"There's nothing that people need more right now than the camaraderie of sharing a night with friends while watching a good fight and being sensitive to value. This is clearly the boxing event of 2008."
The De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout does have that going for it. And 70 years ago, in the throes of the Depression, Joe Louis drew 80,000 people to Yankee Stadium for his rematch against Germany's Max Schmeling.
This fight could be De La Hoya's last if he loses. Pacquiao is a national icon in his native Philippines, and his punching power makes him one of the sport's most entertaining draws.
"We know people are being forced to cut back on things where they can: vacations, entertainment, restaurants; that they're worried about their mortgage and losing their jobs," Schaefer said. "Still, once in a while, you have to shut your mind off and for two to three hours, tell yourself, 'I'm going to enjoy this: the two best fighters in the world going after each other.'
"I hope the economy stabilizes a little, but consumer confidence is out of my control. What's in my control is that we've made the best fight of our generation. Now, it's up to the consumer to tell us if we've succeeded."
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lance.pugmire@latimes.com
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Oscar De La Hoya's biggest hits
De La Hoya is the most popular fighter of his generation. Despite the weak economy, his fight Saturday against Manny Pacquiao is likely to be one of his biggest bouts. Below are De La Hoya's most successful fights in terms of pay-per-view buys and PPV revenue.
*--* Opponent Date PPV Buys PPV Revenue Floyd Mayweather Jr. May 2007 2.4 million $134.4 million Felix Trinidad September 1999 1.4 million $ 71.4 million Bernard Hopkins September 2004 1.0 million $ 56.0 million Shane Mosley II September 2003 950,000 $48.4 million Fernando Vargas September 2002 935,000 $47.8 million Ricardo Mayorga May 2006 935,000 $47.7 million *--*
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Source: Golden Boy Promotions
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The facts
OSCAR DE LA HOYA
VS. MANNY PACQUIAO
When: Saturday.
Where: MGM Grand
Garden Arena, Las Vegas.
TV: pay-per-view.
