This time, Oscar roots for Manny

DESPITE having been wrong with his predictions a couple of times and after suffering a beating by Manny Pacquiao, Mexican-American boxing icon Oscar de la Hoya still isn’t a believer.

De la Hoya, who retired after succumbing to eight brutal rounds against Pacquiao in 2008, isn’t convinced that the 31-year-old boxer from Gen. Santos is the best in the world today.

However, he sees Pacquiao beating Joshua Clottey easily today.

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“I think Manny Pacquiao will have an easy time with Joshua Clottey,” dela Hoya told skysports.com “Styles make fights, and his (Clottey’s) defense is one where he blocks punches, then he has to bring his hands down to look at you and then throw punches. Manny is too fast to stay there in the pocket and receive punches.

After proven wrong twice by rooting for Pacquiao’s last two opponents, Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton, the 37-year-old former Olympian might get it right this time as the odds for this fight deeply tilts in Pacquiao’s favor.