Oscar De La Hoya picked Manny Pacquiao as the better fighter between him and Floyd Mayweather. The former champion shared his thoughts in a chat with Ring Magazine, basing his opinion on his own fights with both boxers.
De La Hoya lost to Mayweather in 2008 by a split decision. He then faced Pacquiao after that and lost when his corner stopped the fight after eight rounds. That bout marked the end of De La Hoya's boxing career.
The fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao in 2015 was huge for boxing. Mayweather won by unanimous decision. But people still wonder what would've happened if they'd fought earlier, around 2009.
In the Ring Magazine interview, De La Hoya praised both fighters. He noted Mayweather's footwork and boxing smarts. But he had more to say about Pacquiao:
"I would have to say Pacquiao. I think his determination, his conditioning, his skill, his power, speed, footwork … he's one of the fighters I most appreciated. Mayweather-Pacquiao would have been a lot different [if they'd fought] in their primes. Pacquiao would have beat [Mayweather] easy, absolutely."
These days, both Mayweather and Pacquiao are still around boxing, doing exhibition fights around the world. Pacquiao has even thought about a real comeback recently. He wanted to fight WBC Welterweight World Champion Mario Barrios. But those plans hit a snag when Barrios took another fight.
