By Darragh Grimes: In the early hours of May 3rd, Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2 37Ko) produced a sensational performance, knocking Ricky Hatton (45-2 32Ko) out in less than two rounds and stripping him of his IBO Light Welterweight title.
Hatton was in dire trouble in the first, getting knocked down twice and on unsteady legs. However it was in the 2nd round, with eight seconds remaining that a Pacquiao left hook sent Hatton to the canvas and possibly into retirement.
In the pre-fight build up, both men suggested that the fight would be a war; instead we saw a massacre.
From the first bell, both came out firing, initially Hatton was able to pin Pacquiao on the ropes, landing his trademark body punches. However, it was the Filipino’s superior hand speed that began to take over the fight and he began landing with worrying regularity.
After eating three more hard shots, Hatton was dropped by a straight right hand, managing to beat the count but on shaky legs. He was soon back on the canvas after another Pacman onslaught. The bell to end the first round couldn’t have come any sooner for Hatton, with the Mancunian hanging on for dear life.
The 2nd round saw much of the same, Pacquiao constantly beating Hatton to the punch, landing hard shots. The Filipino able to throw 3 or 4 shot combinations whilst evading Hatton’s wide punches. There was little evidence of the newly acquired boxing skills Hatton had promised before the fight. The British brawler seemed to revert back to his old style; no head moment, no jab and most significantly, no defence. Furthermore, contrast to pre-fight predictions; it was Pacquiao who seemed to be the puncher of the two fighters.
When the end finally did come, it was chillingly brutal. Just as it seemed Hatton was going to survive another round, Pacquiao unleashed a devastating left hook, catching Hatton flush on the chin. Referee, Kenny Bayless, waved the fight the off immediately, Hatton unconscious on the floor, the count wasn’t needed.
The post-fight statistics showed that Pacquiao landed 73 punches to Hatton’s 18, 65 of them power shots, a reflection of Pacquiao’s dominance in the fight.
The fight again reinforced Manny Pacquiao’s legitimacy to being the best pound for pound fighter in the world, and the Filipino star is now set for a tantalising match up against the winner of Mayweather v Marquez on July 18th. As for Hatton, the fight was an indicator that it may be time for the Hitman to finally draw the curtain on his illustrious career.
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