By Jason Kim: Although former lightweight champion Ricky Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) seems to think that his power will be the key for him on May 2nd against the speedy Manny Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs) at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada, I’m wondering whether Ricky has a plan B to use if things don’t work out as he expects them to. After all, Hatton’s’ style of fighting is rather one-dimensional based on straight ahead, high pressure style of fighting. I don’t believe for a second that Hatton will even for second try to box with Pacquiao.
That’s not going to happen, as once the combat begins, everything that Hatton has been taught by his new trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. will be thrown out the window as Hatton reverts back to his crude brawling style of fighting.
This is what has me worried for his safety in this fight, because Hatton cannot beat Pacquiao by simply trying to out-slug him on the inside like he typically tries to do. The loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the tough time that Hatton had in beating Juan Lazcano seems to have shown that Hatton’s gotten all he could out of his old style of fighting.
Hatton might have been knocked out in the Lazcano fight if the bout had taken place elsewhere rather than England, as Hatton was allowed to have his shoes tied just seconds after getting rocked by Lazcano in the 8th round. Additionally, the referee stopped the action and pulled Lazcano off Hatton just when he was going for the kill, giving Hatton another break and letting him escape the round.
I think Hatton is in over his head against Pacquiao, and won’t be able to match up with the Filipino fighter. Early on, I see Pacquiao as being much too fast for Hatton and battering the English fighter with speedy shots as he jumps in and out to brutalize Hatton.
At this point, Mayweather Sr. will try to give Hatton some advice in the corner, something along the lines of ‘avoid exchanges with Pacquiao’ and ‘stay out of there.’ But the problem is Hatton won’t have any control over the matter, because Pacquiao will be using his in and out style of fighting to rip off three punch combinations and then get away from Hatton before he has time to throw anything meaningful in response.
Although Mayweather Sr. will be telling Hatton to avoid exchanges, the advice will be useless because Hatton won’t have the speed or the defense needed to get out of the way of Pacquiao when he moves in quickly for his attacks. If Hatton was a better mover like Juan Manuel Marquez, he’d have the boxing skills needed to get away from Pacquiao and avoid his slashing attacks.
However, Hatton is pretty much a lead-footed fighter used to plowing straight ahead against his opponents rather than laterally and will find himself in a situation where he doesn’t have the required skills needed to adapt and use another strategy. With no other options available to him, Hatton will likely be beaten to a pulp much in the same way that David Diaz was against Pacquiao and left in a pool of blood on the canvas.
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