With no title at stake, Pacquiao fought Oscar De La Hoya to add pounds to qualify to fight at welterweight. Most analysts thought the extra burden would slow him down if not nullify his power. But Pacquiao’s ferocity through eight rounds eventually persuaded De La Hoya’s corner to throw in the towel at the beginning of the night. Some commentators would later say that De La Hoya was undertrained and overhyped, but the Filipino’s victory, coming at the expense of the well-known American, was Pacquiao’s single most stunning win.