Pacquiao and Hatton ready for Vegas boxing spotlight

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AFP) — Manny Pacquiao avoided Manila's distracting delights to train in Hollywood so he could better focus upon what he needs to do to win Saturday's showdown fight with England's Ricky Hatton.

After working out for weeks next door to a Thai restaurant where he would eat dinner, the Filipino boxing star has found his focus and is confident he can become a champion in a record-matching sixth different weight division.

"If that happens, people will look at me as my name is on the list with the greatest legends in boxing history and that will be my legacy," Pacquiao said.

"It's very important to me to win six. It's a big honor for my country."

Pacquiao, 48-3 with two drawn and 36 knockouts, and Hatton, 45-1 with 32 knockouts, are set to make their arrivals in Las Vegas on Tuesday to begin the final countdown for a highly anticipated junior welterweight title bout.

"Right now I'm ready to fight. My mind is very complete. I'm into the fight," Pacquiao said. "I can focus more in Hollywood than the Philippines. If I train in the Philippines there are lots of activities, invitations, events."

Hatton has a size advantage while Pacquiao will count upon his superior speed to conquer the Hitman from Manchester, the linear division champion who has never lost at junior welterweight and fights for his own claim on history.

"As long as I'm remembered as one of the best we've ever had. I would be quite content," Hatton said. "People see me as excited in the ring and a good guy to boot. That?s how I'd like to be remembered."

Hatton suffered his only loss in Las Vegas when now-retired Floyd Mayweather stopped him in 2007 in a welterweight fight for the "pound-for-pound" crown now seen as belonging to Pacquiao after his victory over retired Oscar de la Hoya.

"This is the second time I've challenged the front pound-for-pound number one fighter," Hatton said. "We haven't had too many British fighters that could say they were the number one pound-for-pound fighter.

"To be mentioned in some of the same breath as some of Britain?s boxing heroes, that would be spectacular."

Thousands of noisy supporters flocked to Vegas for the Mayweather fight, creating a raucous atmosphere more like a Premiership match than a typical US title bout, singing and chanting for hours at the weigh-in as well.

"I would like to think I've brought some of the best atmosphere fights that Vegas has seen in recent years," Hatton said. "I don't think anybody has drawn an atmosphere and a fan base like that over to the United States."

Hatton knows it's vital he fight better than he fared against Mayweather in his biggest prior fight.

"Well, it?s very important because if I perform like I did last time, I'll get beat again," Hatton said.

Pacquiao has pressure of a different type, stressing that he fights for the honor of his nation. For a man whose bouts silence the weapons of Filipino soldiers, the tension is huge.

"The pressure is there but I don't want to put in my mind anything about that," Pacquiao said. "I want to focus on the work and try to make people happy with my performance."

Pacman Prepares for the Battle

At Manny Pacquiao’s present peak - idolised by Filipinos throughout the world and considered to be boxing’s best pound-for-pound exponent before next weekend’s £50m superfight against the Hitman from Manchester, Ricky Hatton - it would be easy to disregard how his long journey began. Before he made his American debut in 2001 on the undercard of a bout involving Oscar de la Hoya, the Golden Boy whom he beat into retirement four months ago in Las Vegas, “PacMan” was another obscure fighter from Asia, an alphabet world title-holder and talented, but easily overlooked by the big players in his sport’s traditional, more lucrative strongholds.

Not that Pacquiao was deterred by indifference. On the streets of Manila, homeless and penniless, he had encountered much worse. Speaking inside his new workplace, the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood, he says: “Before I got to Manila I worked as a baker back in Bukidnon. I was a child but it was the only way I could put bread on the table for my family. In Manila I was on my own and had to work to survive. I worked in construction, painted houses and sewed clothes in a factory and all the time I trained to be a fighter. Other people may forget this but I will never forget. This is what drives me to be the champion I am for my people.”

This explains why his apartment near the gym has been occupied by more than 20 people at a time over the past couple of months (a conservative count) with sleeping bags spread out across the floor each night right up to his bedroom door.

Pacquiao, brought up a Catholic and still deeply religious, takes his faith and his position as a standard-bearer for his people seriously. Even strangers who turn up at his home in General Santos City in the south of the Philippines, which they do incessantly, looking for money and food parcels, are never turned away from his door. “God has given me a gift and it is my duty to share the fruits of this gift with my people,” he says.

Freddie Roach, his trainer, often shakes his head in despair that Pacquiao could end up penniless through simple acts of generosity. Members of Team Pacquiao, the entourage who surround the boxer, can pocket $3,000 from their little cash cow this afternoon just by weighing in at 10% less than they did when training camp began.

Pacquiao is preparing to go to war for the 53rd time in a career in which he has secured 47 wins, 35 by stoppage, losing three fights and drawing two. He has boxed only once at lightweight - 9st 9lb - against the durable David Diaz and once more at welterweight - 10st 7lb - when he beat the carcass of De la Hoya, so his assault on the light-welterweight (10st) division which Hatton still rules will yield no automatic conquest, given that he began his career in 1995 as a 7st 8lb light-flyweight. “Speed will be very important in this fight,” Pacquiao declared, echoing the sentiments of Roach, who has predicted that Hatton will not last beyond the third round. “I expect Ricky Hatton to be 100% committed and fast and strong, and I know he has a very strong left hand, which I have to be careful about. But I am the better boxer and boxing is psychological - the quickness of your mind can make all the difference. I have been defeated before, so I know what it is like, but a lot of people in the Philippines are willing me to win and praying for me. The guns are silent in the street every time I fight. There is no fighting, no crime. I would fight every day just for my people, if the guns will stay silent. These are the thoughts I carry to the r i n g a n d t h e y a r e p o w e r f u l thoughts. I am not trying to win this fight alone.”

Hatton, beaten only once in 46 fights and never at light-welterweight, does not walk alone himself, though some prefight assessments of Pacquiao’s prowess have persuaded the Mancunian to suggest that he ought to be making way for Godzilla, so apathetic is the fight crowd when considering his chances. “People are looking at the Oscar performance and suggesting that Pacquiao will finish my career, too, but he won’t,” Hatton says. “Oscar was like a walking corpse that night but I have plenty left in the tank. Manny is in for one hell of a shock when he realises just how much boxing ability and hand speed I have. I can fight going backwards, too, and I know he can’t. He does all of his punching on the front foot. He shuffles in and out constantly but when he punches he’s always coming forward. He doesn’t get leverage on the back foot and, in order to punch on his front foot, he will have to come into my territory.

“Everyone expected Paulie Malignaggi to out-jab and outspeed me last November but I was the one beating him to the punch and dominating. Pacquiao has improved his technique over the years but he’s as easy to hit now as he’s always been and he’s been shaken up several times and stopped twice by body shots. If a couple of flyweights have been able to stop him, what do you think I’ll be able to do, the biggest man he will ever have faced outside of Oscar?”

Alas, little big men come no bigger than Pacquiao, whose swarming attack is “like a typhoon from across the Pacific”. American TV analyst Larry Merchant coined the phrase. Hatton will get to know the feeling.

TALE OF THE TAPE
Ricky Hatton, inset Record46 wins, 1 defeat, 32 KOs Age30Height5ft 7½inReach65in StrengthsCan dominate most opponents physically at 63.5kg (10st); unbeaten as a light-welterweight; body punches WeaknessesVulnerable to speed and susceptible under pressure; waning punch resistance; struggles against southpaws; cuts Manny Pacquiao Record48 wins, 3 defeats, 2 draws, 36 KOs Age30Height5ft 6½inReach67in StrengthsFootwork; hand speed; southpaw stance; straight left hand to chin WeaknessesVulnerable to body punches; questionable chin; tendency to overreach

Amir Khan accepts he may have to face Ricky Hatton at some stage

The prospect of a clash between Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan has always seemed remote, but Khan admitted for the first time yesterday that a bout between Britain’s two best-known active boxers could happen one day.

Khan challenges Andreas Kotelnik for the WBA light-welterweight title, a belt once held by Hatton, at the O2 arena, southeast London, on June 27. But stepping up to Hatton’s division and winning a world title could put the 22-year-old on a collision course with the man he regards as a friend and hero.

“Ricky is a good friend, but it’s sport so sometimes friends have to fight each other to find out who’s the best in the division,” Khan said. “But I’d rather have him in my corner supporting me in my big fights than be against me. It will be interesting to see what happens after this.”

The bout would become more likely if Khan beats Kotelnik and Hatton loses to Manny Pacquiao, whom he faces in Las Vegas on May 2. Like Pacquiao, Khan is trained in Los Angeles by Freddie Roach. Khan flies to the United States tomorrow and revealed that he will be in Las Vegas next week training alongside Pacquiao.

“Freddie wanted me to go to Las Vegas so he can finish Manny’s camp and then start mine,” Khan said.

“Manny and Ricky are both friends, but I’m just going to stay neutral and enjoy the fight.”

ITV will screen Carl Froch’s WBC super-middleweight title defence against Jermain Taylor on Sunday night. It will be shown on ITV4 at 8.30pm and again on ITV1 at 11.15pm. There has been outrage in boxing circles after no British broadcaster bid for the rights to screen the bout live, which takes place in the early hours of Sunday at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

- To watch the bout live in the UK, it will be available on the internet for £9.95 on www.frochvtaylor.com and there will be live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Hatton-Pacquiao tickets sold out

The Ricky Hatton-Manny Pacquiao world junior welterweight championship match on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas has officially sold out, the card's promoters announced Tuesday.

The Garden Arena has a seating capacity of 17,157 but holds just over 16,000 when it is configured for boxing.

Tickets for the Hatton-Pacquiao event ranged from $1,000 (for ringside seats) to $150. There was a two-ticket limit per person for tickets priced $150, and a limit of 10 for the other prices ($1,000, $750, $500 and $300).

Closed circuit tickets are still available at Mandalay Bay, Mirage, TI, Monte Carlo, Circus Circus, Luxor and New York-New York.

The championship bout will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

After Hatton, Pacquiao groomed to fight Cotto

Bob Arum swears he is not looking past Ricky Hatton, but the Hall of Fame promoter already has a big-named opponent lined up for Filipino star Manny Pacquiao, who is set to rumble with the brash Briton on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“Miguel Cotto,” Arum told the Bulletin over lunch at Manila Hotel Friday hours after arriving from the US.

Arum said Cotto, a native of Puerto Rico, is fighting Joshua Clottey of Ghana on June 13 at Madison Square Garden in New York, and Pacquiao himself has told him that meeting Cotto is tops in his mind.

“We can do it at Madison Square Garden,” said Arum, noting that Pacquiao will be at ringside when Cotto squares off with Clottey in the Big Apple.

However, Arum reveals that should a fight with Cotto happen, it will not take place until late-November.

“Manny told me that after this one (with Hatton), he would be available to fight next in late-November,” said Arum, who is in town to preside over Sunday morning’s double world championship fight at the Araneta Coliseum featuring flyweight champion Nonito Donaire and light-fly title challenger Brian Viloria.

Arum cited that Hatton could pose problems for Pacquiao and while “anything can happen in boxing, (but) “speed kills and nine out of ten, speed wins as in any other sport.”

Besides, Arum rationalizes, “Hatton can’t fight southpaws.”

Arum said Pacquiao’s left-handed stance and his lightning-fast hands would mess up Hatton that the fight will end in the same manner Pacquiao won over David Diaz.

“Pacquiao figures to win and Pacquiao figures to win big,” said Arum, a seventy-something Harvard-educated lawyer from New York.

“Manny and Freddie have all this figured out.”

Told that the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Sr. appears to be the right choice for a post-Hatton fight, Arum said this early that “Mayweather wants “60 percent” of the revenue and “I feel right now that Manny deserves the bigger percentage because he is the star.”

Another option is for Pacquiao to battle Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. “in a catchweight of 150 lbs,” said Arum.

'New Hatton' boasts of quickness, power

MANILA, Philippines - If you think Manny Pacquiao is fast, wait till you see Ricky Hatton.

The new Ricky Hatton.

In the first episode of HBO’s Pacquiao vs. Hatton 24/7, a four-part, four-week series that gave the cable giant all the access it needed to cover the training of the two boxers, Hatton has displayed quickness never seen from him before.

Under the guidance of his new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., Hatton believes that the only way to beat Pacquiao is to match his speed. According to British superstar, no one, not even Pacquiao, can match his power at 140 lbs.

“It was a case of, after seven weeks in training camp, ‘bang, look at me, a new fighter,’” Hatton said in a Times Online article that came out yesterday.

“It has been miles better this time with Floyd,” added Hatton, in the last three weeks of training at the IBA Gym in Las Vegas, the same gym Pacquiao uses when he’s there.

“The more time you spend with him, you get used to him. I’m faster now than how I was at the end of the last training camp,” said Hatton, in his second fight under Mayweather.

The Times Online article added that Hatton, under Mayweather, has given a little on strengthening (which he’d always done under Billy Graham), and has focused on “speed and sharpness.”

The HBO series, which came off the racks the other day, showed Hatton in training, trying to develop and hone his speed.

But Pacquiao doesn’t believe that 10, 12 or 13 weeks of training under Mayweather can change or make Hatton a new fighter.

“Sa tingin ko ‘yun pa din ‘yung Hatton na makakalaban ko (I think it’s the same Hatton I’d be up against),” said Pacquiao in recent interviews.

And that’s the Hatton he knows, always there in front of you, moving in, trying to wrestle his opponent. The British superstar is notorious for holding and hitting, and may work like an octopus.

“Hindi naman nila mababago ang style nila ganoon kabilis (They can’t change their style overnight),” said Pacquiao, still confident that come May 2, at the MGM Grand, Hatton will always be one step behind.

- By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Unbeaten knockout artist wants Pacquiao, Hatton, Marquez

By Dino Maragay

MANILA, Philippines – Fresh from a two-round annihilation of Antonio Pitalua to clinch the WBC lightweight title, undefeated puncher Edwin Valero of Venezuela has expressed desire to face the big names in the 135- and 140-pound divisions.

"If Manny Pacquiao or Hatton give me an opportunity, I would consider moving up and fighting them," Valero (25-0, 25 KOs) said in a report by BBC.

In destroying contender Pitalua last Sunday, the heavy-handed Valero kicked off his journey to superstardom.

"This is the beginning of big things. No man can take my punch," said Valero, who has stopped all his 25 opponents, including 19 in the first round.

But in campaigning as a lightweight, Valero has also set his crosshairs on the division’s lineal champion, Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico.

"Marquez is a little better than any of the others," said Valero, a former superfeatherweight champion. "If it was up to me, I would want that fight (Marquez), but it is up to (promoters) Bob Arum and Golden Boy to make it happen."

Marquez is with Golden Boy Promotions, while Valero fights under Top Rank, the same promotional firm handling Pacquiao.

Amir Khan Speaks On Hatton-Pacquiao Fight, Barrera Rematch

In separate interviews - one with Sky Sports, the other with The Sun newspaper - Amir Khan has been talking about the upcoming super-fight between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao, and the demands some have made for him to face Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch. The 22-year-old wannabe world champion/mega-star is in two minds as to who will win in Las Vegas on May 2nd, but he is 100-percent sure about the Barrera situation - there will be no rematch.

Khan spoke first to Sky Sports News about the mouth-watering light-welterweight clash that takes place in less than a months time.

"I think it's going to be fun because Manny Pacquiao has got the speed and the explosiveness and so has Ricky Hatton - he is very explosive as well" Khan said. "I don't think Manny Pacquiao has been hit in the body by a good body puncher like Ricky Hatton. I think once Ricky puts the pressure on with those body shots and bombs on the body..... you don't know.

"And the pressure, can Manny Pacquiao handle the pressure or can Ricky Hatton handle the speed of Manny Pacquiao?"

Khan, like many of us, is hugely excited about the big fight. Also like a number of us, he cannot pick a winner.

"It's a 50-50 fight because both fighters are at the top of their game," Khan went on. "They have had good wins, good wins in their previous fights. It is a 50-50 fight and I am just going to go there and enjoy the night."

Way to sit on the fence, Amir!

In speaking to The sun about his win over Marco Antonio Barrera, Khan was far more sure about things. Though Don King has filed an official protest and has demanded a return due to the way his fighter was seriously hindered due to the cut he suffered in the 1st round, Khan says the return match will not happen. Perhaps the March fight should've been ruled a No-Contest, as King maintains, but Khan says there is no way he will box the Mexican for a second time.

"There is no point in fighting Barrera again, Khan said. "Before I boxed him there were experts lining up to tell me I shouldn't fight him because he was a dangerous big puncher. After I beat him those experts said Barrera was over-the-hill. So if I beat an over-the-hill fighter again what would it mean - nothing."

Though many fans will argue with Khan, it seems the lightweight contender has made up his mind. According to The Sun, Khan's next fight is scheduled to take place on June 27th, with former world champ David Diaz the "preferred" opponent.

What Don King will make of this we will have to wait and see.

Source: by James Slater http://www.eastsideboxing.com/

Bridesmaid Marquez may get Hatton leftovers as Pacquiao fights Mayweather

By Michael Marley

To some fight fans, the May 2 Ricky Hatton-Manny Pacquiao fight result is like the title of an old R.E.M. album, “Automatic for the People.”

The People, in this case, are the worldwide legion of Pacfanatics, including those millions of Overseas Foreign Workers who spend 11 months year away from their beloved homeland earning a living as best they can. I woke up to the reality of the OFW’s two years ago when I got a friendly phone call on Christmas morning from a Pacmaniac living in United Arab Emirates (UAE, not to be confused with the WBO, WBC, WBA or the IBF).

Whether they admit or not, the majority of Pacquiao supporters think their Idol will slap the plucky Brit from pillar to post. Comments by another idol, Coach Freddie Roach, likening the bout to Hearns vs. Hagler just feed into this line of thought.

I must plead guilty here as well since, to use Mickey Duff's favorite expression, "I must be honest with you."

On paper, I can't see how the limited Hatton can outbox or outbrawl Megamannymonster. But, hey, they're figting on canvas and not on paper.

We can wish that MP-Hatton could be as awesome as Marveloso and the Hitman were that night at Caesars Palace. I was privileged to have a ringside perch at this classic and I just can’t see the comparison to Ricky and Manny.

Hearns nearly knocked lefty Hagler in a vicious first round but, and this was never offered as an excuse, Thomas badly hurt his right hand, his power paw, as they wqent hammer and tong.

Hagler bounced back to stop Hearns in the third round as he fight ferociously upon realizing he had suffered a cut.

That’s one of the all-time classic fights so it’s unrealistic to hold Pacman and Hatton to such a lofty standard.

With what I would estimate north of 90 percent of Pacfans expecting their man to thrash Hatton, attention naturally turns to what comes next.

Enter, stage left, the mercuriual Money May, Floyd Mayweather the ring emperor who will return to push this inauthentic king, Pacman, off his Pound For Pound throne.

That’s a C.R.E.A.M fight meaning Cash Rules Everything Around Me.

It will happen because it is the mother lode of makeable super fights.

But I take the future fight less traveled road. I was wondering the other day what Pac nemesis (or is it vice versa?) and Mexican ringmaster Juan Manuel Marquez will do next. He just can’t sit and wait on a third fight with Manny forever.

I was chatting about same with Joan Guzman manager Jose Nunez and his reasoning led me to this ultimate conclusion.

Juan Ma isn’t going to fight KO King Edwin Valero (25-0, batting average 1,000) anytime soon.

Valero promoter Bob Arum knows that and he knows why. As he’s said, for all his fistic fury, Valero remains a figure known only to the thimble full of hardcore fight nuts.

So what does JMM do? He’ll do what’s best financially for himself and what’s best for promoter Golden Boy.

Marquez will travel to Manchester, maybe at year’s end or maybe early in 2010, to fight hometown hero Hatton.

Hatton will make some kind of showing against Manny, maybe even lasting 12 rounds, but he will lose.

Not a single Hattonite will desert Ricky. Neither will British TV.

There’s gold there amongst the Mancunians. Where Marco Antonio Barrera just went, Marquez will travel.

Due to his well-documented lifestyle, Hatton’s shelf life cannot be extended long.

The Goldens will look to milk him after the Pacquiao bout. After three or four months on holiday, Hatton will be ready to go to the post once again.

Marquez beats Hatton maybe more easily than Manny does.

But take heart, Pacmaniacs.

Win or lose against Mayweather, the Pacman-Marquez Chapter 3 will be written in 2010 also.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/

Pacquiao Greatest Fight: Pacquiao VS Morales II

Pacquiao defeated Morales via a 10th-round KO in a much-anticipated rematch on January 21, 2006 in Las Vegas at Thomas and Mack Center. This fight proved to be a back and forth thriller. Where Mexican's pride and future hall of famer, Morales, sought to clinch a second victory over Pacquiao, but his years of war became apparent when his legs were getting shaky towards the latter rounds after controlling the first seven rounds (similar to the first fight). It was here where everyone witnessed Pacquiao become a legend. He had improved his technical skill set, including defense and a pretty good right hook. Also, his overwhelming and relentless attack fueled by his seemingly unfading conditioning was apparent in the latter rounds. This would prove to be the case versus future opponents.

Hatton Greatest Fights: Hatton VS Tszyu

On 5 June 2005 Hatton beat Kostya Tszyu, then widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world by a technical knockout after the Australian failed to answer the bell for the 12th round. Hatton was a heavy underdog for this fight, and the victory announced his entry to the upper echelons of the world boxing scene. Prior to the fight the majority of boxing critics had given Hatton little or no chance and this victory was regarded as one of the best victories by an English boxer in the last 20 years. On 26 November 2005 Hatton won the WBA title when he defeated Carlos Maussa in the ninth round of a unification bout. In December, Hatton was named the 2005 Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year.^[9]

Hatton relinquished his IBF belt on 29 March, 2006 after refusing to fulfil a mandatory defence against number one contender Naoufel Ben Rabah, because he intended to move up to the welterweight class. Hatton signed a three fight contract with Dennis Hobson's fight academy after splitting from long time promoter Frank Warren. The three fights would take place in the United States.

Fight will be short and sweet

Those hoping for a long, bitter struggle between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton on May 2 won’t get it.

“It’s going to be short and sweet,” said Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, during Monday’s red-carpet meeting between the two great boxers and their trash-talking handlers in Hollywood.

Roach said it could or should be over in three rounds.

“I think it’s going to be the best three rounds you’ve ever seen. Ricky is going to force the action and Manny is going to respond to it. But Manny is going to get him early and I believe he will knock him out in the early rounds.”

Even Mark Wahlberg, the rapper, actor, endorser and producer rolled into one said during the press conference he doesn’t expect the fight to last the distance.

The 38-year-old celebrity, who ran a series of underwear ads for Calvin Klein before he became a movie star, is Roach’s friend, and is obviously rooting for Pacquiao.

“Freddie is the best,” said Wahlberg who visited Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym as the latter trained for his Oscar dela Hoya fight last December.

“We know what he did to Dela Hoya and he’s going to do the same to Hatton. Obviously, the winner will fight Floyd Mayweather (Jr.),” he said in a video clip posted on the net by Lance Pugmire of the LA Times.

The world is waiting for that Pacquiao-Mayweather fight although Bob Arum, the promoter of the Pinoy icon, and Roach are not too keen on fighting the ex-pound-for-pound champion.

But Pacquiao could be open to anything.

“For me – if I’m Floyd – I would fight a tune-up fight and then fight me,” Pacquiao told FanHouse.com. “That’s for me, but I don’t know what his plan is. He might want to fight me right away.”

“I think he’s going to fight again. He’s not really retired,” added Pacquiao of the American who retired last year undefeated in 39 fights.

During the same press conference, Roach traded jabs with Hatton’s trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr.

“Pacquaio’s going to go from first class to coach, because of the Roach,” said Mayweather Sr., so flamboyant he can move around in a pink suit.

Then, according to reports, chants of “Man-ny! Man-ny!” filled the room, and Pacquiao, as if on cue, took the microphone by saying “I fight for freedom. I fight for Scotland” the way it was delivered by actor Mel Gibson in his epic film “Braveheart.”

“They’ve got Roach in the Hall of Fame (when) he should be in the Hall of Shame,” added Mayweather Sr.

Roach didn’t take it sitting down.

“Floyd can read some good poems that’s all he’s good at that I know of. What has Floyd Senior achieved? His son’s a natural-born fighter. His brother, Roger, trained him anyway. Floyd never trained his son for a world title fight. He tells me he’s the greatest but what has he done? He trained Oscar De La Hoya after Oscar has already won four world titles. Floyd is a legend in his own mind,” said Roach on the TimesOnline.

- By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Hatton: Pacquiao's De La Hoya win a fluke

By SOLANGE REYNER,Associated Press Writer AP

LOS ANGELES - Ricky Hatton thinks Manny Pacquiao's big win over Oscar De La Hoya in December was a fluke. Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) is counting on beating the Filipino star on May 2 in Las Vegas.

"Any win against Oscar is a magnificent one. Is that the Oscar De La Hoya we have come to love? I don't think so," Hatton said. "And only Oscar can say what happened on the scales. He looked a shell of the Oscar we know. I don't think it was hard to beat Oscar that night."

Pacquiao (48-3-2) and Hatton were at a red carpet event at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood to promote the junior welterweight title fight for the first and only time in the U.S.

Actor Mickey Rourke walked the red carpet, as did UCLA men's basketball coach Ben Howland and former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest.

Pacquiao wants the IBO title, which belongs to Hatton.

But Hatton thinks he will have a leg up against one of the sport's best pound-for-pound fighters.

"A lot of people are seeing it as size versus speed and a lot of people thought Paulie Malignaggi would outspeed me and that wasn't the case and that was only after seven weeks with my new training team," Hatton said.

"We're even quicker again. If you could see how fast I'm performing, there's not that big a gap there. Ultimately I think size will play a big factor. He has dangers in other areas, like his speed and footwork but I'm boxing a lot cuter than I was a few years ago."

Pacquiao is known for his speed. But he could be fighting his biggest opponent in Hatton. Pacquiao was fighting in the super featherweight division last March and weighed 129 pounds. He moved up to welterweight to fight De La Hoya, who lost weight for the matchup.

De La Hoya didn't come out of his corner after the eighth round. Hatton suggested that De La Hoya tried to make weight too early.

"That's what people believe. Maybe they were rooting for Oscar and maybe they were fans of Oscar," Pacquiao said. "It's hard to make reasons or alibis after the fight. It's not good."

Pacquiao told reporters he weighs 148 pounds. He is training with Freddie Roach in Hollywood and said camp was going well.

Hatton, who is training in Las Vegas, said he was feeling good at 150.

"We started training camp earlier, started sparring earlier, started running earlier. It's just because of the size of the fight. It's a fight I massively believe I can win. A boxer can't get any higher if he's the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, so I need to just go about me business more so than ever."

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/