Oscar De La Hoya thinks his promotions company will soon wrap up a deal for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to fight Sugar Shane Mosley in May.

And after that, De La Hoya still believes Mayweather will meet Manny Pacquiao in the not-too-distant future.

“That fight has to happen,” De La Hoya said on Tuesday of Mayweather-Pacquiao, which fell apart this month in a drug-testing dispute. Read on for more…

“It’s too big not to happen. We just have to cross one hurdle.”

 

Mayweather and Pacquiao were achingly close to a deal this month, but couldn’t close a 10-day gap in their preferences for the last session of drug testing before their proposed March 13 bout.

“The public will hopefully make him change his mind,” De La Hoya said. “Why would you not want to earn $40 million? Why would you not want to show the public that all this speculation is nonsense? Be the one to stand up and say it.”

 

De La Hoya has fought two opponents who later acknowledged using steroids, beating Fernando Vargas in 2002 and losing a close decision to Mosley in 2003.

“I know where Mayweather is coming from with this,” De La Hoya said. “This was a perfect stage to show the world that, hey, us fighters have nothing to hide. … It’s not like hitting a baseball or running a sprint. These are our lives at risk up in the ring.”

“I believe Mosley will raise his hand and say, ‘Take me to the laboratory,”’ said De La Hoya, who believes Mosley’s protestations of ignorance in his dealings with BALCO. “And I’ll be the first to applaud him.”

De La Hoya is less forgiving of Antonio Margarito, the former welterweight champion caught using illegal hand wraps before a loss to Mosley last January in Los Angeles.

 

“I’m actually disgusted by the fact they’re going over California and weaseling their way into Texas to get a license,” De La Hoya said. “Whatever type of cheating you’re doing, it’s wrong. You should be banned for life.”

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