Saturday, May 02, 2009

Manny Pacquiao destroys Ricky Hatton


Shop the Official UFC Store




Wow.

That's all I could say after watching another lopsided victory by Manny Pacquiao.

I honestly didn't have a good feeling going into this bout. Manny proved me wrong...again.

Logic dictates that a man fighting at 140 pounds for his entire career would have a marked advantage over a fighter who is fighting at that weight for only his third time.

Manny surprised me again with a brutal second round knockout. He knocked down Hatton twice in the first round in a fierce display of boxing superiority.



The key to the fight was not only Pacquiao's punching power, but also an excellent game plan by legendary trainer Freddie Roach.

Roach stated, "Ricky is wide open for the right. He always cocks his fist back before he throws it. He fights the same way over and over. I've studied every tape I could get for two months. I know him like I know my own fighter."

Pacquiao noted, "He punches his hands before he throws a punch. He's a sucker for a right hook. I knew he'd be looking for my left. It was nothing personal. I was just doing my job."

He sure did, that knockout will be on highlight reels for years to come.



As for the extremely likable Ricky Hatton, after a few tense moments when he didn't move after being knocked out, Hatton went straight to the hospital with little comment to the media.

Hatton later stated, "It was a hard loss, but I'm okay. I really didn't see the punch coming but it was a great shot. I know I'll be okay."

Hatton's father confirmed his son's good health after the brutal knockout. Ray Hatton stated, "He's perfectly all right. They've checked him out. He's had all the tests and everything. He's not got a mark on him."



As for the motor mouth trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., he was left virtually speechless. Mayweather flapped his gums these past several months during the promotion of the bout, with silly, insulting poems and made a habit of constantly belittling trainer Freddie Roach, calling him "Freddie the Roach Coach".

Mayweather stated,"I really felt Ricky would get him. I don't want to go into it more than that."

Ha.

The day after the fight, Mayweather called for Hatton to retire. In typical Mayweather style he included a backhanded insult of Pacquiao.

Mayweather stated, "I would suggest he retire. At the end of the day, it's his decision. He tried twice. He failed twice. He lost to my son and to lose to someone below that, it's time to leave the ring. He made a good profit. Sometimes you have to go when your prime is still there."

Witnessing the event were celebrities such as Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Jay-Z and P Diddy.

They watched a systematic, shocking destruction of a proud, talented and honorable fighter in Ricky Hatton and the cementing of a legend in Manny Pacquiao.

With the victory, Pacquiao becomes only the second boxer in history to win six titles in six different weight classes. Oscar De La Hoya, who Pacquiao previously defeated, is the only other boxer to accomplish the feat.








Shop the Official UFC Store


No comments: