By Liam Santiago: It might seem completely crazy at first. Why would the Pacquiao camp even consider this you might be asking yourself. Why would Pacquiao give a rematch to someone he destroyed inside two rounds? Well, the answer is simple. Hatton’s mental focus had been destroyed and in training the Manchester warrior was left to sail past his peak by trainer and poet, Floyd Mayweather Snr.
I have said on many occasions, Hatton may as well have had Barry Chuckle in his corner on fight night. His preparation and state of mind on the night was a joke. So, will Pacquiao be a true professional and hand Hatton his much deserved rematch?
In the lead up to the fight, all seemed well in the Hatton camp. Ricky looked in terrific shape and we assumed he was. Like many other boxing experts, I predicted Ricky to beat Pac-Man on points, dominating him with pressure and even knocking the Philipoino out in the late rounds. I was wrong, Floyd Mayweather Jnr played a very big part in that. Hatton was well past his peak on fight night and was mentally out of focus. Mayweather would turn up for sparring in the 7th round and on fight night the Hitman could not find the smooth talking poet. Forgive me if I am wrong, but, that’s no way to prepare a figher for the biggest night of his life.
As the old Santiago saying goes, if it is in doubt ; give a rematch. If Pacquiao really wants to be known as the best fighter in the world and preserve his legacy as an all time great fighter then surely this is a must on his to do list before retiring. On 2nd May, in Las Vegas, Pacquiao did not beat the Ricky Hatton we all know. He beat a man that was so off his game plan and physically past his best as a result of his trainer. That was not the Ricky Hatton we watched outclass Malignaggi and even stop him, which Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao’s next opponent, could not do. If Ricky was in his best shape, I am sure the result would not have been the same. Yes, the hooks from Pac-Man were pretty good, but I’ve seen Ricky take worse. When you are not prepared and have been shook up mentally before a bout, it can have an effect when you take a punch. I know that from experience.
So, ok, everyone will have an opinion. Many readers will feel that I am wrong and Hatton’s camp had no effect on the fight and it was all down to Pacquiao’s quality. That’s fine. That’s your opinion. But I know there is many who will agree with me. As I have said, I was one the many experts to predict a Hatton stoppage. However, as I was travelling to Vegas, I was informed of the actions of Floyd Mayweather Snr. At that point I change my mind. I knew then Hatton was in no state to fight and could not win. The relationship between a boxer and his trainer must be very good. It is vital. The result of the Hatton – Pacquiao shows why it is vital
Will Pacquiao have the decency to offer Ricky Hatton a rematch? That is the big question. Of course, Pacquiao will already understand that that victory did not prove a lot, except the fact that he can punch relatively hard and knock out a very vulnerable boxer. The few shots Hatton hit Pacquiao with, who was very well prepared I might add, knocked him completely off balance. Even in the Mayweather fight, Hatton had Mayweather off balance and if he followed it up I believe he could of stopped Mayweather. However, Pacquaio is not in the same league as Mayweather in class. Mayweather is much more proven against tougher opposition and Hatton went 10 rounds with Mayweather. So, that explains a lot about Hatton’s preparation and focus for the Pacquiao fight. It has to happen again.
Maybe if Pacquiao ever fights Mayweather, Hatton should fight the winner. I am sure Mayweather would win anyway so that would rule out the Pacquiao rematch. If I am going to be completely honest I see, Pacquiao losing to Cotto, which will take him away from the top spot. He will no longer be the cash cow. This is the point Hatton has the best chance of getting his rematch. Would Pacquiao ever fight Hatton again, knowing he will be on top form? I doubt it. Ricky is not ‘shot’. He has just had the unfortunate bad luck of being fooled into hiring trainer, Floyd Mayweather Snr. If Ricky goes back to the drawing board, I am sure he can once again become the greatest fighter in the world and become boxingnews24’s no.1 pound for pound fighter, which is currently held by Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez.
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