By James Slater: With talks for a much discussed Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao currently at a standstill, a number of alternate names are being bandied around as possibilities for “The Golden Boy’s” farewell fight in December. According to a news article in The L.A Times, who heard from Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, none other than Roy Jones Junior is being looked at as a potential De La Hoya foe. According to Schaefer, representatives for Jones have made it clear they are interested in beginning talks..
“Every fighter in the world wants to fight Oscar,” Schaefer said.
It seems Roy Jones Junior wants to. Other names being put forward as possibilities for December 6th include the winner of the Sergio Mora-Vernon Forrest September 13th rematch and, perhaps most surprisingly, Sugar Shane Mosley. I say surprisingly, because Mosley is, of course, now a firm business acquaintance of De La Hoya and a good friend, too. But, according to Schaefer, a third fight between Oscar and Shane could well take place.
With Mosley at present having his name put next to some ugly allegations of known steroid taking, a third bout between the two men would have this factor thrown in as an added piece of intrigue.
“Was he [Mosley] taking steroids, was he not?” Schaefer asked. “The only way to settle this is to see who is the best in the ring.”
Firstly, Mosley has to get past the dangerous wild man that is Nicaragua’s Ricardo Mayorga, in September. But should he do as most people expect he will and win that one, a third instalment of the Mosley-De La Hoya rivalry could be upon us. A risky fight for De La Hoya, to be sure, but a bout the fans would pay to see. Their first fight was a near classic, while their rematch produced a highly debatable decision – one that went to Mosley. If Oscar could gain revenge for one of his two defeats at the hands of Shane, it would be a great way for the 35-year-old legend to leave his sport.
Whoever De La Hoya fights in his very last fight in December, the place is sure to be rocking with fans. If the man in the opposite corner of the ring turns out to be either Roy Jones Junior or Sugar Shane Mosley, the biggest fight of 2008 will have been saved for last!