"I know what I'm capable of and if Mayweather fights with me and wants to mix it up this fight will not go the distance!"

GL: Oscar, who is going to be working your corner on May 5? "Well, that I haven't made my final decision on. Obviously with Mayweather Sr. being my trainer for the last few years, I'm thinking to myself why even change now? This is such a big fight and I am really considering Mayweather Sr, the fact is that we have created such a great bond together and we work together as a good team. He's obviously on mind as my choice." Read on to see what else The Golden Boy had to say.

GL: In my opinion, Mayweather can be more useful to this promotion than any other fight he's worked your corner in. He would be training you defeat his undefeated son, the best pound for pound fighter in the sport. Do you think he holds more value in this promotion?

Oscar De La Hoya: "Obviously that would generate a few stories here and there, but ultimately they want to see me and Floyd Jr in the ring. People are not going to buy the fight because he's in the corner, I'm sure there will be a few curious people out there all over the world, but ultimately it's me and Floyd Jr going at and that's what people want to see."

GL: Is there any chance that Freddie Roach could be training you for this fight?

ODLH: "It's funny because I've been hearing the rumors circulating and I've never mentioned Freddie Roach or any other trainer that could be a frontrunner. I've never mentioned anyone else training me for this fight. Is there a possibility? Yes, there's always that possibility of someone else training me, but I'm definitely leaning towards my trainer who I've had for almost five years now."

GL: Is it a dollars and cents issue between you and Mayweather Sr?

ODLH: "Not at all. This is more about me focused and making sure that Floyd Sr is 100 percent with me. When I step inside that ring, believe me when I tell you this, I'm going to be a machine. I have to be a machine and go in there to take care of business and going for that knockout. It's either do or die. It's that type of mentality with me and I'm going to go in there with all the guns."

GL: At the end of the day everybody who buys this fight will want to know who the better man is, but to go over the 1.1M or 1.2M PPV number there has to be something there that captures the casual boxing fan or some people who aren't fans of the sport. Don't you think that the storyline of Mayweather Sr training the biggest name in boxing to beat his undefeated son....

ODLH: (cutting in) "That obviously adds on to the drama of the whole event. This fight is going to captivate a lot of people outside of boxing and ultimately the people who know Floyd Jr and the people who have followed my career are the ones who are going to be buying the fight."

GL: Is Floyd Mayweather Jr going to the distance on May 5?

ODLH: "I can assure you that my mentality at this point and it's going to continue on until the fight, is that this fight is not going to go the distance. That's the mentality, I really have to fight this fight like no other fight and that's why I'm getting myself ready for it five months out, to make sure that I'm ready to fight the fight of my life on May 5. I'm 34 years old, I take care of my body and I fight once a year. I know what I'm capable of and if Mayweather fights with me and wants to mix it up this fight will not go the distance."

GL: Floyd Mayweather Jr is not as physically imposing as Bernard Hopkins was, but in terms of the speed and skills that he brings in to the ring, is Floyd Mayweather Jr the toughest challenge of your career?

ODLH: "Facing Floyd Jr, he's not like any other fighter out there. He fights smart and he presents many different challenges, but that's why I took the fight, because I know I can beat him. He's a very difficult fighter to hit but I guarantee you I have what it takes to find him.

GL: When can we expect official notification about who will be working your corner on May 5?

ODLH: "You should expect an announcement shortly. It's like I said this has nothing to do with money, I just wanted to make sure that Mayweather Sr was 100 percent ready to go after Floyd Jr and I believe that to be the case."

GL: Now that we know you're predicting a stoppage over Mayweather Jr can you elaborate on that a bit more? Will you stop him because he comes in there thinking he's too fast and you catch him with a big left hook? Will it be your physical advantages?

ODLH: "My mentality is going to be, I'm coming in here to take care of business and it's do or die. I'm not a dumb fighter so I'm not going to go in there thinking that I can knock Mayweather out with one punch. No, it's not going to happen like that. The harder I try to knock him out, the harder I throw my punches, the less success I will have. I have to fight very, very smart and come out with the game plan to fight Floyd Jr and implement it successfully, that's how I'm going to get the knockout I want."

GL: Will the Mayweather fight take place for the WBC title?

ODLH: "That is the championship that I hold and I plan on defending it on May 5, but we all know how things can change."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

ODLH: "To the fans, obviously thank you for supporting boxing for every single fight. Golden Boy Promotions has some big fights lined up for you guys in 2007, Shane Mosley-Luis Collazo is going to be a great fight, we saw Collazo prove himself and his performance with Hatton spoke for itself. We have Barrera-Marquez going on March 17 and I smell a trilogy. That fight is very special to me because it's a fight that no other promoter has ever been able to make. Bob Arum couldn't make it for years. And the Super Bowl of boxing takes place on Cinco De Mayo at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. I'm going to do my part to make sure this is the event lives up to the hype, I know Floyd Mayweather Jr is a professional and he's going to do his part. I have the utmost respect for Floyd Jr but when I get in there on May 5 I will be ready to die, because that's how much this fight means to me."

M

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