What a way to cap Las Vegas’ stellar boxing campaign: Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao collide December 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, in a curious matchup of superstars.

Curious, because they arrive at the 147-pound weight limit by different routes. De La Hoya, a champion from junior lightweight to the middleweight division, an area spanning 130 to 160 pounds, forces himself down in weight. Pacquiao, a titleholder from flyweight to lightweight, a distance from 112 to 135 pounds, now jumps two more weight classes up to 147. He barely even stopped at the 135-pound lightweight division on his way up here. How many weight classes can he climb and still be effective?

“How does anyone really know what’s going to happen?” asked 35-year-old De La Hoya, the early 2-1 favorite in what should be an excellent betting fight. “That’s what makes this exciting. He is a southpaw with amazing speed. He is also young (29) and powerful. We both have terrific followings. We are on a world stage and everybody wants to know how it will come up.”

Normally, the fighter coming up in weight holds a disadvantage. Kelly Pavlik showed that when he moved from 160 to 171 pounds and was bludgeoned by Bernard Hopkins in October. Don’t tell that to Freddie Roach, one of the common threads running between the two fighters. He trained De La Hoya last year, when the Golden Boy lost a close decision to Floyd Mayweather, boxing’s pound-for-pound king. De La Hoya led the fight before fading. That’s an important consideration now for Roach, because he trains Pacquiao.

“If Oscar tires late in the fight, as he has is others, Manny will take him out,” Roach contended. “Sure, I think Oscar will go into the ring weighing 160 and Manny will be 150. I’m not worried about that because power is not going to win this fight for Manny. He will win the fight with speed. Manny’s not a one-punch knockout guy anyway.”

De La Hoya, 39-5 with 30 knockouts, owns one of boxing’s most lethal left hooks. He digs the body and quickly fires it up to the head. The quick combinations have enabled him to seize control of many fights. What De La Hoya does not have, in Roach’s view, is a formidable right hand. That weapon will become paramount in this fight, because Pacquiao is a left-hander. How De La Hoya fares with his right hand will dramatically affect the bout.

“Oscar has a terrific left hand and Manny has to find a way to get past that,” Roach said. “If he does, he’ll be in good position. Oscar does not use his right hand all that much.”

That makes this the ideal time to unveil it. De La Hoya is cagey, not only in style, but with his matchups. He finds the weakness of an opponent, often one coming up in weight, and utilizes it. De La Hoya has found a way to beat 18 current or former champions. This will be among his most significant advantages in weight and power.

Besides Roach, cultural adulation becomes a common theme for De La Hoya and Pacquiao. Both fighters are icons to large segments of the population. De La Hoya is a hero to Latino fans and a draw for Madison Avenue. For the last 16 years, he has woven a storybook tale.

America’s lone gold medalist in the 1992 Olympics stole his way into people’s hearts by winning the Olympic gold right after his mother died of breast cancer. Victories over the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez (twice), Ike Quartey, Fernando Vargas and Hector Camacho have cemented his ring legacy. Most fighters between 147 and 160 pounds hope for a lucrative bout against De La Hoya, who boxes only when he pleases and is guaranteed the media spotlight when he does. De La Hoya’s early May battle against unheralded Steve Forbes in California was the talk of boxing.

De La Hoya improved on the concept by becoming one of the game’s cutting edge promoters.

By promoting fellow boxers, De La Hoya enjoyed successful events while providing career-high paydays for the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and others. He became a natural entrepreneur and has caused boxing sellouts in markets where the sport typically fails, like Houston.

On a different scale, Pacquiao is adored. He is the brand name for 76 million Filipinos. His picture marks billboards in Manila, currency in the Philippines and the perception of power in government. The Pac Man was convinced to run, unsuccessfully, for office a couple years back.

Pacquiao’s best moments are reserved for boxing. He rose to prominence by putting a tremendous beating upon Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003. While Pacquiao continues boxing successfully, his appearances, like De La Hoya’s, have become less frequent. That ranks as one of the intangibles in this bout. Pacquiao stands 47-3 with 35 knockouts.

De La Hoya-Pacquioa caps an exceptional year in Las Vegas boxing. The desert has hosted top events like Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor II and Antonio Margarito-Miguel Cotto, a strong fight-of-the-year candidate.

Full Slate

Las Vegas unfurls a tremendous December sports schedule, outside of boxing and mixed martial arts. It is an enviable lineup, one that would be hard to find in any other city.

Start with the Las Vegas Marathon.

How do you really measure the success of a promotion? When organizers cap its participation.

The fourth annual Las Vegas Marathon unfolds December 7 with stipulations. Only the first 10,000 runners can be part of it. The 26-plus mile jaunt begins at 6:07 a.m., with expected temperatures of 50 degrees.

This is the only marathon run though the Strip and the Fremont Street experience. It begins and ends in front of Mandalay Bay, has a special prize category for Clark County residents and will, as always, be a spectacle.

The lineup continues with the National Finals Rodeo. It brings an entire industry to the Thomas and Mack Center for sessions running December 4-13. National champions are crowned, prize money is earned and network television covers the event.

Then there’s hockey. The Wranglers launch their longest homestand of the season, eight games, starting December 15. Just barely. The game begins at 11:59 p.m. It’s the Wranglers’ fabled midnight promotion. That’s always a popular draw with casino workers at the Orleans Arena. Patrons have been known to show up at the game in pajamas for this unique promotion.

The Wranglers play December 19, 20, 26-28 and then two straight in the beginning of January.

Boxing, rodeo, hockey, the marathon. Don’t forget the drive to the NFL playoffs and college football. Vegas is packed. What a time to be here.

Casino Connection sports editor Dave Bontempo, an award-winning writer and commentator, will broadcast Pacquiao-De La Hoya to a worldwide audience of several million people.

By Dave Bontempo

Casino Connection Sports Editor Dave Bontempo is an award-winning sports writer and broadcaster who calls boxing matches all over the world. He has covered the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs, as well as numerous PGA, LPGA and Seniors Golf Tour events, and co-hosted the Casino Connection television program with Publisher Roger Gros.