Given the one-sided beating Manny Pacquiao administered to Oscar De La Hoya in December, many boxing 'experts' predict Pac Man will simply steamroll Ricky Hatton in this Saturday's pay-per-view megabout in Las Vegas. Not so fast. While Pacquiao fully deserves to be favored by oddsmakers (-250/+200), there's no reason to believe that this will be anything other than a competitive - and highly entertaining - bout.
Hatton is a strong, natural light welterweight who - at 30 and under the tutelage of Floyd Mayweather Sr. - is in his athletic prime. The Hitman has only lost once and that was by tenth round TKO to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007. He has since bounced back with solid wins over Juan Lazcano and Pauli Malignaggi.
Pacquiao - also 30 - began his professional career at 106 pounds (he was just one month past his 16th birthday at the time!) but has grown into a full-fledged junior welterweight. It's debatable whether or not De La Hoya was washed-up when he quit after absorbing eight rounds of punishment from Pacquiao. What is not debatable, however, is that Pacquiao looked awesome.
Prediction: Hatton is strong and fast and has his moments but Pacquaio is just a little stronger and a little faster. Pacquiao by decision or possibly a late TKO
I wish both fighters best of luck. I bet everybody especially boxing fans will enjoy this great fight. They're both eager to win, at the end of the final round only one man will be declared the winner pound for pound king that is. In my opinion, although Ricky Hatton is much bigger than Manny Pacquiao, still he is the Under dog in this fight. A lot of people bets for the Pacman. Well the answer is just few hours away.. Goodluck!
