Oscar De La Hoya made an appearance in Chicago today to promote his December 6 fight with Manny Pacquaio, and he said it was the greatest athlete in Chicago history who gave him the advice that's guiding him through his preparation for the fight. "Michael Jordan told me, 'The Day you think you know everything is the day you have to hang it up,'" De La Hoya said.
At age 35, De La Hoya is older than Pacquiao, and many observers think that's a reason to bet against him. But De La Hoya insists that experience trumps youth, and that with Jordan's advice in mind, he's still improving as a boxer, even with 44 professional fights under his belt. De La Hoya says that he's continuing to get smarter in the fight game, just as Jordan became a more cerebral player in his later years.
The question, though, is whether De La Hoya is like the Michael Jordan who returned to the Bulls in 1994, or like the Michael Jordan who retired with the Washington Wizards in 2003. We'll find out on December 6.




