By Jack Herbert: Approximately 11ET on May 2nd, Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao will be facing each other in the centre of the ring in the MGM grand in Las Vegas in without doubt the most exciting fight of the year. Unfortunately in our sport of boxing, the sport I love so much the hype machine and the constant building up and knocking down of boxers is something that goes unnoticed by most boxing fans that will check in to watch the biggest fight of the year.
These same fans probably couldn’t tell you who Juan Manuel Lopez is or James Kirkland. They buy into the Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7 thing, which I have to admit would have my mother buying the fight if she watched it. What these 24/7 shows fail to tell you is that Ricky Hatton never really stood a chance against Floyd at 147. As for De la Hoya and Pacman, well it seems Freddie Roach was the only one that knew Manny was going to eat him alive.
I saw some punch stats from that fight and apparently De La Hoya had landed 83 punches in 8 rounds, and which is only ten punches per round. I saw an interview with Roach on YouTube the other day and they asked if Pacman were to win would Pacquiao move up to welterweight to take on the likes of Cotto, Mosley and Mayweather. Roach said without question that Pacquiao would be going nowhere near 147 again.
That suggests to me that he knows he is taking a serious risk letting Pacquiao in with the biggest light welter in the world on Saturday night. Maybe this is why Manny took so long to sign the contract, maybe this is why Freddy is making sure on the Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7 episodes footage is coming through of Manny knocking out his sparring partners and maybe this is why Freddy is saying it’s going to be over early.
A 3rd round stoppage for Pacquiao sounds a bit optimistic for a guy coming in for only his second fight above 135 against Ricky Hatton, who on fight night against Paulie Malignaggi, came into the ring weighing 156. This is going to be a hungry, snarling, strong Ricky Hatton who truly believes he is going to win this fight.
I think a lot of people are being whipped up by this media frenzy surrounding Pacquiao’s demolition of Oscar De La Hoya. They are forgetting the simple facts.
SIZE MATTERS!
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