Calzaghe Picking Hatton to Beat Pacquiao – News
April 29th, 2009
By Eric Thomas: In an interview with the BBC Sport, Joe Calzaghe is choosing Ricky Hatton to beat Manny Pacquiao this Saturday at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, saying “It’s going to be a very tough fight for Ricky, but he’s got a better chance of beating Manny than Floyd Mayweather Jr.” It’s kind of a prediction where it’s hard to tell whether or not Calzaghe truly believes that Hatton really can beat Pacquiao, since Mayweather dominated Hatton for the most part before taking him out in the 10th round in December 2007.
Perhaps Calzaghe is trying to be nice and not ruffle feathers by picking Pacquiao, which is something that would likely not go over good. Whatever the case, Hatton does seem to be facing a very tough obstacle in facing the speedy, powerful Pacquiao, who is considered by many boxing experts to be the best fighter in all of boxing.
Hatton will have a slight height advantage in the fight at 5’7 ½” compared to Pacquiao who stands an inch shorter at 5’6 ½.” However, Hatton’s height advantage is neutralized by Pacquiao’s two inch reach advantage of 67” compared to Hatton’s 65” reach.
As such, you can pretty much throw out Hatton’s size advantage and focus more on his slightly better power. Hatton does probably hit a little better than Pacquiao, but whether it’s enough for him to come out on top is another matter altogether. Pacquiao is clearly the much faster puncher than Hatton, but Manny doesn’t always use his speed wisely by choosing to throw a lot of wild shots when he comes forward trying to slug it out.
His trainer Freddie Roach has done an admirable job of keeping Pacquiao from staying in range of his opponents like he used to do. Now, Pacquiao mainly likes to use quick in and out surgical strikes in which he throws fast flurries and then gets out of range before his opponents can land much against him.
The speed is often too much for his slower opponents to handle, and they soon find themselves losing round after round while at the same time getting beaten up around the face and eyes. Hatton is going to need to try and time Pacquiao when he comes rushing in for his usual bombardments, and try to catch Pacquiao with at least one or two big shots each time he rushes forward.
In doing that, Hatton might be able to hurt Pacquiao with something big, or short of that, cut him up around the eyes. Pacquiao has a lot of scar tissue over his right eye from his previous rights with Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales and if Hatton can work on that eye with some power shots, he might be able to get the blood flowing enough for it to be a factor in the fight. Pacquiao would be much less dangerous if he is only fighting with one eye. Hatton is going to have to use his boxing skills that were recently taught to him by Mayweather Sr., however, or else he can forget about taking advantage of any cuts of Pacquiao.
Tags: 17 Responses to “Calzaghe Picking Hatton to Beat Pacquiao – News”
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Doesn’t everyone mean the “canthitman” thats all that I saw besides hatton hitting the canvas those were the only hits that I saw him take. ha ha what a joke! Pacman! took it home!!!
i knew manny would knock him out because hatton always walks in and cant box as well, but the 2ND ROUND! WOW!
LOL Manny knocked out Hatton 3 times in 2 rounds. He got OWNED.
People are not giving Hatton the credit he deserves he’s had a better career than Joe’s look at Hattons bank balance,The mayweather fight would have been better for Ricky if he
hadn’t been fighting two in their with that biased twat Cortez breaking the fight at every turn and taking a point off him which made him lose his game plan i still say on a different night and ref and say in Manchester it could have been a different storey now back to the Pacman yes a tough fight ahead for Hatton but if he pressurises him breaking him up on the inside i think Hatton will stop him either way i can,t see it going 12 rounds COME ON THE HIT MAN.
The only way that I can see Richard John Hatton to pull this one off is by the way of using his well known clinch and hit tactic or the head first w/ elbow flying techniques that he has very good about since PBF stop his exploit. the only thing is if he could catch up with the current P4P King.
Manny is not a stationary target as the dart board in Hatton’s renowned pub house in Manchester, England. Manny does not come at him straight forward as an orthodox power puncher. He comes with blinding speed and his punches are as unpredictable as the weather in England. Manny will not be as intimated as Malignaggi over Hatton’s bullying tactics and vaunted body punches. Manny knows how to fight bigger opponents as proven in most of his latest victories. The only guys he ever fought who went up his weight over the last five years were Oscar Larios and Jorge Solis, when Manny has yet to blossom into a complete boxer that he is now. Don’t ever believe Floyd Mayweather Sr. that he has found the perfect counterfoil to Manny’s unpredictable ways atop the ring. Remember Erik Morales who said many cannot fight going backwards? Well, Manny floored him with a left hook while backpedaling and his back against the rope during their grudge fight. Has anyone ever cornered Manny more than 10 seconds and connected five power punches in a row?
No one.
hatton all the way
Hi
I think many is grear but has never face someone who hits as the hitman or is as agresive as him.
I think haton will beat many by small margin, but maybe if it goes to the judges they will give the fight to many, due to the presion on pacman vrs maywheater jr.
Regards boxing fans
I understand that hatton is very popular in england and surely calzaghes was using his common sense in favouring hatton. but maybe deep inside his heart it’s another matter.
What can you expect with this guy who not only live in the same country, but also the two who best known for their actions choosing safety fights. you know fighting those old over the hill fighters like, Tzyu, Castillio, Luzcano; Hopkins, Jones.
hatton will win because hes stronger and more powerful
pac-man is the most exiting boxer than any of fighter today , thats why fans love him to watch
Hatton will stop him in the 9th round, just my prediction. WIll be a hard fight and maybe one of them will get knocked down along the way but Hatton will win.
To add, our you inside Calzaghes head?? What a dumb ass comment. Now your telling everyone you can read Joe Calzaghes mind? Never mind Buncies, Barry mcguigans Richie woodhalls and even Amir khans! Thats some talent you have there. How about I read yours? Your making comments on (YOUR) views and trying to make out every Pundit or ex boxer in the UK secretly agrees with you? as if to give (YOUR) views some kind of weight.
Yeah Barry thats right!?? All the British Boxing pundits dont do a professional job and just make comments on the outcome of fights on the basis that its their mate or countryman fighting! Thats a pritty stupid comment.
Calzaghe is choosing Hatton so that he does not look a fool when they are at boxing evenings in the UK but in reality he thinks Pacquiao will destroy Hatton within 4rds.. its the same thing with Steve Bunce, Barry McGuigan, Ritchie Woodhall, Amir Khan etc etc they wont say that Hatton is in for the best hammering of his career, they say they fancy him to win so as to save face next time they meet
Hatton DEFINATLY needs to keep close to the Pacman. Ive just said on another article that i believe Hatton will be too big and strong but thats not guna make much difference if your stood 2 feet apart.
And Pacquiaos that good and fast hes the last person you wana give a little bit of space to work in.
Both of them hit hard and both of them can cut, i think Hatton can take more of what Pacman can dish out than the opposite.