By Darragh Grimes: On May 2nd two of boxing’s most eagerly followed boxers will go toe to toe. Manny Pacquiao (48-3-2 36KO) , Pound for Pound, the best fighter on the planet and Ricky Hatton (45-1-0 32 KOs) , undisputedly the best light-welter weight in the world.
Not only is Pacquiao an extremely technically gifted boxer, he has speed and power, able to pressure fighters with fast combinations and accurate shots. Ricky Hatton is a seasoned boxer, undefeated at light-welter weight and since teaming up with Mayweather, there is an air of confidence about the Manchester brawler.
The question still begs, whether Pacquiao’s chin is durable enough to hold up against Hatton’s punches considering he began his professional career as a Flyweight? Naturally, you would look to Pacquiao’s landslide victory over Oscar De la Hoya (39-6-0 30KO). Pacquiao boxed beautifully against De la Hoya, beating Oscar to the punch the entire fight and utilizing his superior hand speed and footwork to make the ex-champion look ordinary.
However, like many others, I wasn’t convinced by the victory, I was shocked the fight even took place. It was purely a fight for financial gain, and it was disappointing to see a boxer as talented and hungry as Manny effectively selling himself out for one big pay day when there was other far more challenging fights out there to be taken.
As for Oscar, he barely even looked a shell of his former self. It wasn’t a fitting way for a great champion like De La Hoya to sign out on, and is another possible reason why we haven’t seen the last of the ‘Golden Boy’.
The fight proved that Pacquiao can beat a once great fighter, whether he can take a punch from a fully fledged welterweight, still remains to be told.
Since Hatton’s comprehensive defeat at the hands of Mayweather Jr. he moved back down to his more suited 140 pound boxing weight. After an unconvincing unanimous decision over Juan Lazcano, Hatton finally parted ways with lifelong coach Billy Graham and has since hooked up with the brash talking Floyd Mayweather Sr. Since then Hatton has looked a different fighter, against Paulie Malignaggi (27-2-0 5KO) he worked behind his jab more and used powerful comibinations eventually stopping Malignaggi for the first time on his career.
It was great to see Hatton re-inventing himself as boxer, because many believed that his retirement was inevitable. Hatton’s new coach has seemingly rejuvenated Hatton’s love and hunger in boxing, and also his desire to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. again.
There is no doubt, of the two, Pacquiao is the more talented boxer but Ricky Hatton is a big hitting fighter brimming with self-belief. Pacquiao will have to use a solid fight plan AND stick to it, or it could be lights out for the Mexicutioner.
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