Now it can be asked

Weighing scale trick: Last-minute move to save De La Hoya's neck?

By ALEX P. VIDAL / PNS
December 11, 2008

LAS VEGAS, Nevada  –  Was the Golden Boy bloated?

Oscar De La Hoya could be weighing at least 149 lbs or two pounds over the welterweight limit when he tipped the scale during the official weighing December 5 at the MGM Grand Arena for his 12-round "Dream Match" with Manny Pacquiao on December 6.

This suspicion emerged after the camp of Pacquiao expressed disbelief when the Filipino underdog officially weighed 142 lbs. Some 20 minutes earlier, he was 146 lbs when he tested his weight in another scale provided by the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, a hotel located half a mile from the MGM Grand, where Team Pacquiao stayed since December 1.

If there was hanky-panky in the weighing scale provided by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), was it deliberately done to save the neck of the Golden Boy, whose outfit, Golden Boy Promotions, was Top Rank's co-promoter?

De La Hoya officially tipped the scale at 145 lbs. If the scale had been maliciously calibrated and reduced by at least four pounds, was it the reason why Pacquiao "lost" four pounds on his way to the arena from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino?

"This should be investigated," Larry Merchant, HBO's highly esteemed commentator, sighed several hours after the official weigh in.

Even Emmanuel Steward, the former trainer of Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns, noticed the weird incident. So was Shelly Finkel, Pacquiao's former manager, who also expressed disbelief.

When pressed to say something about the controversy, Freddie Roach said "it's okay. Anyway, we will win this fight."

Roach was more interested about the way De La Hoya's cornermen taped his fist and this was the bone of contention when he engaged De La Hoya's backers Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and the Golden Boy's best friend Eric Gomez in a prolonged and heated debate before officials of the NSAC led by executive director Keith Kizer inside the media room.

When the tape issue was concluded, the weighing scale controversy remained unresolved and the grapevine had it that there was a deliberate and treacherous attempt to cheat Pacquiao and save "overweight" De La Hoya from disqualification.

"They (Team De La Hoya) may have realized De La Hoya could no longer scale down to welterweight," said a Panamian journalist.

When the matter was brought to Pacquiao's attention, the boxer simply shrugged off the issue and quipped: "Kung totoong nandaya sila, Diyos na ang bahala. Total kakampi ko ang Diyos (If it is true that they cheated, God will take care of everything. God is with me)."

And there was neither official protest nor attempt to dramatize the furor for publicity.

Did some high-ranking boxing officials connive to protect De La Hoya and ensure he was heavier on fight night?

The result could have backfired as De La Hoya hardly moved his legs and was like sleep-walking above the square jungle. Pacquiao, who was lighter and quicker, wrecked the Golden Boy's defense and stymied him like a confused elephant.

After eight stanzas, the dream match turned into nightmare for the Hispanic fans.

"Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter and he fought a great fight," De La Hoya said. "He was a better man tonight and he deserves all he has accomplished in his career."

"I am not shocked because at this stage, when you face someone like Manny Pacquiao you know you are going to be in a fight. I worked and trained really hard for this fight, but as I have told everyone, it is a totally different story when you get in the ring.