round decision, then walks away a winner.

MEANWHILE, MANNY SHOULD SEEK OUT

1. Ricky Hatton.

He was in Vegas all week, looking to lure Saturday's winner into a showdown next year.

Think he changed his mind after seeing Pacquiao's performance? Two days have passed and I still haven't heard Hatton call out Pac Man the way he did Floyd a couple years back.

*Checks Google*

Still haven't.

You think Hatton doesn't remember what happened last time he faced an allegedly smaller fighter coming off a big win over De La Hoya?

No reason to think a Pacquiao fight would end much differently.

So it's on promoter Bob Arum to make this fight happen so Pacquiao can flatten Hatton and set up a big money bout with....

2. Floyd Mayweather

You think a $20 million payday is enough to coax the Pretty Boy out of retirement?

Maybe. Turns the trick for sure if you couple it with the the adulation that will follow Pac Man's victory over Hatton. When Floyd realizes the boxing world really has moved on without him, and that there's much more money in fighting than in bankrolling bad music acts, he'll un-retire to fight Pacquiao.

And he'll win.

Sorry, Manny, but Floyd is way too skilled for you. He'll make you eight figures, though, so make the fight.

MANNY SHOULD AVOID

Antonio Margarito and Paul WIlliams.

These plus-sized welterweights present BIG problems for a guy like Pacquiao. If you don't believe me, ask Miguel Cotto how 11 rounds of relentless pressure from Margarito felt. Or ask Margarito how he dealt with Williams' freakish reach and volume punching.

Both men are bad matchups for the Pac Man, and since neither is Oscar de la Hoya, neither brings enough money to the bout to justify the risk.