Good fight Saturday night -- Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton. They're fighting at 140 lbs which favors the bigger Hatton. People keep writing this is a pretty even fight and Hatton has a good shot to upset Manny.
No. Wrong. Mayweather Jr. stopped Hatton. Mayweather doesn't hit hard and he got the best of Hatton -- so much so Hatton's corner threw in the towel. Pacquiao will stop Hatton and he'll do it faster than Mayweather did.
Hatton has one thing going for him. He's a tough guy. Tough guys make good fights. But tough guys are limited and they lose to equally tough guys -- Manny -- who also have all the boxing skills. Manny is the best fighter in the world today. He will stand up to what Ricky offers and then stop him. I always have been a fan of skill over pure toughness.
If Floyd can expose Ricky......I don't see this as much of a fight at all. Manny is going to carve him up. Don't get me wrong, I really respect Ricky as a fighter and he seems like a good man. But I say it's Manny in a yawner.
I like when the Zohn hits boxing- Lowell correctly tabbed Old man Hopkins over Kelly Pavlik when virtually no one gave B-Hop a shot.
And there's nothing wrong with the pick here. I think Hatton is faster than people give him credit for, and I don't see Pac-Man walking right over him. But I think a stoppage some time after round 7 might be a sturdy pick.
A minor quibble- Hatton was KTFO'd in one punch by Floyd, regardless of the towel. There's no shame in this. Floyd Mayweather Jr was an explosive puncher at 130 lbs and 135 lbs. He has 25 KOs in his 39 wins and didn't start having to settle for decisions until he fought at 140 and above. He's only 5' 7" tall. 5' 10" Oscar DLH at 154 weighed almost 20 lbs. more than Floyd's optimum weight of 135 when they met.
I think Pac will prevail tonight but it's a lot more complicated than Hatton not having a good chin. You don't force Kostya Tzsyu to quit on his stool if you can't take a lick.
Never mind. it actually is that simple!
Yeah, not much of a fight. Pac landed almost as many as Hatton threw. Nice call Fred.