MANILA, Philippines—If Ricky Hatton stands tough and firm inside the ring, the way he did in the screaming purse tug-of-war against Manny Pacquiao, then we’ll have a hell of a fight come May 2.
After all, Hatton has long been reputed to be an unforgiving dockyard brawler.
This means he should be hard and difficult inside the ring, doubly menacing than when he grimly stood his ground during the purse negotiations.
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Writing from Jakarta on Friday, Quinito Henson warned that Hatton promised to mount a brutal challenge against Pacquiao.
“Hatton is a very strong fighter who moves like a bull, always charging,” Quinito quoted Indon promoter Temuzin Rambing as saying.
Rambing is a former amateur fighter who trained with reigning Indon WBA featherweight champion Chris John in a Jakarta suburb, an hour away from the capital.
Chris John is best known for having beaten Pacquiao nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez.
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Rambing, added Quinito, believes Hatton has no techniques.
That’s quite fine.
“But Manny better watch out for dirty tactics,” Rambing readily warned. “He throws low blows. He doesn’t stop punching. Hatton is a relentless brawler.”
Pacquiao has also been advised never to underestimate Hatton.
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“He must bring him (Hatton) to the center of the ring and move around like he did against Oscar De La Hoya,” the Indon fight expert said.
That, again, is a big pointer for the reigning world pound-for-pound king.
Of course, that won’t be easy to do.
In the first place, how do we expect Hatton to do a De La Hoya and fight like a paralytic?
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Unlike De La Hoya, Hatton, a human live-wire, will definitely press the trigger.
Correction: Hatton will not only fire rapidly.
He can also be expected to use both the barrel and the gun handle the moment he jumps in for a brawl.
With this intriguing new input, there’s no reason to doubt Pacquiao would finally be involved in a very competitive contest.
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Yes, there’s no longer the promise of a punching picnic for the Pacman.
There should no more fistic feasting the way he devoured and demolished David Diaz and De La Hoya, in that order, last year.
Pacquiao, currently a double-your-money favorite, definitely enjoys a wholesome edge, mainly in skills.
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The Pacman was right. He did dominate and finish off De La Hoya by following a perfect fight plan.
Pacquiao was so sharp and sensational there were instances at the MGM Grand last Dec. 6 when it seemed De La Hoya was being attacked by two men.
Repeat: Pacquiao will have an edge in technique.
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But how to dominate Hatton, a British raging bull who is handled by the great Floyd Mayweather Sr., should prove a real test for the Filipino boxing superhero.
Will Mayweather Sr. succeed in jamming the sharpest of Freddie Roach’s plots?
That will be hard to guess.
One thing is sure, though.
This next one will not be-—it will never be—another punching picnic for the Pacman.
Or has the beer-guzzling British Hitman also succeeded in concealing an inborn lameness.