Manny Pacquiao's Ten Greatest Fights

By Lee Payton

I have a feeling I'll need to revise this list in a couple weeks and find a spot for what takes place at the MGM Grand on November 14, but for now these are my top 10 greatest Manny Pacquiao fights.

Photos © Ray Kasprowicz

10. Won TKO8 Chatchai Sasakul - December 4, 1998- The fight that started it all. Manny traveled to Thailand and was being dominated by a respected champion until his freakish power came through. It was his very first world title.

9. Won TKO6 Lehlohonolo Ledwaba - June 23, 2001- Pacquiao made his debut on American TV as a late replacement. On just two weeks notice he crushed the South African veteran, and took his world title belt at 122 lbs in the process. His amazing speed and frightening power made the big boys at HBO take immediate notice.

8. Won TKO9 David Diaz - June 28, 2008- This fight is significant because Pacquiao earned a championship in his fifth weight class. There was never any doubt as to who the better fighter was, but the way he tortured a strong, rugged lightweight raised some eyebrows.

7. Won TKO8 Oscar De La Hoya - December 6, 2008 This was not a prime De La Hoya, but the thorough beating the Pac-Man delivered was still a big deal because it introduced the entire sports world to Manny Pacquiao. Going into the fight most fans and media people thought that the little man had finally bitten off more than he could chew. Instead, he put an end to The Golden Boy's career as a boxer.

6. Draw Juan Manuel Marquez - May 8, 2004- During the early part of their first epic encounter Manny's devastating power was on full display. If you watched him rip through Marquez' chin, dropping him 3 times in the very first round, you could hardly believe what was happening. Later on, it became obvious that the kid still needed some work. Pacquiao went from invincible to human right before our eyes. Only his indomitable will allowed him to hold onto the featherweight crown.

5. Won SD Juan Manuel Marquez - March 15, 2008- By the time these two warriors met again Manny had added a few new wrinkles to his already blistering arsenal. A thicker and tidier Pacquiao was taken to the brink once again by the great counter punching skills of his pesky adversary, despite nearly ending matters at the end of the third round. He was cut badly and had been hurt several times throughout the contest, but after 12 more rounds of tactical Hell, the fiery Filipino earned a very narrow victory.

4. Lost UD Erik Morales - March 19, 2005- I had a bit of a hard time finding a place for this fight, but decided on the #4 spot because, for my money at least, it was the most entertaining from start to finish. For the first time ever, he saw Pacquiao in with someone who could stand up to his explosive fists. He came out on the short end in this fight, but many times it's the losses that reveal the most about what a fighter has on the inside. When many pugs would have folded, Manny just dug deeper. Imagine how loud it was in the Philippines during that unforgettable final round...

3. Won KO2 Ricky Hatton - May 2, 2009- While Hatton is not on the same level of Morales or Marquez, he was the legit champion at 140 lbs. A former flyweight champ decimated the jr. welterweight king in 2 rounds. Let that sink in. One blast from his famous left fist finished what was already a hideous beating. The brutal conclusion made one thing clear- when it comes to Pacquiao, the supposed "laws" of boxing do not apply.

2. Won TKO10 Erik Morales - January 21, 2006- In many ways this was Manny greatest performance. It's not just the fact that he knocked out a legendary hard ass, it's how he went about it. After enduring a familiar cuffing in the early going, Pacquiao proved he was the best in the world by hanging in, and making the progress he made in the gym count for something under the lights. The "Baddest Man" torch was officially passed that evening.

1. Won TKO11 Marco Antonio Barrera - November 15, 2003- The Mexican icon was on top of his game. He had successfully switched from vicious attacker to a clever, heavy-handed boxer who was considered 1 of the 5 best fighters in the sport. In late 2003 Barrera put his World Featherweight Title on the line against a skinny Filipino not many people had heard much about. Hardcore boxing fans knew the kid was fast as lightning and fun to watch, but no one expected him to treat the future Hall Of Famer like a sparring partner. He assaulted Marco mercilessly, forcing the corner call a halt to the savage beating. Manny Pacquiao had exploded onto the scene suddenly and he's been blowing our minds ever since.

e-mail Lee Payton Read more!

British Scene: Pound-For-Pound Top 15

Dave Oakes and Matt Chudley round off The Boxing Bulletin's preview of the upcoming British boxing season with their updated British Isles (Irish fighters are included) P4P Top 15 list.

There's been some movement since our last list, most notably Amir Khan jumping several spots, and the arrival in the top 15 of rising Welsh star, Nathan Cleverly (pictured landing a right hand on Danny McIntosh's jaw, photo © Justin McKie).

Make sure to check back in with us later in the week, as Dave and Matt will be back with previews of John O'Donnell vs Tom Glover and John Simpson vs Paul Truscott.

The Boxing Bulletin British Isles P4P Top 15 By Matt Chudley & Dave Oakes 1. Ricky Hatton Remains at no.1 on our list, mainly due to David Haye not fighting Nikolai Valuev until November, he may drop a place after that fight. Until then, he’s still got to be considered the best in Britain due to what he’s achieved in the past five years. It’s rumoured that he’ll make his return to the ring in March or April of next year, it’ll be interesting to see what he’s got left in the tank. - Dave Oakes 2. David Haye (vs Nikolay Valuev - Nov 7) After pulling out and opting out of fights with both Klitschko brothers, Haye now finds himself fighting 7 foot Russian Nicolai Valuev for the WBA strap on the 7th November in Germany. Should the south Londoner leave Germany with the trinket, he will be forced to defend against John Ruiz but will have greatly improved his future bargaining position against the Klitschkos. - Matt Chudley 3. Carl Froch (vs Andre Dirrell - October 17) The Cobra will defend his WBC super-middleweight title on October the 17th against unbeaten American Andre Dirrell in the opening round of Showtime's Super Six tournament. With fights against the divisions best assured over the next year, Froch could soon find himself on many full P4P lists. - Matt Chudley 4. Jamie Moore - up 2 (vs Ryan Rhodes - October 23) He jumps two places on our list due to the defeats of Witter and Woods. He’s already no.1 on the most exciting fighter list and is slowly climbing up this list. Moore looks to be the Brit most likely to capture a world title next year, but he must come through a hard test against Ryan Rhodes later this year before he sets his sights on world glory. - Dave Oakes 5. Clinton Woods (lost UD to Tavoris Cloud) He remains at 5 on our list despite his loss to Tavoris Cloud. Woods showed great heart in losing and regained the respect of the American fans that were less than impressed with his pitiful performance when losing his title to Antonio Tarver. The Sheffield man may decide to retire rather than fight again but he can leave the sport with his head held high after achieving far more than what people thought he would when he first turned pro. - Dave Oakes 6. Amir Khan - up 5 (won UD over Andriy Kotelnik) He’s become world champion by picking off the easiest target at light-welterweight. He boxed well against Kotelnik but questions must still remain about how he’ll cope when he’s put in with a decent fighter who can punch. Expect him to make a few easy defences arranged by the wily Mr Warren before stepping up to genuine world class. - Dave Oakes 7. Bernard Dunne (vs Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym - Sep 26) Well rested after his epic truimph against Ricardo Cordoba, Dunne will return on September 26th to make a first defense of his "Regular" WBA 122lb title against Thai Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym. The fight will take place in Dunne's hometown of Dublin, after Dunne's promoter Brian Peters won the purse bids with a minimum bid of $120,000. - Matt Chudley 8. Junior Witter - down 4 (lost to Devon Alexander - did not come out for 9th round) Witter drops down four places on our list after giving up 8 rounds into a WBC title fight with Devon Alexander. He once again faces a hard road back and with his akward style and limited marketability, he may need to get in line for British or European title fights if he is make another run at a world title. - Matt Chudley 9. Rendall Munroe - down 1 The usually busy Munroe has been taking a well deserved break after defeating Isaac Nettey on May 2. With the European scene already conquered, expect him to chase a world title next year. A possible match-up with Bernard Dunne would make sense if the Dublin successfully defends his title in September. - Dave Oakes 10. Ola Ofalabi - down 1 Out of action since his upset win over Enzo Maccarinelli back in March due to promotional and visa confusions, can now focus on his next opponent. Marco Huck recently dethroned Victor Ramirez to claim the full WBO cruiserweight, leaving interim champ Ofolabi expecting a December or January trip to Germany. - Matt Chudley 11. Nicky Cook - down 1 Inactive since losing his WBO super-featherweight title to Roman Martinez, Cook has taken some time out to recuperate before launching a new assualt on the 130lb division. With gym mate Kevin Mitchell out of the picture, a European title run might be in the offing in the near future. - Matt Chudley 12. Jason Booth (vs Michael Hunter - Oct 16) The reigning British super-bantamweight champion is enjoying an Indian summer to his career. It looked to be all over for him after losing to Damaen Kelly in December 2004; it took him two years to shift the demons that plagued him outside the ring before he returned to slowly rebuild his career. He’s gone unbeaten in his past six fights, five of which were for domestic titles. He fights former British and European champion Michael Hunter in October in what should be a really enjoyable fight for the fans. - Dave Oakes 13. Ian Napa (vs Gary Davis - Sep 11) Napa has decided not to move down a weight after losing his European bantamweight title in meek fashion against Malik Bouziane last time out. He now challenges British champion Gary Davis on September 11 in a fight he must win to keep his career at title level going. - Dave Oakes 14. Nathan Cleverly NEW (tko 7 over Danny McIntosh - Jul 19) The young Welsh light-heavyweight, impressively added the Lonsdale belt in stopping Danny McIntosh (check out Justin McKie's photo gallery of Cleverly vs McIntosh) over 7 one sided but entertaining rounds last time out. With little competition left on the domestic scene, it may now be time for Cleverly to make a run at the European title. He returns on the undercard of Sexton-Rogan 2 in October against an opponent to be announced. - Matt Chudley 15. Matthew Macklin (vs Amin Asikainen - September 25) The first marquee pro signed by Hatton promotions, Macklin opted out of an huge all British showdown with Darren Barker in favor of a fight for the vacant European title against Finn Amin Asikainen. Should Macklin come through, a big fight with Andy Lee in his ancestral home of Ireland could be in the offing. - Matt Chudley e-mail Matt Chudley e-mail Dave Oakes

Read more!

British Scene: Pound 4 Pound Top 15

With no big fights on British television to preview this weekend, it's a good time for Matt Chudley to present The Boxing Bulletin's British Isles (we're including Irish fighters) pound for pound list.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

The regular fight previews edition of the British Scene will be back next week with a look at the Martin Rogan vs Sam Sexton Commonwealth heavyweight title bout.

The Boxing Bulletin British Isles P4P Top 15 By Matt Chudley 1. Ricky Hatton No shame in losing to the world's best fighter, and despite the crushing nature of that defeat, the Hitman will remain no.1 on this list - at least until the 20th of June. 2. David Haye After months of speculation the Hayemaker will now get his opportunity to take on the consesus top 2 heavyweights in his next three fights. Over 30,000 tickets where sold on the first day to his June clash with Wladimir Klitschko and a win and subsequent fight with Wlad's brother Vitali would really bring the division back to life. 3. Carl Froch Big opportunities are in store for the Cobra, after his dramatic come from behind knockout win over Jermain Taylor. Joe Calzaghe is staying put in retirement, but with names like Bernard Hopkins and Mikkel Kessler being thrown around as his next opponent, Froch could have a chance to climb even higher in the near future. 4. Junior Witter While producing a solid performance in his only outing since losing his WBC light-welterweight title to Tim Bradley, Witter has remained much less active than either he or promoter Mick Hennessey would like. He will likely stay on the sidelines as Hennessey continues to push for either a vacant interim or vacant full blown WBC title fight. 5. Clinton Woods The Sheffield man may well find himself fighting Tavoris Cloud for the vacant IBF light heavyweight title should Chad Dawson not, as speculated oblige mandatory challenger Cloud. Woods had also been linked with a rematch against Roy Jones, but Jones now looks to have decided upon fellow Floridian Jeff Lacy. 6. Jamie Moore The all action Salford fighter took care of his stay busy European title defense in style, stopping Roman Dzuman in two rounds on the British based leg of Hatton-Pacquaio undercard. After a stop-start last two years, Moore is finally building mometum towards a world title shot in the next year. 7. Bernard Dunne Following his dramatic win over Ricardo Cordoba last time out the Dubliner is reportedly involved in negotiations with comebacking Mexican superstar Israel Vasquez. A potential fight would take place in either Las Vegas or 82,000 seater home of Gaelic games, Croke Park during September. 8. Rendall Munroe Munroe added the Commonwealth belt to his European title on May 2nd with a unanimous decision over tough Issaac Nettey. The Leicester bin man seems to have consolidated his dominance in the European super-bantamweight scene and appears ready for world class opposition. Promoter Frank Maloney will continue to push for a fight with Irish rival Bernard Dunne. 9. Ola Olafabi Following his upset win over Enzo Maccarinelli last month the Californian based South Londoner remains stranded in the UK due to visa problems. Next up for Olafabi is Canadian southpaw Troy Ross, the latest winner of Contender TV series. The bout is scheduled for June 20, but no location has been set as of yet. 10. Nicky Cook Having started well Cook came apart at the seams in the 4th round of his first WBO title defense last month. He will continue to recuperate before launching a new assualt on the 130lb division with domestic dust-ups involving the likes of Ricky Burns and Stephen Foster Jr on the horizon. 11. Amir Khan When questioned previously on Steve Bunce's boxing hour Amir Khan described Andreas Kotelnik as the weakest world titleholder in the sport. In a surprising turn of evens Khan will now challenge Kotelnik in a one stop fight at 140lbs on June 27th, at the O2 Arena in London. 12. Jason Booth Booth jumps into the British P4P rankings after moving up two weight divisions on 11 days notice to claim the British super-bantamweight title. Booth had previously been scheduled to fight for the British superflyweight title but following pullouts moved up to add the 122lb title to his Commonwealth bantamweight strap. 13. Ian Napa Napa's short but impressive stint as European champ at 118lbs may have to an end but he seems far from finished in the sport. On the agenda next is a move back down to his more natural weights of either flyweight or super-fly. 14. Kevin Mitchell Following nearly a year of inactivity the Dagenham man now finds himself with the opportunity to fight for a world title and avenge the defeat of stablemate Nicky Cook. Guided by Nicky's father Paul, Mitchell will take on Roman Martinez at the O2 in July should he come through a tune-up on May 22nd at the York Hall. 15. Matthew Macklin Following a destructive win over Arthur Abraham victim Wayne Elcock (Boxing Bulletin photo gallery of Macklin/Elcock), British middleweight champ Macklin now finds himself right in the mix at 160lbs. With the lack of depth in the division as a whole, the exciting Brummie may only need a couple more fights to get into contention for a world title shot. e-mail Matt Chudley

Read more!

British Scene Weekend Recap

Along with giving his thoughts on Ricky Hatton's devastating loss at the hands of Manny Pacquaio, Dave Oakes recaps this past Saturday night's Sunderland show that featured world title aspirants, Jamie Moore and Rendall Munroe.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

Saturday May 2 Hatton Overview and British Undercard By Dave Oakes Many people may feel that Saturday night was a bad day for British boxing, but there were some positive signs shown on the Sunderland card that made up the PPV on British television. Two of Britain’s potential world champions came through title fights with ease and will be hoping to be in the next wave of champs now that the Calzaghe, Hatton and Woods era seems over. And yes, the Hatton era is most certainly over. Whilst taking nothing away from the breathtaking performance by Manny Pacquiao, Hatton doesn’t look like the same fighter he was years ago. Don’t misunderstand me, Pacquiao is and always will be a greater fighter than Hatton, that’s beyond question, but I believe Hatton’s career has been in decline ever since the Tszyu fight and maybe even before it. It may seem easy for me to say that after the fight, but I believe the Hatton that fought Kostya Tszyu would’ve been able to take the punches that knocked him down in the first round. The punch that levelled him in the second would still have done so, but that monstrous left hand was good enough to knock out any light-welterweight in the world. I believe the many years of Hatton not living the life of a boxer have finally caught up with him. You can’t put 50lbs on between fights and not expect it to come back to haunt you. His punch resistance has gone, and with a defence as poor as Hatton’s, that can be a dangerous thing. It must be said that Hatton wasn’t helped one bit by Floyd Mayweather Snr, whose petulance and unprofessional approach in the build up and on fight night itself was nothing less than disgraceful. It’s been well reported that Mayweather Snr was late numerous times for training sessions but I don’t think many people would’ve expected him to do that on Saturday night. He did, and then barely said a word to anyone in Hatton’s team all night. It was Mayweather’s assistant, Lee Beard, that prepared Hatton in the dressing room. Mayweather turned up just before the ring walk and kept his distance during the introductions. When he did speak, it was less than ten words in between the first and second rounds. He seemed to be more intent on proving some childish point to Hatton rather than helping him or at least acting in the professional manner that nearly every other trainer in boxing would have. The most disgusting aspect of the whole night was when Hatton was laying on his back having been poleaxed by Pacquiao; Mayweather didn’t seem at all bothered and completely ignored Hatton. It’s the responsibility of the trainer, as well as the referee, to help the boxer when he’s in need of medical attention. You get in the ring as fast as possible and get the boxer on his side to stop him swallowing his tongue. You don’t hang around at the edge of the ring posing for the cameras and trying to do as many interviews as possible. Mayweather should have his licence revoked for such a scandalous and dangerous display of incompetence. He seems to enjoy dismissing Freddie Roach’s credentials as a trainer but there was only one winner between the pair on Saturday night, even if Hatton had won, Roach would still be the better trainer and the better man. Mayweather’s earned a lot of money in his career but he just goes to show that the old saying is right – money can’t buy you class. If Hatton does continue, Mayweather will undoubtedly be sacked. Personally, I think Hatton should call it a day; he’s got nothing left to prove, has a lot of money in bank and has a great family to enjoy. He would still be competitive against all of the light-welterweight’s bar Pacquiao, but the way he responded to the knockout on Saturday was worrying and was a sharp reminder as to how dangerous boxing can be. Most people in the trade believe it’s time for Hatton to retire, including Freddie Roach, who spoke honestly about his own decision to fight on longer than he should’ve done and the effects he believes it has had on him. That’s called class, something Hatton, Pacquiao and Roach will always have no matter where their futures takes them, Mayweather Snr on the other hand, will always be viewed as the lowest form of humankind in many peoples eyes. Whilst Hatton’s career looks to be near the end, Manny Pacquiao’s just keeps getting better and better. I think all boxing fans should enjoy watching him whilst they can, you don’t get to see many fighters like Manny Pacquiao in your lifetime. He’s done everything needed to be classed as a legendary fighter; he’s gone through the weight divisions, he’s fought the best opponents he could face, he’s entertaining, has improved his technique ten fold since he started, and above all else, done it in a respectful and professional manner that makes him a great role model for young kids and a great ambassador for boxing. Hatton Undercard – The British Leg Jamie Moore made a successful defence of his European light-middleweight title by blowing away Roman Dzuman in two one-sided rounds. Moore started aggressively, pounding Dzuman with hard hooks to the body. His work on the inside was very intelligently done; he was switching from his usual southpaw stance to orthodox at times and was repeatedly catching Dzuman with the left hook thrown from that stance. The end came in the second round when Moore caught Dzuman with two crisp straight lefts followed by a vicious left hook under the ribcage. Dzuman went down heavily and did well to get back on his feet. It was only delaying the inevitable though and he was over from the same shot again seconds later and was counted out whilst he was on his knees trying desperately to catch his breath. Moore moves to 32-3 and is looking far too good for European level. His promoter, Frank Maloney, said he expects to make a major announcement within six months about a world title opportunity. I think Moore would stand a very good chance of beating any of the current champions and should be aiming for the ageing Vernon Forrest as soon as possible. In the joint headline slot, Rendall Munroe added the Commonwealth belt to his European belt after he was taken the distance by the strong and determined Isaac Nettey. Munroe made a slow start to the fight but was controlling Nettey with his jab. Nettey was trying to stand and trade with Munroe throughout the first six rounds and occasionally landed a heavy looking overhand right; Munroe still remained in control though and was beginning wear Nettey down with some neat body work. In the seventh it looked as though Munroe might me able to stop a tiring Nettey late on, but the brave Ghanaian battled his way through the last six rounds and even found the energy for a late burst of aggression in the eleventh. There were no doubts who had won, with the judges scoring the bout 120-109 and 119-110 twice in favour of Munroe. Munroe has been very busy in the past twelve months and should take a short break from boxing to help recharge his batteries before making another defence of his European belt in September. On the undercard… Danny Williams retained his British heavyweight title after a split decision victory over John McDermott in a predictably tedious affair. Williams won the first six rounds behind a sloppy jab with McDermott barely throwing a punch., McDermott put more effort into the fight in the last few rounds but it was too little too late. Both fighters were deducted a point during the fight, McDermott for use of the elbow in the third, whilst Williams was harshly deducted a point in the sixth for holding, I agree with the referee that he was holding but having just sat through six rounds of McDermott doing the exact same thing, it seemed to me that the referee was rather too keen on evening things up. Two of the judges scored the fight 116-111 in favour of Williams, whilst the third judge had McDermott winning 115-113. I was in agreement with the score of 116-111 to Williams. Olympic hero Tony Jeffries made his hometown debut a night to remember by demolishing hapless Roy Meissner inside two rounds. Jeffries received a massive ovation during his ring walk and looks like becoming a major ticket seller on the British scene. He came out all guns blazing and had Meissner badly hurt from a clubbing left hook within twenty seconds. He kept blazing away until a big right hook to the side of the head sent Meissner sprawling across the canvass barely a minute in, which the referee bizarrely ruled as a slip. Meissner got to his feet but was put back on the seat of his pants seconds later when he was caught with another overhand right. He dragged himself up yet again but was dropped heavily with a hurtful right hook to the body moments after. He managed to make it to the bell but should’ve been pulled out by his corner, they didn’t seem to think that way though and deemed him fit enough to come out for the second round. The end came seconds into the round when the referee waved it off with Jeffries using Meissner as a walking punch bag. In a crossroads fight, Sam Webb edged out Thomas McDonagh 96-95 to record the win of his career. Webb was the busier fighter and took advantage of McDonagh’s lackadaisical approach to boxing to outpoint the more experienced man. Webb will now be looking towards a British title fight sometime in the future. e-mail Dave Oakes

Read more!

Manny Pacquiao Has Reached Rarefied Air

Michael Nelson reflects on last night's spectacular performance by Manny Pacquaio.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

One of the best indicators of how great a fighter is pertains to how often he exceeds everyone's expectations.

There's no longer any doubt that Manny Pacquaio is an all-time great.

Nobody expected the Filipino sensation to dominate and knock out Marco Antonio Barrera in November of 2003. Not many expected him to knock out Erik Morales in their rematch in January 2006. Few people expected a knock out of Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008. And virtually no one expected him to blast out Ricky Hatton within two rounds Saturday night.

That's what makes him special.

The pundits that tabbed him to win expected him to control the fight with his left hand. But it was his blindingly quick right hook that befuddled Hatton in the early going. Showing exceptional timing, it seemed that Pacquiao knew what Hatton was going to do before Hatton made his move. He made it clear that he was of a different class when he dropped Hatton to all fours with a right hook in the first stanza, and dropped him again with his patented straight left at the end of the round. The message was definitive. Despite the hype, this fight would not be competitive.

Corralling Ricky with his hand speed and footwork in the second round, Pacquiao threw a devastating overhand left within the final ten seconds that rendered Hatton completely unconscious. Referee Kenny Bayless didn't bother with a full count, and Manny once again proved himself to be the number one pound for pound fighter in the world.

To some, he has reached a stratosphere where it's hard to imagine anyone around his weight class beating him, even Floyd Mayweather or Juan Manuel Marquez. Others believe that Pacquiao is the same boxer he's been for years and that Ricky Hatton was simply an overrated fighter who benefited greatly from a few good wins and a rabid fan base.

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. While Hatton's foot speed, stamina, and determined combination punching makes him an explosive offensive fighter, he was never elite defensively. Fighters like Mayweather and Marquez possess the ring IQ, pinpoint counter punching skills, and defensive abilities to present a far more difficult level of problems for Manny. They're simply cut from a different cloth than someone as predictable as Ricky.

But Pacquiao - even entering his 13th year as a professional boxer, even elevating into different weight classes seemingly every year- continues to improve. His ceiling is unclear, and his potential extends beyond the foreseeable horizon.

We're witnessing a special talent that comes around every few decades. Undoubtedly, within the next months, boxing fans will deconstruct and reconstruct what lies in Manny Pacquiao's future. For now, let's just enjoy history.

e-mail Michael Nelson
Read more!

Live Ricky Hatton vs Manny Pacquiao Blog

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live blog coverage of the much anticipated mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton.

If you joined us last week for our live blog of the Froch/Taylor & Lopez/Penalosa fights, we appreciate you coming back. If this is your first time with us (it's only our second time doing this) then thanks for checking us out, and we hope you enjoy our coverage.

Coverage will start at 9 PM EST. Please refresh this page often, as I'll be doing regular updates throughout the undercard fights and will update the main event after each round. If you're here early, please check out some of our preview stories on tonight's fight, along with analysis from last weekend's big fights, and if you're a British fan, please click the image to the right to check out our weekly previews and recaps of all the action from UK rings. Ricky Hatton's Second Chance by Dave Crellin Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton Preview by Jeff Pryor Carl Froch and the Fun at 168 by Lee Payton JuanMa Keeps Getting Better by Michael Nelson

9:04...The show is underway. The first fight fight of the night is Erislandy Lara vs Chris Gray. Both fighters have rehydrated to 162 pounds. Michael Buffer is doing the intros. 9:07... Larry Merchant just mentioned that Lara got married yesterday. The HBO crew is singing Lara's praises. Steward says he has a very good professional style. 9:08... Steward says that Lara is always in a position to execute, and never over-extends himself and leaves openings when he punches. 9:11... Lara had things mostly his way in the first round. Gray backed up, while Lara followed. The Cuban managed to get several punches through Gray's guard, but Gray managed to escape the round mostly unscathed. 9:12... Steward praises Gray for making an attempt to fight considering how overmatched he is. Lara's stalking and mixing up his punches nicely. "Gray does not know what to expect," says Steward. 9:13... Steward just said that some of the top middleweights in the world including Kelly Pavlik would have problems with Lara. 9:14... Another round in the books. Pretty much all Lara. 9:15... Lampley asks Steward about his remark that Lara could give any middleweight in the world problems, "Even Paul Williams?" "Yes." 9:16... I should mention that Steward is talking about a "short fight". 9:17... With a chuckle, Larry pokes a bit of fun at Steward's excessive praise of Lara, "Are you sure you didn't get him to defect?" 9:18... Round 3 in the books. All Lara. 9:22... Round 4... More of the same. Harold has it 40-36. Not a big surprise. "4 very decisive 10-9 rounds." 9:24... All 3 judges have it a shut-out, and Lampley is now rattling off compubox numbers. 9:26... Hatton is chatting away with Oscar while he warms up in his dressing room. 9:27... According to Larry, yesterday's weigh-in was so packed that 5,000 people were turned away. 9:28... Next up is Matvey Korobov vs Anthony Bartinelli. Korobov has rehydrated to 170, while Bartinelli is 166 tonight. 9:29... Fight is about to get started. Buffer has finished with the intros. 9:30... Steward and Lampley comment on the pro-style we're now seeing from countries that used to focus mainly on the amateur game. 9:31... I should mention that Korobov is a southpaw. 1 minute into the round, and he's having things all his own way. 9:34... Not surprisingly, Korobov is tagging Bartinelli at will. Bartinelli's mouthguard just went flying after getting caught on the button with a right hook. It happened with about 15 seconds left in the round. I have a feeling this isn't going the full 4 rounds. 9:34... Steward estimates the mouth-guard flew about 30 feet. 9:35... Korobov's corner told him to work the body this round. 9:37.... Referee Robert Byrd stops this one with about a minute left in the second round. Bartinelli was just getting tagged at will. He was put down early in the round with a straight left on the button, but got up for more punishment. Korobov was very patient about putting the finishing touches on. He mixed in some nice body work, before forcing Bartinelli into the corner, where after a barrage of power shots, Byrd jumped in. 9:39... Official time is 2:15 of round 2. Matt Korobov moves to 5-0, all 5 coming by stoppage. 9:42... As impressive as Lara and Korobov are, I got to say that I would rather see some well matched action fighters on the undercard. These opening two bouts were about as exiting as casual sparring sesssions. There are a lot of second tier fighters that could provide good entertainment for a reasonable price, and I think giving them some airtime on a night like this would be better entertainment. 9:45... Lampley is interviewing Ann Wolfe regarding the James Kirkland situation. Ann's disappointed in Kirkland, but she's sticking by her fighter and says she hopes he gets the opportunity to keep going with the work they've been doing. 9:46... Next up is Daniel Jacobs vs Michael Walker. Both fighters have rehydrated to 169 pounds. 9:50... Jacobs-Walker is underway, and Lampley informs us that Jacobs is a budding chef. 9:51... Lampley informs us that Jacobs sometimes switches to southpaw and has power in both hands. Larry just asked Steward how Korobov would do against Lara, and Steward says he likes Korobov a little bit better. 9:53... Jacobs came on strong at the end of the first round, and had Walker covering up along the ropes. 9:56... Steward comments the most effective punch for Jacobs has been the left hook to the body. Steward comments that while Walker's skill level isn't that high, he's very determined. He's standing in and trading with Jacobs and trying to make the most of his chance tonight. 10:00... Walker just threw Jacobs to the canvas, dislodging Jacobs' protective cup, and we've got a time-out while Jacobs is getting fixed up. 10:02... Walker is giving a spirited effort here and really making Jacobs work hard. Early in the round, he managed to force Jacobs into the corner and landed a looping right hand, although Jacobs turned the tables by spinning out of trouble and tagging Walker with several shots in the same corner. 10:02... Harold has it 3-0 for Jacobs... "Beautiful ring generalship." - Harold 10:03... Steward comments that Walker is starting to walk through some of Jacobs shots and is becoming more effective. 10:06... Walker is bulling forward, backing Jacobs up. A nice combo from Walker seem to make Jacobs rethink his approach, as he became more patient, looking to pick his spots the rest of the round. Jacobs has been landing some very nice body shots. He's also had a lot of success finishing up to the body after flurrying upstairs. 10:10... Steward comments on the differntial in size here. Jacobs is about 6 inches taller. There was just an accidental clash of heads, but thankfully no damage done, although Walker got the worst of it. Jacobs is doing a good job firing off combos and moving. Walker is undeterred and keeps pushing forward and Lampley comments that Walker has really earned Jacobs respect, although Jacobs is winning all the round. 10:11... Harold has it 5-0. 10:13... 6 rounds now in the book. I think Jacobs is looking a bit tired, but he's got this well in control. He's jabbing and moving, and then throwing in the occasional flurry, but not with much on it. He seems content to be just scoring points here. 10:16... Not much happening here. Larry and Steward are debating whether or not Jacobs is a puncher. 10:17... Steward is enthusiastic with his praise of Jacobs, although not quite to the level that he raved about Lara and Korobov. 10:20... "Jacobs trains in Coney Island and looks like he's not going to be a day about the beach for anyone for some time." - Larry (not that you had to ask). 10:22... That's it. Harold has it 8-0. That's what all 3 judges will have it too. Walker never stopped coming forward and gave a good effort, but he was just outclassed. Jacobs boxed nicely, and picked his spots well. Steward comments on how well he switches from jabbing to stopping and letting loose with a power shot. 10:24... Up next will be Humberto Soto vs Benoit Gaudet. 10:30... Soto weighs 141 tonight while Gaudet is only 137. 10:32... This one is underway. 10:35... Soto went right after Gaudet early and caught the Canadian with a left hook as he was moving backward that dropped him. Gaudet was up quickly and Larry and Steward say it was more of a balance knockdown. Larry says that Gaudet's plan is try and outbox Soto the way Guzman was able to. Gaudet is using the whole ring, jabbing and moving and changing directions. Steward had a feeling Gaudet won't be strong enough physically and mentally to cope with Soto down the stretch. 10:37... Soto is patiently stalking, while Gaudet is doing his best to stay on the move. 10:38... Steward comments that Gaudet has fast hands and is very swift on his feet and Soto is going to have to really step it up and put more pressure. 10:39... Two rounds in the books. Steward feels that Soto will step things up as he realizes that Gaudet can't hurt him. 10:40... Soto's corner is telling him that he's got to chase Gaudet down. 10:40... 2-0, 20-17 on Harold's card for Soto. 10:41... Gaudet is moving left, then moving right. He's doing a good job of not letting Soto load up, but he's not offering too much offense. 10:43... Round 3 in the books. Soto stepped up the pressure and managed to close the gap on several occasions. He landed some decent right hands in the process. Gaudet had a few moments as well, catching Soto with a couple right hands. 10:45... "Benoit Gaudet has some good skills, there's no doubt about it, but he doesn't pack a punch." - Harold 10:46... Gaudet is hanging in there. He's always fighting in reverse, but he's stopped and landed his right hand a few times. 10:47... 4 rounds complete. Soto constantly moving forward, Guadet going side to side, jabbing and throwing the occasional right hand while trying to slip shots and tie Soto up. Not thrilling to watch. 10:48... Harold gave round 4 to Gaudet. 10:49... Lampley comments that Soto has been unable to land his left hook to the body so far. 10:50... "I don't know what happened, but something happened to Soto in the early part of this round. I don't know if it was an injury, but he looks uncomfortable." - Steward 10:51... Soto closed the round strong, although it wasn't a great round for him until the last 40 or so seconds. 10:52... Harold has it 49-45 after 5. 10:53... Steward comments that Gaudet is looking comfortable. No word on whether or not anything's wrong with Soto. Steward might have been reaching with that one. 10:55... This is not tremendously entertaining, but it's competitive. 10:56... Harold gave round 6 to Gaudet. He's got it 4-2, but a 3 pound gap in total because of the early knockdown. 10:57... Accidental clash of heads to start round 7, but no damage done. 10:58... Gaudet is keeping out of range, and picking his spots effectively early in the round. Soto is following, but he's just not doing too much. Yikes. Gaudet just caught Soto VERY low and down goes Humberto, and we'll have a bit of break here. 10:59... Jay Nady won't be taking a point. Soto takes about a minute, and we're underway again. 11:00... Soto with a burst of aggression with about 40 seconds left in the round, but Gaudet takes it nicely and slips out of trouble. 11:00... Soto's corner is telling him to finish to the body and work the uppercuts inside. "You're not going to rip off his head, work the body, work the sides!" 11:01... Harold gave the 7th to Soto. 11:03... Lampley comments on how Gaudet has made a bigger commitment to the body than Soto, and Steward comments on how well Gaudet has taken Soto's power shots when they've landed. 11:04... Soto landed a very nice right hand with about 7 or 8 seconds left in the round, but Gaudet took it very well. Over the last minute or so of the round, Soto wasn't fighting with much fire at all and there are moments now, where he's backing away. 11:05... Harold gave the 8th to Soto. He's got it 78-73. 11:06... Soto's sitting back again here to start the round. Looks like he wants Gaudet to open up and come to him a bit, which he's doing a bit, but there's not really a whole lot happening. Just as I said that, Soto catches Gaudet with a big uppercut and sends him down. He's up, and trying to hold on. 45 seconds left in the round. 11:07... Soto lands a hard right hand, and another clean shots sends Gaudet down and Nady stops it immediately. Gaudet opens his arms up in protest, but that's it. 11:08... The uppercut that hurt Gaudet was a nice clean right hand. Landed flush and sent Gaudet toppling backwards. 11:10... Soto finished matters with a right hand that sent Gaudet into the ropes and to the canvas. The official time 2:25 of round 9. 11:13... The main-event is next. HBO is showing some gym highlights to hype it. 11:15... For those watching on TV that are following along with the live blog, feel free to throw out your scores for the main-event in the comments down below. 11:18... I'll use this downtime to complain for a moment at HBO not picking up the Glen Johnson - Tomasz Adamek fight. WHY!? Guaranteed classic! Yeah, yeah, budget reasons. Screw that. This would have been epic, and now we're not going to see it! 11:20... The anthems have just started, so I think we're still at least another 10-15 minutes from seeing the fighters enter the arena. 11:25... Hatton is 152 tonight, while Pacquiao is 148. 11:27... Hatton is about to enter. He's elected to come out first because according to what he told Larry Merchant, he's the challenger tonight fighting for the P4P title. Not sure I agree with Ricky there, but that's his reason. 11:28... Hatton is now in the ring. By the way, in case you're wondering, he's not wearing the "Fatton" suit that he entered the ring for last time against Malignaggi. 11:29... Pacquiao is about to make his way in. 11:32... Pacquiao is now in the ring. Michael Buffer with the intros. 11:33... Kenny Bayliss is the man in charge. 11:34... From Manchester England, the 3 time world champion, etc, etc... Ricky Hitman Hatton. 11:35... From the Philippines, the 5 time world champion, currently recognized as the P4P #1 fighter in the world, Manny Pacman Pacquiao. 11:36... They are face to face in the middle of the ring receiving their final instructions. 11:37... "They are warrior kings with armies of fans that follow them to the battle, but now they will be alone in the battle." - Larry 11:37... Hatton immediately comes forward and tries to get inside. Manny with the first good punch, a right hook that lands clean, and now they clinch. 11:38... Pac manages to tie Hatton up and Ricky roughs him up in the clinch. Manny with a couple nice right hooks. Hatton comes forward and Manny slips under a hook. "Hatton's face is already red." - Larry. "Pacquiao's landed 3 significant right hooks already." - Lampley. Pac lands a nice straight right hand! 11:39... Down goes Hatton! 45 seconds left. He was caught with a clean conter. Pac with another hard right hand, and Hatton manages to tie him up along the ropes. Pac on the attack here. Another right hand. Hatton is in big trouble. Pac pouring it on. Down goes Hatton! He's up at the count of 8 as the first round ends!!!! 11:40... Here's[ the replay of the first knockdown. A right hook on the button as Hatton was coming forward. 11:41... Lampley is rattling off "utterly devastating" compubox numbers. 11:41... Hatton just landed a hard left hand and forced Pac backwards. They clinch. Hatton has his legs back here in the second round. 11:43... Pac with a hard left hand. Steward says that Hatton needs to smother Pac. Pac lands a nice clean right, and Hatton digs a low blow to Pac's hip and is warned for hitting and holding. Hatton is just walking into a lot of shots, but he manages to catch Manny with a left, but immediately Manny comes roaring back and backs Hatton off. 11:43... Lampley comments that Pac's got a little wild. Steward comments that Ricky needs to move his head, and as soon as he finishes saying that, Pacquiao catches Hatton with a HUGE shot and puts him down and out. This one is over. Hatton is completely out. 11:45... Hatton is being attended to by medical personal. He's now moving his head and is starting to come around. 11:45... The knockout blow was a huge left hand that landed flush. Hatton looked like he was out before he hit the canvas, and landed very hard. 11:46... That was absolutely devastating. 11:47... Hatton is sitting down on a stool. He's alert. 11:48... The official time 2:59 of round 2. 11:52... Larry is asking Pacquiao about Floyd. "If he beats Marquez, is that a fight you want?" "I can fight anybody." - Pac 11:53... Freddie Roach tells Larry that based on watching tapes of Hatton, he doesn't have the ability to adjust. 11:54... I'm not sure if we'll get a chance to hear from Hatton as that was a very rough finish. 11:56... Lampley just said that Hatton will not be interviewed. The camera is following Ricky as he walks from the arena to his dressing room. At least he's walking about okay so that's good news. 11:59... Thank you to everyone for stopping by and thanks to those that commented. Glad you enjoyed our coverage tonight and please tune in next time.

Read more!

Ricky Hatton vs Manny Pacquiao Predictions

Ricky Hatton. Manny Pacquaio. Tomorrow night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Who's going to take it? The Boxing Bulletin writers make their picks.

Hatton should have his way inside, but he is going to have to fins his way past nukes to get there, and Manny isn't the type to just sit back and allow himself to be manhandled. Ricky will be faster and stronger than anyone Pacquiao has faced, but he has also beaten better. I've really tussled with my initial feelings on this one. I'm going with my gut. Ricky's ability to get inside quickly takes Pac by surprise and he builds an early lead. Manny fights back and the middle rounds are on even terms. Manny pours it on late and Hatton survives some major trouble in one of the final rounds to eek out a split decision. - Mark Lyons

I have the feeling Ricky will look better than ever and his speed, especially early, will be eye opening. As the fight goes on I believe that Pacquiao will do a better job of adjusting to Hatton, than Hatton will to Pacquiao. Over the course of the fight I think the newly honed boxing skills the Manchester grappler has been working on will begin to fall away as he finds it difficult to corral Manny. To me there are a lot of variables, and it's a toss up fight that either guy can win with a special performance, but that said I think Pacquiao's speed, movement and motor allows him to pull away and win a comfortable, but impressive and entertaining fight reminiscent of what Morales did to him in their first fight. - Jeff Pryor

The recent trend with Hatton against top-tier opposition is that he comes out guns blazing in the first three or four rounds, throwing vicious combinations to the body. As some point, his opponent starts making adjustments and begins touching him up. Hatton then becomes a guy who throws one or two punches and grabs, which works fine against someone who doesn't utilize fast feet. Pac's gotten very good in the last few years at taking a half-step back and countering a charging opponent with a right hook or short left hand. Diving in with single shots and grabbing won't work against him. I think Hatton has his moments in the first third of the fight, but it becomes a countdown to a stoppage win for Pac after that. I look for Pac to stop him in rounds 7-9. - Michael Nelson

I think this is a real 50-50 fight and a hard fight to pick. I’ve got a hunch that Hatton might be too strong on the inside for Pacquiao to cope with; Hatton is definitely the physically strongest fighter Pacquiao has fought. I envisage both fighters starting at a frantic pace and exchanging heavy shots early on. At some point during one these exchanges I think Hatton will hurt Pacquiao to the body and put him down. If Pacquiao gets up and starts fighting more intelligently then I think the fight will be mightily close come the final bell, but I believe that Pacquiao will try to fight his way out of trouble and will get caught again. I’ll go against all conventional wisdom and say Hatton wins inside six rounds. - Dave Oakes

First off, let me point out that I think Manny Pacquiao is the superior fighter. Stylistically, I think he creates a lot of issues for Hatton. The overall speed of the Pac-Man gives everyone hell. And Ricky is used to having the faster feet in there, but I think he's in against an athlete who can match him in that department. The southpaw stance seems to be another advantage for the Filipino star, given that Hatton seems to have trouble with them. Most left hookers tend to have a hard time finding the target upstairs. I think Hatton would be better served to jump in with his right hand lead and then work from the clinch. He does throw some very hard punches when he lets go, and he could land a hook to the liver that would change things around. If I'm going with what I think is the most likely scenario, I'll take Pac by hard-fought, but clear unanimous decision. He should be able to tag Hatton coming in here and there, but also, I don't see what the Brit can do if Manny decides to shoot forward with his speed. Manny Pacquiao should win, but when the stakes are this high, and when it comes down to ONE night, anything can happen. I am glad Kenny Bayless is handling things. Just hope that a clash of heads doesn't go a long way in deciding this one. Here's to a fair fight. Manny 9-3, 8-4, 8-4 with both men being stunned along the way. - Lee Payton

If Pacquaio can withstand Hatton's early assault, especially those hooks to the body, and still be fresh by the 6th or 7th round - which is no guarantee but I'm leaning 70/30 that he can - I think he'll win going away. - Andrew Fruman

Read more!

Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton Preview

Jeff Pryor takes a look at this Saturday night's mega-fight between Filipino Manny Pacquaio and Britain's Ricky Hatton.

Photos © Ray Kasprowicz

The other day I was talking to a young Filipino woman, recently home from a visit to see her mother, who still lives among the islands of the Philippines. Inevitably I asked her if she was a fan of Manny Pacquiao, and inevitably she said she was, though not like her mother and everyone else who lives in the country. She didn't tell me anything you haven't heard before, mentioning how things shutdown when he fights and that no one is out and about. However, I perceived a reservation in her.

What I sensed, talking to this young lady, perhaps in her mid thirties, while she told me, in what would seem to be almost an understatement, that "he is almost like an icon there", was that she didn't entirely understand the phenomena of Pacquiao's massive appeal in her homeland. The reason, I would guess, is that she has been Americanized, for lack of a better term. Living in New York, and all it's diverse accouterments adds to you as a person, just as it strips away some of your personal regional or cultural identification.

To Filipinos, I believe that in addition to his affable personality and talents in the ring, Pacquiao embodies what is considered a model countryman. Religious, humble and hardworking, Pacquiao takes these attributes that most among the islands aspire to, and combines them with a hard luck story that so many there can relate to.

The parallel is that in boxing, Manny Pacquiao embodies what we as fans wish all our pugilistic stars were. Fast and flashy, powerful and explosive, a fighter through and through, but also someone who seems like a genuinely good guy you can root for.

Across the ring from him this Saturday night is a similar man, who like Pacquiao is emblematic of his U.K. compatriots. Blue collar, plain spoken and cheeky (in more ways than one if you caught the first episode of 24/7), you'd have no trouble envisioning Ricky Hatton atop a stool at a pub in Manchester easily chatting with anyone who happened to lighten the load alongside of him.

Inside the ring his toughness and tenacity, will and withering attacks, combined with his good humor make him another nice guy who fans can easily get behind.

The question becomes; if nice guys finish last, which of these two likable lugs will create some ill will in the ring?

Niceties aside, both gentleman do their business with a killer's attributes that bely their rosy personalities. Though he finds it somewhere under that boyish grin and quite spoken demeanor, Pacquiao's intensity and warrior attitude seems to come in the form of focus and slow burn ferocity.

Hatton seems to have genuine angst that he channels for his fights and the wisecracks and jokes die out like a an amateur night stand up routine as he enters the squared circle, grim and determined. Hatton like a caged beast, Pacquiao like a cagey hunter.

Each is a hurting machine.

Which machine is finely tuned and ready to spit out fire from bell to bell?...

As the song says, "There's only one Ricky Hatton", though he may wish there were a few more to help him try and corral the darting whirlwind that is Manny Pacquiao. The foot speed and movement of the Filipino, along with how Hatton adjusts to it, is probably the key to this matchup when all is said and done. Before we get into that I think the bouts that frame this matchup also provide a vital clue to which man is truly at the height of their game.

Last time we saw Ricky Hatton he was on his way to dominating Paulie Malignaggi in a largely uneventful bout which had Malignaggi's corner throwing in the towel after eleven one sided rounds. Hatton performed well and seemed to mix in a little more skill under the tutelage of Floyd Mayweather Sr.

Though the pride of Manchester seemed improved from his uninspiring and almost disasterous performance against Juan Lazacano earlier in the year, he also appeared to only have to deal with a diminished Malignaggi. This Malignaggi was one who threw markedly less punches than in his successful bouts, one who seemed too uptight to fight over the first half and content to survive down the home stretch. In short, a Paulie Malignaggi whose brief rise had already begun to be eclipsed by successive lackluster performances against Herman Ngoudjo, the rematch with Lovemore N'Dou and finally culminating in his listless performance against Ricky N'Hatton... er, Hatton. The question is, how much of the performance was a rejuvenated Ricky Hatton and how much was a dejuvenated Malignaggi (that's right, I just used a morphological pseudoword).

Last time we saw Manny Pacquaio in the ring he was on his way to dominating Oscar De La Hoya in a largely uneventful bout which had De La Hoya's corner throwing in the towel after eight one sided rounds. Pacquiao performed well and seemed to mix in a little more skill under the tutelage of Freddy Roach.

The real story was that thirty eight of Pacquio's then fifty two fights had been fought at a weight of 122lbs or lower and there he was fighting an A-lister at 147lbs. On that evening back in December Oscar had no answers for Pacquiao's withering onslaught, but, was it due to the questions Pacquio was posing or due to the inevitable slide that the Golden Boy has been staving off these last few years. Pacquiao looked every bit as amazing, as De La Hoya looked dead and drawn. So when dolling out credit, one is cautious in heaping it on Pacquiao too liberally. His last win over Marquez was ten pounds lighter and debatable, his victory over Diaz dominating, but assured and his win over De La Hoya was astounding, but augmented, by father time.

When the bell rings it's a fresh start for both. While the signposts of their earlier fights point the direction, neither will win or lose based on what's come before, only on what is in their paths on the night they are face to face, punch for punch.

I would expect Hatton and Pacquiao to provide freewheeling action early, but over the first several rounds, as Hatton realizes that Pacquiao's foot speed is his real barrier to winning, he will fall into the familiar Hitman pattern of jumping in with a punch or two and then clinching and grappling, looking to manhandle the presumed smaller man. As it happens Manny stands 5'6" to Ricky's 5'7", and enjoys a two inch reach advantage over the Brit. Contrary to conventional wisdom on this one, I'm not so sure size matters.

If Pacquiao's elite stretch at 126-147 has proven anything, it's that he is adaptable to master brawlers, master boxers, and everything in between, and I'd imagine that after a round or two of wrestling, Pacquiao will crank up the movement, and begin strafing Hatton as he comes in, elusively darting away after popping his foe in the beer chute.

While I think ultimately Pacquiao makes Hatton fight on his terms, no doubt Hatton will have his moments, and his toughness, grit and determination will offer him opportunities to change the fight, perhaps with a withering body attack.

I suspect there is a small weakness in Pacquiao, that like a fissure in a glacier, is easily bypassed in the grand scheme of things, and is rarely stumbled upon, but exists none the less, there waiting for the right set of circumstances to claim it's victim; it is a cap on his tolerance for pain. Early in his career he succumbed against lesser opponents, he writhed on the stool against Morales as they tended his gashed eye and when Barrera sucker punched him in the 11th round of their rematch, Pacquiao slumped against the ropes stunned and hurt as a point was taken from his opponent, small examples, but an opening nonetheless for the punishing punches of Ricky Hatton.

Each man has strengths and weaknesses that you could argue offset or set them apart. The long and short of it is this; 50-50 sounds about right.

A fog of vague uncertainty lingers over both fighters due to their previous opponents liabilities. The size differential hangs there too, as does the question of speed, both hand and foot. Whether Hatton's new trainer will make the brawler a boxing brutalizer or will Pacquiao's continual refinement raise him to a soaring new level.

In a fight with so many variables, unanswered questions and unknowable circumstances the only thing we can say for sure is that the intrigue for such a bout is enormous.

One of the best moments in any anticipated fight is that fleeting moment just after the opening bell sounds and the two men walk out to meet each other. In the viewer who has envisioned the matchup, speculated on it's outcome and imagined the best possibilities and promise of something to remember, there is a distinct feeling as this moment passes and the initial volleys are thrown; Finally... we shall know what this is, and who the better of the two will be proven to be.

It is in that moment that a fight passes forever more from what might be, to what is. By the end, the tally is rung up, our sports history logs another entry and for now the questions are answered.

Two nice guys, two proud nations and a thousand questions meet in the center of the ring Saturday night.

e-mail Jeff Pryor
Read more!

The Body Snatchers

Michael Nelson takes a look at the best in the business at working the body.

"Body shot!" screamed a gleeful Nate Campbell, immediately after catching Almazbek Raiymkulov with an uppercut to the solar plexus as Raiymkulov was lunging in.

Almazbek, otherwise known as Kid Diamond, draped his arms around Campbell. After referee Brian Garry separated the two combatants, Kid Diamond turned his back on Campbell as if looking for a way out the ring. Upon being told to turn around, the normally aggressive Raiymkulov was chased around the ring for several seconds before the HBO commentators started postulating on what was wrong with him.

Unnoticed by most of the observers watching the bout, the sneaky shot to the body in the 5th round silently turned a boxing clinic into a frightening beating. Kid Diamond was knocked down twice before the bell sounded to end the 5th, and was tormented throughout the remainder of the fight before it was finally stopped on another body shot with 45 seconds left in the final round.

It's a story familiar to the game's elite body punchers. To them, body punching isn't simply an investment for the later rounds that may or may not pay dividends. A well placed body punch can instantly change a fight, if not end it outright. Despite the numerous idioms, ('kill the body, the head will follow'), body punching is an understated art form, and describes one of the more difficult styles for an opponent to overcome.

In no particular order, here is a list of fighters who have mastered the ability to knock the air out of his challenger:

Nate Campbell (pictured left against Ali Funeka) – Among the most prolific body punchers in the game, Campbell's Valentine's Day bout against Funeka was slipping away from him going into the 10th round. The momentum was securely with Funeka and Nate looked as if he had nothing left in between rounds.

But, a rededicated body attack slowed down the surging Funeka enough to land a looping right hand to the temple in the 11th and drop him. Ultimately, Campbell's rally in the championship rounds saved him the fight, and perhaps his career.

Although a hook to the liver is generally the most effective body punch a fighter can possess, Campbell's slashing right hands to the left lumbar and right uppercuts to the sternum are just as jolting as his left hooks.

(photo © Scott Foster)

Antonio Margarito – Yes, there are those who believe speculation that Margarito has been loading his gloves throughout his career should preclude him from any 'best of' list. But until further evidence comes to light on what exactly was on those wraps, and what he used in previous bouts, I'm not subscribing to such theories. As it stands, Antonio is a phenomenal body puncher.

I've never seen a Margarito fight in which he wasn't consistent in his dedication towards breaking his opponent down to the body. That's something I can't say about any other fighter on this list. Expertly using his long arms to snap left hooks around his foe's elbows, he mixes in uppercuts to the middle of the abdomen to create a varied and devastating attack.

Miguel Cotto – Cotto has the most potent left hook to the liver in boxing today, bar none. The list of opponents he has effectively taken out with a single body shot is staggering. The amount he throws, however, has diminished as the level of his competition increased within the welterweight division. His neglect of body work proved to be a vital error in his TKO loss to Antonio Margarito last summer.

Shane Mosley – The vitriolic nature of Mosley's body work when he was a lightweight cannot be overstated. His bullheaded efforts towards destroying a man's midsection were notorious in both the ring and the gym. And he was powerful enough to not only end a fight with one punch, but hurt opponents with six inch punches to the ribs while inside a clinch.

Simply put, Mosley was the best body puncher I've ever seen.

But as he moved up in weight to fight bigger men, he became more easily discouraged from attacking the body. Before his bout with Ricardo Mayorga last year, many thought he would follow the blueprint that Felix Trinidad, who hurt Mayorga every time he went to the body, laid before him. Curiously, his body attack against Ricardo was nowhere to be found.

Mosley reinstated himself as perhaps the best in boxing with his 9 round destruction of Antonio Margarito last month. Using his quickness to sting Margarito with hard counter punches to the abdomen, and his strength to muscle Margarito to the ropes and blast him downstairs, Mosley showed that with a renewed confidence in his body attack, nobody his size should be a prohibitive favorite over him.

Ricky Hatton – Hatton's style is unique. Using underrated speed of foot, he darts in between his opponent's punches to get inside. He then grapples with him, using his strength to push him into a position that leaves his liver exposed for a left hook. Jose Luis Castillo caught wind of this maneuver the hard way, receiving a liver shot that put an end to his career as a six figure pugilist. Hatton remains the only person to put the iron-willed Castillo down for the ten count.

Hatton's thudding shots beneath the rib cage should make Manny Pacquiao nervous. It will be fascinating to see how Pacquiao deals with them.

Other body punch specialists include Israel Vasquez, Juan Urango, Juan Diaz, Alfredo Angulo, Chad Dawson, and Robert Guerrero.

e-mail Michael Nelson
Read more!

Ricky Hatton's Second Chance

by Dave Crellin

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there's only one Ricky Hatton. The real truth, in fact, is that Hatton is the next in line to Frank Bruno and Henry Cooper, the plucky everyman who wins the hearts of people well beyond the normal boxing public.

Hatton fights are, at least to British eyes, exciting. And he's got genuine wit: the public which lapped up Bruno's self-deprecating jollity and simple catchphrases are putty in the hands of Ricky Hatton, accomplished speaker and budding stand-up comedian. He's a one-man variety show and he epitomises so many of the characteristics which the nation holds dear. The world wants to buy him a pint (and most of them have) and the world, more importantly, will pay to watch him box.

Hatton is probably Frank Warren's last (or most recent) great triumph. By the time his first 'proper' world title bout came round he was able to pull a sell-out crowd of 20,000, with plenty more clamouring for spares. Given that Hatton was also the first British boxer to be built to this level solely on the back of pay-TV exposure the manner in which the Hatton express has steamrollered into the hearts and wallets of Britain is even more remarkable.

The Tszyu fight was probably the point at which his following achieved a critical mass: the ingredients of Hatton being an underdog in front of a massive home crowd against, of all things, an Aussie, made for an electric atmosphere. A man who can generate that much excitement is a valuable commodity. The trouble is, people then start believing in his invincibility.

The thorough derailment of Hatton was a slap with a wet haddock in the collective faces of those people who, in true British spirit, believed in the triumph of hope over expectation (and the triumph of Red Bull over the collective impact of 12 hours of best bitter). Mayweather was the perfect pantomime villain and everyone knows that, in pantomime, the villain never wins. Even people who had Mayweather as favourite (there was one guy, I think) were surprised at the manner in which Hatton was so comprehensively dismantled after having been worked out. Naturally the referee had a shocker. Had there been a different ref, Hatton could maybe have lasted another round or so.

Just as Tszyu was the zenith of Hatton's career so did Mayweather become the nadir. The rehabilitation process has, however, been well-managed. So strong was the affiliation between Hatton and his fan base that the Mayweather fight quickly became an explicable annoyance. He was, after all, the best in the world. And the second most memorable thing about the fight, after the ending? Undoubtedly Hatton asking Joe Cortez whether he was looking for Hatton to admit erotic intimacy from Mayweather. That was straight from the Sunday morning football pitches of Manchester, and it was great.

So, as Brits, we love Ricky Hatton. And because we love Ricky Hatton (and because we're Brits) we'll support him anywhere and whatever the barriers. We've watched his career for years, seen how as his opponents have increased in class they've learned to grab him on the way in to try to smother his work. Hatton, of course, never initiates a clinch. We've got to know him, his family, the jokes he trots out with endearing regularity, his love for all things Manchester and his loyalty to what he is.

Thing is, we've got no idea about Manny Pacquiao. It is one of the anomalies of boxing in the UK that big international fights tend to be screened with very little fanfare some time around fight time but often at odd times in the schedule. Unless you went looking for Pacquiao, the chances are you wouldn't have found him with any regularity. The one exception, of course, was the De La Hoya fight, an embarrassing exhibition of the decaying effects of age and weight loss. Pacquiao looked good, but only in the same way that Joe Calzaghe did against Roy Jones – the winners gained more status with casual fans than they did with the cognoscenti.

It takes a very good argument, though, to make the case for Pacquiao not being the best in the world. And given how strong and effective he looked against De La Hoya he seems to be able to handle the additional weight well. So then it comes down to what tools the two guys have, and this is where it gets interesting.

Hatton fans love the pace, they love the toughness and sheer output of their fighter. In Pacquiao he faces a guy who could well stand in the middle of the ring and beat Hatton at his own game. It makes for a hell of a fight, but it also makes for the potential of the unmasking of a hero.

This as much as anything is the factor behind the nervousness for Hatton fans. Deep down, Mayweather was always going to be too good a boxer and the shame of defeat was emotionally managed in this way. Aside from the omnipresent physical risk there is a genuine danger that Hatton could be mugged in the way he has been mugging opponents all his career. Unthinkable. Match that up with the buzz of a genuine big fight and this is an enormous bout for British fans.

Hatton and Calzaghe are comfortably the two names with the highest public recognition; as Calzaghe sails into the sunset it would be a sea change to simultaneously watch Hatton out-matched and out-fought. There are as many different views as to how this fight will go as there are different British media pronunciations of 'Pacquiao'. After having seen their hero come unstuck once before against the very best, perhaps the only certainty for the British fight fan is that there is indeed only one Ricky Hatton. Read more!