Ring mag sanctions Pacquiao-Hatton bout

By Dennis Principe

MANILA, Philippines—The Ring magazine, boxing’s acknowledged bible, has declared the bout between Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao and British superstar Ricky Hatton as a junior welterweight championship match.

“Hatton is The Ring champion, and as long as they both make weight, The Ring championship will be at stake,” the magazine’s editor in chief, Nigel Collins, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. read more

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, Ricky Hatton, ring magazine

Ricky Hatton’s Hidden Advantage Over Manny Pacquiao

by Greggy Romualdez

For fight fans, May 2nd is an eternity from now.

Many are consumed by the anticipation for that moment when Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton finally step into the ring to answer the opening bell. They touch gloves, and the brawl is on.

Predictions on the outcome are split down the middle. Both fighters are more or less evenly matched in size and reach. Pacquiao will have the edge in speed, Hatton will presumably have the edge in power, being at his natural weight and having taken on bigger opponents. read more

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, Ricky Hatton

British lambs to the slaughter

by Mark Gregory

Let me first of all preface this article by saying that ultimately boxing is all about levels, and that at Madison Square Garden on the 21st of February, Miguel Cotto demonstrated – as most expected – that he was a clear level or two above Manchester’s Michael Jennings. Let me also say that British fighters are no more prone to being the victims of one-sided ‘world’ title defeats than fighters of any other nationality.

The purpose of this article is to explore some potential reasons why the likes of Michael Jennings and Gary Lockett – the two most recent examples of Brits being outclassed in overseas ‘world’ title fights – find themselves beaten without even having the chance to steal a round or two from their more celebrated opponents. read more

Filed under: Antonio Margarito, Kelly Pavlik, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, Ricky Hatton, shane mosley, Sugar Shane Mosley, top rank promotions

Manny Pacquiao vacates WBC belt!

eastsideboxing.com

From WBC President Jose Sulaiman: “The WBC has received a letter from the great boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, stating that he has voluntarily relinquished his WBC lightweight world championship. “The WBC is extremely proud of Manny, who has been associated with our organization since 1997, when he won the WBC-affiliated OPBF championship. Manny became the WBC flyweight world champion in 1998. “With severe weight problems, he moved up to the super bantamweight divisioin and immediately won the WBC International super bantamweight title, which he defended five times. read more

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Floyd Mayweather, Freddie Roach, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, Ricky Hatton

Pacquiao: Hatton fight is my hardest

Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Manny Pacquiao kidded around as soon as he made what was perhaps the boldest prediction in his battle with Ricky Hatton so far.

“I’m just an ordinary fighter but I can beat a good fighter,” Pacquiao told reporters Friday night before bursting into laughter.

Pacquiao, though, did acknowledge Hatton, known as “the Hitman” for his knockout abilities, as a tougher opponent than Oscar De La Hoya and David Diaz. read more

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, Ricky Hatton

Writers predict winner of Pacquiao-Hatton fight

GMANews.TV

MANILA, Philippines – The promo tour has not even started. Both fighters have yet to start their respective training sessions. But this early online boxing writers are already predicting a winner for the scheduled May 2 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton.

Some say the reigning pound-for-pound king and Filipino boxing icon would dance his way against Hatton. Others believe the British boxing superstar nicknamed The Hitman would floor Pacquiao. read more

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton

‘Bad news for Pacman, bad news for Roach’

By Nick Giongco

For Floyd Mayweather Sr., it doesn’t matter where he and Ricky Hatton will set up training camp for the all-important May 2 clash with Manny Pacquiao.

“It wouldn’t matter,” Mayweather told BULLETIN-TEMPO yesterday from his Las Vegas home when told about the British banger’s wish that they spend most of his training time in Manchester then relocate to Las Vegas in the last four weeks leading to the fight at the MGM Grand. read more

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Floyd Mayweather, Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton

Marquez: “I am the true Mexican fighter in this fight!”

By Luis Torres

Juan Manuel Marquez recently spoke to Mexican media about his upcoming lightweight clash with Juan Diaz set for this Saturday night on HBO!

Juan Manuel Marquez:

“Diaz is a fighter that throws many punches. Every second and minute of every round Diaz is throwing punches and they’re all coming from different angles. We have prepared for this. This is why I have put special attention in my training on my speed and my reflexes. I feel we have prepared everything for this fight that I need to be successful. I think the crowd in Houston will be divided. There will be many Mexicans and many Texans. I think the Mexicans will support the only 100 per cent Mexican fighter in the ring that night, and that’s me. I’m the true Mexican fighter in this match up. At the end of the day it will be only be me and Juan Diaz in the ring.” read more

Filed under: juan diaz, Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquiao

Hatton and Pacquiao kick off tour in Manchester

Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao are to kick-off a UK and US tour publicising their May 2 bout in Las Vegas with a fan rally in Manchester on Saturday.

It will start at noon in the Great Hall at the Trafford Centre, with Hatton and Pacquiao present. There is then due to be a press only event in London on Monday, following three stops in the United States – likely to be New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco, where there is a large Filipino population.

It will be Pacquiao’s first trip to the UK, although he is quite an Anglophile, having named the daughter his wife gave birth to in December Queen Elizabeth.

source:http://timesonline.typepad.com/boxing/2009/02/hatton-pacquiao.html

Filed under: Battle of East and West, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, Ricky Hatton

Cotto, Pavlik victorious in return, now what?

by Ricardo Lois

A pair of young stars coming off deflating losses, welterweight Miguel Cotto and middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, notched knockout victories Saturday night. Separated by 349 miles, Cotto outclassed chippy Brit Micheal Jennings via fifth round technical knockout at Madison Square Garden in New York City and Pavlik took nine rounds to make Marco Antonio Rubio call it a night on his stool in Youngstown, Ohio. read more

Filed under: Antonio Margarito, Golden Boy, Kelly Pavlik, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, shane mosley, top rank promotions