In just a few hours one of the better boxing matches to come around in a long time will take place.  Betting on the Oscar de la Hoya - Manny Pacquiao fight has been huge up to this point and the hours immediately leading into this bout will see even heavier action.

Why is the Oscar de la Hoya - Manny Pacquiao fight drawing such a massive betting frenzy?

First, de la Hoya is still one of the most important (and some would argue legitimate) names in boxing today. Oscar De La Hoya may be the most bankable pay-per-view star in history.  He can also still connect.

Second, his opponent, Pacquiao, enjoys a phenomenal fan base back in his native Philippines. 

"If Pacquiao beats De La Hoya," says Bob Arum, chairman of Top Rank, Inc., which is co-promoting the event with Golden Boy Promotions, "he'll fight twice more in 2009, he'll run for Congress in the Philippines and be elected, and sometime in the future become president of the country."

Thirdly, the oddsmakers have this fight close in terms of a line compared to a number of recent boxing matches where big names were present but the matchup (and odds) were lopsided.

Pacquiao had the best odds at Sportingbet.com heading into Saturday afternoon for those living outside the US.  There you could get him at +180 (for a payout of $180 on every $100 bet).  For US gamblers, the payout would be $160 for every $100 bet on Pacquiao at  Sportsinteraction.com. Diamond Sports International, an offshoot of the very well established BetCRIS group, had Oscar de la Hoya at -175 odds.

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Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com