Oscar De La Hoya has compared the punching power of former rivals Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao ahead of a potential rematch between the legendary duo.
It has been reported in the last few weeks that five-weight world champion Mayweather is in talks to face Filipino icon Pacquiao for a second time, over ten years on from their first encounter.
Mayweather has not fought as a professional since he clashed with former UFC champion Conor McGregor back in August of 2017, although the 48-year-old has returned to the ring for a handful of exhibition bouts since then.
As for Pacquiao, the eight-division champion made a sensational comeback to the sport in the summer when he fought to a draw against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, although it has been argued that the 46-year-old had done enough to dethrone ‘El Azteca’.
One man that has experience in sharing the ring with Mayweather and ‘PacMan’ is legendary fighter-turned-promoter De La Hoya, who crossed paths with both fighters during his professional career.
De La Hoya lost by split decision to Mayweather in May 2007, before he then suffered an eighth round retirement defeat to Pacquiao in December 2008, in what turned out to be the final professional fight for ‘The Golden Boy.’
In a resurfaced clip, De La Hoya struggled to separate the legendary duo when comparing their respective punching power.
“I’d have say they were about the same … It’s funny, because I didn’t feel Pacquiao’s punch, it didn’t do anything to me, maybe it’s because Pacquiao was coming up in weight, I believe that was his first fight at welterweight so I didn’t really feel his punch. With him it was more of an accumulation, you know, but I would say about the same, they punch the same.”
Mayweather was victorious when he beat Pacquiao in their first meeting back in May 2015, and if a second bout was indeed to take place, the Filipino icon has confirmed that it would be a professional bout rather than an exhibition.
