De la Hoya called Pacquiao 'the best fighter in the world'

MANILA, Philippines - There was no question about who Oscar de la Hoya thought deserved to take his throne as boxing's best.

It was the same guy who virtually sent him to retirement.

Manny Pacquiao revealed to Filipino sportswriters on Monday (Sunday, US time) in Las Vegas a compliment de la Hoya made that sent Pacquiao goose bumps.

"Well, he told me I was the best fighter in the whole world."

Right after de la Hoya surrendered and the two fighters were still on top of the ring, Pacquiao and de la Hoya actually exchanged compliments.

Pacquiao told a battered de la Hoya, "You're still my idol." De la Hoya deferred, pointing back to his conqueror, "No, you're my idol."

That was one of a dozen props - whether coming from boxing journalists, celebrities, trainers or former world champions - Pacquiao has been receiving after his masterful eight-round stoppage of The Golden Boy.

Mike Tyson, the former undisputed world heavyweight champion, was awed by Pacquiao's win.

"Nobody thought he was going to win but he was the guy with the speed and the power and Oscar wasn't able to do anything about it," Tyson, who even visited Pacquiao on his final day of training, said.

"No matter what Oscar did, Pacquiao just had all the answers."

Another boxing legend, Thomas Hearns, said he was surprised with the result.

"I thought it was a very interesting fight, but I feel the fight was a little different from what I expected to be," Hearns, the Hall of Fame boxer who became the first four-division world champion, said.

"(Pacquiao) just did what was needed to win the fight."

Pacquiao also revealed to sports scribes that he got a call from David Diaz, the man Pacquiao dethroned as the world lightweight champion last June.

"I think David liked what just happened. He was asking me, 'Who are you? You're too fast. You're unbelievable. Are you human?'" Pacquiao narrated.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao admitted that he didn't expect de la Hoya to throw in the towel.

Just before the ninth round started, he already saw de la Hoya walk across from his corner toward him. Taking it as a "let's get it on" gesture, Pacquiao got up on his feet and was ready to begin the next round.

"Oscar was already standing up so I stood up and I thought the fight was on. But I was surprised Oscar's corner was already making a signal. They were throwing in the towel," Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao dealt de la Hoya his most savage beating and by making him surrender, his most embarrassing loss in an otherwise stellar career.

"Oscar was just wilting at the end of the eighth round. So Freddie (Roach) just told me to finish him off. If Oscar hadn't surrendered, I would've stopped Oscar in the ninth anyway," Pacquiao recalled.

Pacquiao pounded de la Hoya with head shots that caused de la Hoya's face to swell. De la Hoya wasn't the only won who was left a mark by the jabs, though. The frequency of Pacquiao's connections also caused his right hand to swell.

A day after his victory, Pacquiao continued to be upbeat, narrating to people whom he came across the experience of fighting de la Hoya.

"What we did inside the ring, that's exactly what we've been practicing," Pacquiao said. "Body, then head movement. Keep the head active so you take away his jab." – GMANews.TV