De la Hoya: Manny too fast, too strong for Marquez

LAS VEGAS – Few days before his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquiao had another celebrity visitor in Oscar De La Hoya who made a surprise appearance at the Wild Card Gym Monday.

While he favors Manny Pacquiao, the Golden Boy still isn’t putting all his money on the Filipino champion.

“Manny has to be careful with his style,” said Oscar De La Hoya .

“Marquez’s style can make it complicated for Manny,” he added, just five days before Pacquiao squares off with Marquez at the MGM Grand.

Well, speaking from experience, Marquez’ counter-punching style makes it complicated for Pacquiao, that their first two fights could have really gone either way.

Marquez, in fact, is the last boxer who came close to beating Pacquiao, during their 2008 rematch.

Pacquiao was wrapping up his final sparring session when Oscar arrived in his black Bentley, and headed straight up to the gym he’d visited many times in the past.

The two superstars, who figured in a 2008 dream match, which was won by the Filipino icon inside nine rounds, touched hands and spoke briefly after the workout.

As he was about to leave, the 38-year-old Oscar faced scribes from Manila.

“We need your thoughts on this coming fight,” Oscar was told.

“Manny is now on a whole different level. Manny has been fighting Shane Mosley, myself, Miguel Cotto. Marquez has been fighting ordinary fighters,” said Oscar.

What he really meant was that Pacquiao had fought bigger guys in his last fights, while Marquez has fought no one bigger than Floyd Mayweather.

“So, that could be the difference,” said Oscar.

“Manny is stronger, faster now, and Marquez is 38 years old. Manny right now is too fast and too strong,” said Oscar, just as old as Marquez.

He said the age will surely matter in this fight.

“It will come into play. Marquez is 38 and the fact is that Marquez came up in weight too fast,” he said of the Mexican who’s more at home at 135 lb.

But Marquez practically begged for this fight and then agreed to face Pacquiao for the latter’s WBO welterweight crown at a catchweight of 144 lb.

Marquez bulked up for this fight, but the question is if his body can adjust to his new size when he fights the strongest and fastest boxer today.

“You can’t do that in only one fight and face Manny,” said Oscar. (From Philstar.com)