Nobody is better at finding the right fight for his fighter than Bruce Trampler, who is doing for Manny Pacquiao what he did for Oscar De La Hoya.
A matchmaker's matchmaker
Reporting from Las Vegas — In the discussions that helped script Oscar De La Hoya's path from the star of the 1992 Olympic Games to his current role as the greatest draw in boxing pay-per-view history, one voice was listened to most of all.
Matchmaker Bruce Trampler was the one who determined when the "Golden Boy" was prepared to vanquish young, skilled fighters like Rafael Ruelas and when he could handle veterans like Mexican warrior Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. in 1996 and polished southpaw Pernell Whitaker a year later.
"Any fighter, no matter how talented, must either be matched correctly, or they will be destroyed," said Trampler's boss, Bob Arum of Top Rank promotions. "The art of matchmaking is to take a young prospect and put him against guys he can beat and learn something from. . . . You protect the kid somewhat, but you want him to learn. Bruce has that ability; I don't.
"He deserves complete credit for Oscar. Without him, there would be no Oscar De La Hoya as he stands today. It was a masterful job."
But De La Hoya now runs his own promotional company and Trampler remains at Top Rank, which promotes De La Hoya's opponent tonight, Manny Pacquiao.
Trampler has done for Pacquiao what he once did for De La Hoya: huddle with him often to ensure the correct fight strategy is in place.
Trampler, 59, was been sent by Arum six times this fall to confer with Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, at their Hollywood gym. The idea: Have the man who was such an influential player in De La Hoya's career supervise the strategy that could end it.
"I don't think I told them anything they didn't know and it'd be much less than truthful if I said I gave them a secret, but I did speak my piece and I found we're all on the same page about how to win this fight," Trampler said.
Roach said he appreciated the guidance. Arum said that instruction is part of the reason why he believes Pacquiao will win by knockout. "Manny is our fighter now; I'd feel good if he wins," Arum said. "It has nothing to do with history. I'd still exult if Oscar is knocked out. I wouldn't feel bad at all, because it's my guy ending the era."
Trampler's career dates back to 1968, when he made his first match for a fighter, Bill Douglas, best known as the father of future heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas. Trampler quit a career in journalism after studying at Ohio University and worked with famed trainer Angelo Dundee and his publicist brother, Chris. Trampler calls this time "Dundee finishing school," and he later landed under Madison Square Garden's Teddy Brenner, whom boxing historians consider the greatest matchmaker ever.
