Oscar De La Hoya wants to know final opponent soon
BOXING
The boxer says he wants it to be finalized by next week; whether the opponent will be Manny Pacquiao remains unclear.
Oscar De La Hoya said today he wants to finalize within a week his opponent for his last fight.
"I want to have it done by next week, absolutely," De La Hoya said at his annual charity golf tournament at Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank.
Whether that opponent is Manny Pacquiao is still unclear.
Last week, representatives for De La Hoya and Pacquiao broke off negotiations for a Dec. 6 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas because they could not agree on the split of the purse.
De La Hoya, who said he would retire after his next fight, and Pacquiao had agreed to fight at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds and with eight-ounce gloves, but Pacquiao scoffed at De La Hoya's offer of a 30% share of the purse. Pacquiao is seeking 40%, according to his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, said that he had not spoken with Pacquiao's representatives since talks broke off but had heard that the Filipino fighter was interested in returning to the negotiating table.
"He sort of realized that 30% of the big pie is better than 100% of the small pie," Schaefer said of Pacquiao.
However, Arum said he spoke with Pacquiao this morning and the WBC lightweight champion remained adamant about receiving more than a 30% share of the purse if he fights De La Hoya.
"There's still the possibility of meeting somewhere in the middle," Arum said.
De La Hoya, 35, last fought in March at 150 pounds, his lightest weight since beating Arturo Gatti at 147 pounds in March 2001. Pacquiao, 29, had moved up to the 135-pound division in June, taking the lightweight title from David Diaz with a ninth-round knockout at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
"I'm already down to 149-150 [pounds]," De La Hoya said. "I'm just waiting patiently."
In addition to Pacquiao, the other front runner to fight De La Hoya is Sergio Mora, Schaefer said.
Mora, who like De La Hoya is an East Los Angeles native, will defend his WBC super-welterweight title Sept. 13 in Las Vegas against Vernon Forrest, whom he upset in June to win the title.
Pacquiao might seem to have the edge in getting a match against De La Hoya because Mora still has a fight on his schedule. De La Hoya, however, said the outcome of that bout shouldn't be a deal breaker.
"I fought several times where I already had my next opponent lined up," he said. "Anything is possible."
dan.arritt@latimes.com
