De La Hoya has style to beat Pacquiao: Dundee

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Renowned trainer Angelo Dundee believes Oscar De La Hoya has the perfect style to beat WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao in their highly anticipated welterweight clash on Saturday.

Dundee, who has trained such great fighters as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman, acted as an adviser to De La Hoya during his training camp.

"We found out stuff he can do against Pacquiao," Dundee told reporters on Thursday. "Exactly what we did, that's our business, and you'll see on Saturday night.

"There are certain things you can do in a fight. Like when Ray Leonard fought Marvin Hagler (in 1987), I noticed that every time Hagler stepped forward, he would punch.

"So I said to Ray Leonard, when he steps, take a move, so he can't punch. Manny Pacquiao does things like that. And we know what he does."

Dundee acknowledged, however, that Pacquiao, 47-3-2 (35 KOs) presented unique challenges.

"Nobody fights like Pacquiao," he said. "He's got his own style, he's an awkward guy, and he's a busy guy."

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said De La Hoya, 39-5 (30 KOs) would struggle with Pacquiao's fast-paced, aggressive style during Saturday's fight in Las Vegas.

"Manny Pacquiao's one of those fighters who's very hard to read," he said. "He doesn't do usual things. He throws punches from odd angles, you don't know where he's coming from.

"You don't know what he's going to next, because he doesn't know either."

ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE

Dundee said Pacquiao would be especially vulnerable to De La Hoya's vaunted left hook, and Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach acknowledged that was the punch he was keen to avoid.

"I think Manny can take his punch, yes, but we're planning on not getting hit by the left hook," said Roach. "The right hand we're not worried about.

"We're working on getting away from the hook."

Roach dismissed concerns that Pacquiao, a Filipino whose first professional fight was at 106 pounds, more than 40 pounds lighter than he will weigh on Saturday, would be at a disadvantage against the naturally bigger De La Hoya, who has won world titles from super featherweight to middleweight.

"I don't think size wins this fight, I think speed does," he said. "The bigger guy doesn't always win. The reach advantage is taken away so easily just by getting close to the guy.

"(De La Hoya) needs room to punch. Oscar's a long puncher, Manny's a short puncher. We get inside on him, then we have an advantage."

(Editing by Ed Osmond)