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‘Hatton can’t be beaten at 140 pounds’
Written by staff   
Tuesday, 20 January 2009 07:32

(New foe for Gerry: WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa is hunting for a new opponent for his scheduled Feb. 21 mainer in Cebu City that will also feature the finest fighters of BraveHeart Stable in North Cotabato. Peñalosa earlier announced he would be facing off against Heriberto Ruiz, who stopped Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista in eight rounds last year. Peñalosa learned over the weekend that Ruiz has a fight scheduled in Canada in March.)


All Manny Pacquiao may have to do is cambio, change gear, to ensure victory in his projected bombs-away fight against Englishman Ricky Hatton in May.

From forward mode, Pacquiao may need to shift to reverse every now and then.

Of course, Pacquiao doesn’t need to retreat unnecessarily.

But he might have to opt for some back-pedaling in order to recompose.

Also to skirt the inside bombs Hatton will predictably throw.


In short, it would be wiser for Pacquiao, a mean punching machine, to engage in selective slashing.

Versus Hatton, a noted body-banger, Pacquiao can’t be expected to charge incessantly.

He can’t do it the way he had dominated David Diaz and Oscar De La Hoya.

Diaz, to repeat, was reduced to a hapless statue, while De La Hoya froze like a pitiful paralytic against Pacquiao.

So what will Hatton turn out to be?

It’s not easy to say, but one thing is sure: Hatton will neither be a stooge nor a scarecrow.

The fearsome English livewire, who has yet to lose at 140 pounds, will be anything but soft and slow.

OK, he doesn’t promise to be a feared Pacific Storm like Pacquiao.

But Hatton will always be there ready to spring an ambush.

He’s sure to jump in and sow terror given the slightest opening.

Yes, the English Hitman could yet be the most competitive among Pacquiao’s last three foes.

Actually, Pacquiao may have showed up in his last two fights fully prepared for some brutal body-banging.

But both Diaz and De La Hoya did not come close to testing the solid wall Pacquiao had obviously built around his torso.

This certainly will no longer be the case when Pacquiao squares off with Hatton.


Take it from English prizefight seer Geoff Pondes, who earlier in the month made a boast that Pacquiao, no question about it, will be knocked out by Hatton.

“With humility, I say that Pacquiao is going to get his ass whipped by Ricky Hatton. Yes, Hatton will win inside the distance in a fight that might not even be close,” remarked Pondes, also tagged as The Professor in British boxing circles.

How and why?

“I worry for Pacquiao’s ability to take Hatton’s body shots,” Pondes explained.

He then traced the two knockout losses Pacquiao had suffered-against countryman Rustico Torrecampo and Medgoen 3-K Battery of Thailand-earlier in his career.

Both losses came by knockout in the third round, Pondes noted.

“One thing is sure. Floyd Mayweather Sr. will not miss the opportunity to highlight perceived weaknesses in his own personal odyssey to uproot Freddie Roach as the world’s finest coach,” Pondes said.

He added: “I don’t say it because Ricky is a better fighter than Pacquiao. I don’t think he is. But that fight against De La Hoya taught us nothing about Pacquiao’s capacity to fight beyond the lightweight (135 lb) bracket.”

Pondes said Hatton, best at 140 pounds, will weigh 10 pounds more.

“He is demonstrably comfortable, powerful at 140 pounds, and has never been close to being beaten at this level.”
 
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