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Hopkins in different league to Manny & Floyd - Oscar

Floyd Mayweather Jnr. eyeballs Victor Ortiz © Getty Images

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Promoter Oscar de la Hoya has piled pressure on Victor Ortiz by insisting that Ortiz is the clear favourite to beat Floyd Mayweather Jnr on September 17.

De La Hoya, who looks after Ortiz, is unlikely to find too many who agree with his assessment of the WBC welterweight title fight in Las Vegas.

Ortiz's reputation has been elevated based on his most recent performance - a shock win over Andre Berto - but before that clash, there was little to suggest he will trouble Mayweather, the unbeaten American regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

In December 2010 he laboured to a draw against Lamont Peterson - despite putting Peterson down twice in the third - and, 18 months before that, he was knocked out by Marcos Maidana.

Nonetheless De La Hoya, who lost to Mayweather in 2007, is confident his charge has what it takes to triumph. "There's no doubt in my mind that Victor will win," De La Hoya said to fightnews.com.

Ortiz will be hoping that Mayweather shows signs of ring rust, having been out of action since a battle with Shane Mosley in May 2010.

Meanwhile, De La Hoya insists Mayweather and Pacquiao are not in the same league as a prime Bernard Hopkins, who is still a world champion at the age of 46. "I would have to rank Hopkins first," he said to ringtv.com.

"He was difficult to hit but not only was he patient strategically, he knew that his game plan was going to beat me… I think he had it all planned out right from the start. Hopkins is a very strong puncher and he can take a punch. Hopkins is fast. He's got heart."

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