SAN FRANCISCO – Freddie Roach threw the first haymaker.
"I found this toy gun," Roach said, handing it to Oscar De La Hoya on the dais Saturday at Fort Mason, with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop. "But I can't pull the trigger. It must be yours."
Ouch.
Roach was the Golden Boy's trainer for his May 2007 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr., when De La Hoya could not "pull the trigger" against a smaller, faster opponent. Roach now is in the corner of De La Hoya's next foe, the smaller, faster Manny Pacquiao.
This fight, Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, is that rare bout promising to be action-packed from the opening bell.
Unlike Mayweather, pound-for-pound champ Pacquiao actually fights, rather than talking, talking some more and hiding through early rounds.
"I dream about it every night," said De La Hoya, a 10-time world champ in six weight classes who has postponed retirement. This was to be his farewell bout.
"Please, stay right in front of me; let's make it a fight. Which, I'm sure, he (will). There's no backing down in Manny."
Even if the Golden Boy enjoys a four-inch height advantage and walks into the ring for the 147- pound fight at about 160 and Pac Man has never fought above 134. De La Hoya (39-5, 30 knockouts) is a 2-1 favorite.
"He is a legend in boxing, and it is my honor to fight him," said Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35). "It's a big test for me."
It should be a treat for sweet science fans.
What to surf
www.etruesports.com. The guys at eTrueSports are at it again: They've given Chicago Cubs a new definition.
What to watch
Baseball: Rays at White Sox, 1:07 p.m., TBS. See if the upstart Rays can pull off the sweep in Chicago.
What to do
College men's soccer: San Jose State at Sacramento State, 1 p.m. It's the conference opener for both schools. Sac State is 5-2-2 and San Jose State 4-1-3.
Saturday's results
Area college football
• N. Arizona 42, SAC ST. 10
• UC DAVIS 34, N. Colo. 30
• Notre Dame 28, STAN. 21
• CAL 24, Arizona State 14
• Nevada 49, Idaho 14
• Hawaii 32, Fresno St. 29 (OT)
National League playoffs
• Brewers 4, Phillies 1
• Dodgers 3, Cubs 1
