Manny Pacquiao has offered his view on who would have won a fantasy match-up between Oscar De La Hoya and Ryan Garcia.
Pacquiao is a boxing legend and the sport’s only eight-weight world champion. He is now deep into his forties but has not yet retired. Last time he entered the ring was back in July last year when he fought to an impressive draw with then-world champion Mario Barrios.
He has long been rumoured to return for a rematch against Floyd Mayweather live on Netflix in September, though there is disagreement over whether or not the fight will be an exhibition, which has thrown it into doubt.
Mayweather beat De La Hoya back in 2007 for the WBC light middleweight title, and a year later, ‘The Golden Boy’ took a loss to Pacquiao in his final fight.
That left De La Hoya with a record of 39 wins from 45 and 11 world titles in six weight classes, including lineal championships in three weight classes, which made him one of the biggest stars of his era.
Garcia, who is promoted by De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, is also well known around the world but has not yet matched those achievements.
The 27-year-old from California is the current WBC welterweight champion, having beaten Barrios on points in February, though is a controversial figure who had his win over Devin Haney ruled a no-contest after testing positive for banned substances.
Speaking recently, Pacquiao was asked who would win if the two met.
“Oscar De La Hoya in his prime.”
Garcia is one of the many boxers Conor Benn has called out as he presses for his first world title shot, and the pair are rumoured to be fighting later in the year.
