Posts tagged Pacquiao

Hatton says Pacquiao fight biggest of them all

British star Ricky Hatton said his upcoming bout with Manny Pacquiao is the biggest fight of his career, even more massive than his tussle with two former pound-for-pound greats.

Hatton’s trek to superstardom started with a fight with then junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu in 2004. The Australia-based Tszyu was then ranked high in the pound-for-pound rankings, making Hatton a heavy underdog in their match.

“He [Tszyu] was an animal, yes. And, I mean, he was a massive puncher. He was very physically strong. And nobody gave me a prayer of winning that fight. Similar is that nobody is giving me a prayer to win this fight [against Pacquiao],” Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) said in a conference call to promote “The Battle of East and West.”

Hatton went on beat Tszyu when the latter quit on his stool after 11 grueling rounds. The victory, which was for Tszyu’s IBF junior welterweight title, announced Hatton’s arrival to mainstream boxing and remains to many boxing observers as his most significant win.

More >

During a blistering two-day U.K. media tour, superstars Manny Pacman Pacquiao and Ricky Hitman Hatton set the tone for their world junior welterweight The Battle of East and West championship set for Saturday, May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View. The fighters started in Hattons hometown of Manchester and finished yesterday in London. They were joined by their respective trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather, Sr, as well as US-based promoters Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer.

More >