As the song goes, there's only one Ricky Hatton. And it seems even Vince McMahon realizes this.
Confirmed by that paragon of British journalism, The Sun, Hatton will follow in Floyd Mayweather's footsteps and serve as the guest host of WWE Raw when the show hits the Sheffield Arena on November 9. According to the tabloid, the WWE wanted someone from England who was also well known in the U.S., and Hatton certainly fits the bill - though unfortunately many folks in the States know him best for getting knocked out by Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
For those who aren't up on their scripted fighting, the guest host fills the role formerly played by the (storyline) General Manager, setting up matches, making announcements and the like. Other recent hosts include personalities from the NFL (Ben Roethlisberger), NASCAR (Kyle Busch and Joey Logano), music (Snoop Dogg) and television (Bob Barker).
Hatton actually has the perfect personality for a gig like this, so it should be a fun show.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label ricky hatton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ricky hatton. Show all posts
21.10.09
Shoe Shining: Vargas the Promoter, Hopkins Gives and Jack Johnson Pardon Watch
I had so much built-up anticipation for the beginning of the Super Six World Boxing Classic that it's almost a letdown now that we're past the first weekend of fights. You know, like you used to feel six hours after you unwrapped that last Christmas present.
But the sport goes on, and actually in fine fashion with a number of fight weekends between now and the end of the year. We'll see the big Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight, Kelly Pavlik do battle with Paul Williams and more Super Six when Mikkel Kessler faces off with Andre Ward. Not too shabby.
Until then, let's do some...
SHOE SHINING
I was really scared that when I saw Fernando Vargas' name in the boxing news that he was coming out of retirement. Instead, he's working on promoting boxing and MMA shows, including the Nov. 6 show at the Palms in Las Vegas with Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor. He's got his eye on doing shows in Lindsay, California with local fighters starting early next year, and yes, he hasn't closed the door entirely on returning to the ring...
We haven't said much about Bernard Hopkins fighting Enrique Ornelas in December because, frankly, there isn't that much to say. But here's an interesting angle: The Executioner is donating money from each ticket sold to three different charities, and Golden Boy is matching the donations. Good for them...
This blog is almost entirely politics-free, which is a good thing. What happens when boxing collides with politics though? I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Jack Johnson pardon watch, which seems to be kicking into high gear right now. Do I think Johnson should be pardoned? Absolutely. But seriously, President Obama and Congress have their hands full right now with the economy, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. Maybe this isn't the most ideal time...
Might as well finish with this: Ricky Hatton says he'd consider returning for a second fight with Floyd Mayweather. Um, yeah, and I bet Floyd would consider fighting you again, Hitman, because beating you probably wouldn't be much harder than it was the first time. For all our sakes, please don't give Mayweather an excuse to take an easy fight. I'm asking you nicely.
Posted by The Franchise
But the sport goes on, and actually in fine fashion with a number of fight weekends between now and the end of the year. We'll see the big Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight, Kelly Pavlik do battle with Paul Williams and more Super Six when Mikkel Kessler faces off with Andre Ward. Not too shabby.
Until then, let's do some...
SHOE SHINING
I was really scared that when I saw Fernando Vargas' name in the boxing news that he was coming out of retirement. Instead, he's working on promoting boxing and MMA shows, including the Nov. 6 show at the Palms in Las Vegas with Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor. He's got his eye on doing shows in Lindsay, California with local fighters starting early next year, and yes, he hasn't closed the door entirely on returning to the ring...
We haven't said much about Bernard Hopkins fighting Enrique Ornelas in December because, frankly, there isn't that much to say. But here's an interesting angle: The Executioner is donating money from each ticket sold to three different charities, and Golden Boy is matching the donations. Good for them...
This blog is almost entirely politics-free, which is a good thing. What happens when boxing collides with politics though? I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Jack Johnson pardon watch, which seems to be kicking into high gear right now. Do I think Johnson should be pardoned? Absolutely. But seriously, President Obama and Congress have their hands full right now with the economy, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. Maybe this isn't the most ideal time...
Might as well finish with this: Ricky Hatton says he'd consider returning for a second fight with Floyd Mayweather. Um, yeah, and I bet Floyd would consider fighting you again, Hitman, because beating you probably wouldn't be much harder than it was the first time. For all our sakes, please don't give Mayweather an excuse to take an easy fight. I'm asking you nicely.
Posted by The Franchise
30.6.09
Boxer Clothing and Gear - Follow-Up II
As part of my continuing quest to scour the internets for boxer shirts, clothing and such (here's the original post and my first follow-up), I've come across another company I missed up to this point:
Remetee: Based in California, this clothing company was founded by one of the creators of Affliction, and it shows in both the design (skull-heavy) and price (not cheap) of its clothing.
It's also run into some bad luck supporting some talented boxers. Sharp-eyed fans may have noticed Victor Ortiz and the guys in his corner were decked out in Remetee right before he got knocked out by Marcos Maidana. Also this James Kirkland signature shirt probably seemed like a good idea until a few months ago.
Also for sale is a Ricky Hatton shirt (with no skulls!) and an event shirt for Hatton's demolition at the hands of Manny Pacquiao.
Posted by The Franchise
Remetee: Based in California, this clothing company was founded by one of the creators of Affliction, and it shows in both the design (skull-heavy) and price (not cheap) of its clothing.
It's also run into some bad luck supporting some talented boxers. Sharp-eyed fans may have noticed Victor Ortiz and the guys in his corner were decked out in Remetee right before he got knocked out by Marcos Maidana. Also this James Kirkland signature shirt probably seemed like a good idea until a few months ago.
Also for sale is a Ricky Hatton shirt (with no skulls!) and an event shirt for Hatton's demolition at the hands of Manny Pacquiao.
Posted by The Franchise
20.5.09
Pretty Boy Floyd Money Mayweather Makes the ESPN Rounds
Yesterday, I caught Floyd Mayweather Jr. on ESPNEWS where he spent the entire segment in his "bad guy" mode being combative and argumentative with the ESPNEWS anchor, whose name I did not catch.
I must admit, I found the entire segment extremely entertaining. There are many, many people who might have been turned off by Floyd's extreme confidence, but it didn't really bother me.
Floyd came on to hype up his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, and in his defense, the anchor spent most of the time cutting Floyd off and trying to get him to answer questions about Manny Pacquiao instead of JMM. Not surprisingly, Floyd was having none of it, and answered however he wanted regardless of the question.
Today, it looks like Floyd was on ESPN again, of course to hype the fight with JMM, but this time being questioned by the always reliable Brian Kenny. A report will follow.
Mayweather Interview with Brian Kenny - Pt. I
BK started by saying that they missed Floyd, the former pound-for-pound No.1.
Floyd said he is not the former No. 1 P4P, but is still the current since he has never been beat. Floyd insulted BK by saying he never laced up gloves and he doesn't know anything about boxing. Then he said it again, that BK knows nothing about boxing.
Why come back?
PBF said why not? He's the cash cow, and everyone knows what he brings.
Has Floyd drawn as much as Oscar De La Hoya? Isn't Oscar the cash cow?
PBF said Oscar was on pay-per-view a million times. PBF then said BK was a man of many traits and a master of nothing.
PBF or Manny more impressive against Oscar and Hatton?
PBF goes with himself, of course. Oscar was at his true weight and 10 oz. gloves against Floyd. Mayweather knocked Hatton out with 10 oz. gloves. And he is focused on JMM, and would focus on Manny if he was in front of him.
BK says that was only part I, and part II gets even nastier. A report will follow.
The teaser during commercials from BK said that Floyd didn't want to hear about Manny, and he really didn't want to hear about Sugar Shane Mosley.
PART II
JMM is excellent but he's a lightweight. Why pick a non-welter?
PBF gets agitated. Here we go again, he says, I was waiting for you to ask this. BK says he got full credit for both Hatton and the Oscar fight. PBF says BK is not giving him his chance to speak. Why is he too big for JMM but not Manny?
PBF asks, hasn't Manny been KO'd twice. BK says like a decade ago at lower weights. Who has beaten Floyd, Floyd asks? No one, BK concedes.
Why not Mosley, who is a champ in his weight class right now?
PBF says he doesn't fight for bragging rights. He adds that Mosley has five losses already. And nobody beats Floyd. He also says that Mosley is not a PPV attraction.
BK asks if Mosley isn't a bigger PPV attraction than JMM?
Floyd says JMM has a whole country behind him. PBF says Manny could get it, but he does have a problem with Arum.
Floyd asks where was Manny back in '95? BK says he is a whole new fighter. Floyd says JMM beat Manny both times and BK knows it.
The whole interview unedited is 13 minutes and is on ESPN SportsCenter and BK's radio show website.
Posted by uatu
I must admit, I found the entire segment extremely entertaining. There are many, many people who might have been turned off by Floyd's extreme confidence, but it didn't really bother me.
Floyd came on to hype up his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, and in his defense, the anchor spent most of the time cutting Floyd off and trying to get him to answer questions about Manny Pacquiao instead of JMM. Not surprisingly, Floyd was having none of it, and answered however he wanted regardless of the question.
Today, it looks like Floyd was on ESPN again, of course to hype the fight with JMM, but this time being questioned by the always reliable Brian Kenny. A report will follow.
Mayweather Interview with Brian Kenny - Pt. I
BK started by saying that they missed Floyd, the former pound-for-pound No.1.
Floyd said he is not the former No. 1 P4P, but is still the current since he has never been beat. Floyd insulted BK by saying he never laced up gloves and he doesn't know anything about boxing. Then he said it again, that BK knows nothing about boxing.
Why come back?
PBF said why not? He's the cash cow, and everyone knows what he brings.
Has Floyd drawn as much as Oscar De La Hoya? Isn't Oscar the cash cow?
PBF said Oscar was on pay-per-view a million times. PBF then said BK was a man of many traits and a master of nothing.
PBF or Manny more impressive against Oscar and Hatton?
PBF goes with himself, of course. Oscar was at his true weight and 10 oz. gloves against Floyd. Mayweather knocked Hatton out with 10 oz. gloves. And he is focused on JMM, and would focus on Manny if he was in front of him.
BK says that was only part I, and part II gets even nastier. A report will follow.
The teaser during commercials from BK said that Floyd didn't want to hear about Manny, and he really didn't want to hear about Sugar Shane Mosley.
PART II
JMM is excellent but he's a lightweight. Why pick a non-welter?
PBF gets agitated. Here we go again, he says, I was waiting for you to ask this. BK says he got full credit for both Hatton and the Oscar fight. PBF says BK is not giving him his chance to speak. Why is he too big for JMM but not Manny?
PBF asks, hasn't Manny been KO'd twice. BK says like a decade ago at lower weights. Who has beaten Floyd, Floyd asks? No one, BK concedes.
Why not Mosley, who is a champ in his weight class right now?
PBF says he doesn't fight for bragging rights. He adds that Mosley has five losses already. And nobody beats Floyd. He also says that Mosley is not a PPV attraction.
BK asks if Mosley isn't a bigger PPV attraction than JMM?
Floyd says JMM has a whole country behind him. PBF says Manny could get it, but he does have a problem with Arum.
Floyd asks where was Manny back in '95? BK says he is a whole new fighter. Floyd says JMM beat Manny both times and BK knows it.
The whole interview unedited is 13 minutes and is on ESPN SportsCenter and BK's radio show website.
Posted by uatu
8.5.09
Friday Night Fights Report - May 8, 2009
I have some things to do tonight, but I will keep my eye on FNF in case anything interesting goes down.
Tonight's FNF brings us Brian Vera against Craig McEwen in the main event from Fort Worth, Texas.
Teddy Atlas made some opening remarks about the similarities between McEwen and Andy Lee.
Vera beat the at-the-time undefeated prospect Andy Lee on FNF, and Lee has not been very visible since. Lee actually knocked Vera down in Round 1 of that fight. Lee is 2-0 since that fight, but both fights have been back in Ireland, and as far as I know, not televised here. Lee is more than just your usual prospect, and is a very talented fighter. Vera will try to defeat McEwen as he did Lee.
Back in the studio, Brian Kenny reports that the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora fight has been postponed due to staph infections.
Bernard Hopkins is in the studio. B-Hop was in the Ricky Hatton locker room following his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Ricky did not know a half-hour after the fight what he had been hit with and was asking Bernard about it.
On a side note, ESPN2 showed a Tecate commerical that was completely in Spanish. I thought that was interesting.
Adrian Broner vs. Fernando Quintero
An interesting fight between the 8-0 Broner and the 7-0 Quintero. The fight went the full eight rounds.
Teddy has it a draw.
Judges:
76-76
77-75
78-74
Adrian "The Problem" Broner wins by majority decision.
Back to the studio...
Bernard said Hatton never had a chance to change tactics. Manny was coming from all over the place. Hatton didn't know what to do.
Bernard said that hatton was overwhelmed after Round 1 and he never recovered. Bernard said he should have ducked, or put his hands up, or bought himself some time like a veteran.
Teddy said that Hatton shouldn't have gone straight into the propeller, he should have made Manny come to him.
They showed a number of photos of Ricky at the pool posing for pictures and hanging out with party-goers in Vegas, but interestingly the ESPN crew made zero reference to them. I thought maybe they were going to say that Hatton was unfocused or something, but they literally showed the pictures and never mentioned them.
Bernard said that JMM is no tune-up for Money Mayweather. Floyd has been off for a long time, and Bernard says the gym is not the same as fighting for real. He does think that Floyd will win at the end of the day.
Neither Teddy nor Bernard believes that the weight will be too much of an issue. But Teddy does think it is important that JMM's managers do not give up too much in negotiations as far as weight, ring size, gloves, etc.
Atlas believes it will be a tough fight but Mayweather will win. Teddy wonders if Money May is taking the fight for the wrong reason due to the IRS lien. Hopkins thinks that the money could actually be a motivation because of how much is on the line financially. Floyd may have the extra motivation that he needs.
Manny-Floyd? Bernard goes with Floyd. He has a lot to bring that Manny has never seen before.
Atlas is going with the Pac-Man.
Vera vs. McEwen - 10 Rounds
Round 1
Uatu: Vera 10-9
Vera landed some hard shots, McEwen stayed moving and worked in and out. A good first round and both men had their moments.
Round 2
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Another good round. McEwen fights lefty, and he's looking like a slower poor man's version of Bute, who was a close version of Calzaghe. I liked the work that McEwen did, but he did catch a big right in the early goings.
Round 3
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Both fighters have had moments that made me a little nervous. At times I thought either man could fall or get roughed up, but maybe they are just off-balance.
Round 4
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
In my opinion McEwen controlled the majority of this round.
Round 5
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Teddy has it 4-0 McEwen. McEwen hasn't been hit with that Vera right in a few rounds.
Round 6
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Marco Antonio Barrera is in some of those Tecate ads. Bernard has sparred with McEwen to prepare for Winky and JoeCal. A lot of grabbing, a lot of McEwen landing.
Round 7
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 7 was a slugfest. Both men threw some serious haymakers. Vera managed to land the right again.
Round 8
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 9
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 10
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
I enjoyed this fight. Good spirited effort by both men.
Teddy:
99-91 McEwen
Judges:
97-93
97-93
97-93
Craig McEwen wins by unanimous decision.
Freddie Roach manages and trains McEwen so I imagine we will see him again. Tarver-Dawson II up next.
Signing off...
Posted by uatu
Tonight's FNF brings us Brian Vera against Craig McEwen in the main event from Fort Worth, Texas.
Teddy Atlas made some opening remarks about the similarities between McEwen and Andy Lee.
Vera beat the at-the-time undefeated prospect Andy Lee on FNF, and Lee has not been very visible since. Lee actually knocked Vera down in Round 1 of that fight. Lee is 2-0 since that fight, but both fights have been back in Ireland, and as far as I know, not televised here. Lee is more than just your usual prospect, and is a very talented fighter. Vera will try to defeat McEwen as he did Lee.
Back in the studio, Brian Kenny reports that the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora fight has been postponed due to staph infections.
Bernard Hopkins is in the studio. B-Hop was in the Ricky Hatton locker room following his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Ricky did not know a half-hour after the fight what he had been hit with and was asking Bernard about it.
On a side note, ESPN2 showed a Tecate commerical that was completely in Spanish. I thought that was interesting.
Adrian Broner vs. Fernando Quintero
An interesting fight between the 8-0 Broner and the 7-0 Quintero. The fight went the full eight rounds.
Teddy has it a draw.
Judges:
76-76
77-75
78-74
Adrian "The Problem" Broner wins by majority decision.
Back to the studio...
Bernard said Hatton never had a chance to change tactics. Manny was coming from all over the place. Hatton didn't know what to do.
Bernard said that hatton was overwhelmed after Round 1 and he never recovered. Bernard said he should have ducked, or put his hands up, or bought himself some time like a veteran.
Teddy said that Hatton shouldn't have gone straight into the propeller, he should have made Manny come to him.
They showed a number of photos of Ricky at the pool posing for pictures and hanging out with party-goers in Vegas, but interestingly the ESPN crew made zero reference to them. I thought maybe they were going to say that Hatton was unfocused or something, but they literally showed the pictures and never mentioned them.
Bernard said that JMM is no tune-up for Money Mayweather. Floyd has been off for a long time, and Bernard says the gym is not the same as fighting for real. He does think that Floyd will win at the end of the day.
Neither Teddy nor Bernard believes that the weight will be too much of an issue. But Teddy does think it is important that JMM's managers do not give up too much in negotiations as far as weight, ring size, gloves, etc.
Atlas believes it will be a tough fight but Mayweather will win. Teddy wonders if Money May is taking the fight for the wrong reason due to the IRS lien. Hopkins thinks that the money could actually be a motivation because of how much is on the line financially. Floyd may have the extra motivation that he needs.
Manny-Floyd? Bernard goes with Floyd. He has a lot to bring that Manny has never seen before.
Atlas is going with the Pac-Man.
Vera vs. McEwen - 10 Rounds
Round 1
Uatu: Vera 10-9
Vera landed some hard shots, McEwen stayed moving and worked in and out. A good first round and both men had their moments.
Round 2
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Another good round. McEwen fights lefty, and he's looking like a slower poor man's version of Bute, who was a close version of Calzaghe. I liked the work that McEwen did, but he did catch a big right in the early goings.
Round 3
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Both fighters have had moments that made me a little nervous. At times I thought either man could fall or get roughed up, but maybe they are just off-balance.
Round 4
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
In my opinion McEwen controlled the majority of this round.
Round 5
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Teddy has it 4-0 McEwen. McEwen hasn't been hit with that Vera right in a few rounds.
Round 6
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Marco Antonio Barrera is in some of those Tecate ads. Bernard has sparred with McEwen to prepare for Winky and JoeCal. A lot of grabbing, a lot of McEwen landing.
Round 7
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 7 was a slugfest. Both men threw some serious haymakers. Vera managed to land the right again.
Round 8
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 9
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 10
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
I enjoyed this fight. Good spirited effort by both men.
Teddy:
99-91 McEwen
Judges:
97-93
97-93
97-93
Craig McEwen wins by unanimous decision.
Freddie Roach manages and trains McEwen so I imagine we will see him again. Tarver-Dawson II up next.
Signing off...
Posted by uatu
4.5.09
20-20 Hindsight: Pac-Mania Sweeps Boxing World, Will Hatton Call It Quits?
There was a fairly big upset in the sports world on Saturday. Unfortunately for Ricky Hatton's legions of loyal fans, it happened in Louisville and not Las Vegas.
With a thunderous left hand that looked like something out of the Fight Night series of video games instead of a punch delivered by an actual human being, Manny Pacquiao silenced Hatton's boisterous fans, his outspoken trainer and, one suspects, any remaining critics he may have had.
While Pacquiao was the betting favorite and just about every boxing pundit picked him to win, even he was surprised that the end came so quickly. Hatton was out so cold that no count was necessary, and he wasn't available for a post-fight interview because doctors were still checking him out.
Now that the dust has settled from his explosive victory, it's hard to find anyone who doubts whether Pac-Man is one of the best boxers alive at any weight. Even BoxRec.com, which hasn't been as kind to him in its pound-for-pound rankings, has moved him up to No. 2 behind Bernard Hopkins.
It's hard to imagine a better boost to one's career than to win in spectacular fashion on a huge stage. Manny is truly in the driver's seat of the sport right now, it's biggest star and top practitioner rolled into one, at least for the time being.
And yet there's no guarantee that we, the boxing fans, will get to enjoy him for too much longer. Trainer Freddie Roach has spoken more than once about his wish to see Manny retire soon, and Pacquiao's desire to help his Filipino people may lead him into politics or other ventures.
As for his immediate in-ring future, here are some quick thoughts on some possible opponents being tossed around in the media:
Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Now that Money has officially unretired, this is the fight that the boxing world is clamoring for the loudest. Many are suggesting that it's not a matter of if the bout will happen, but when.
Though it would undoubtedly be a huge event and I'd like to see it as much as anyone, I don't think it's the slam dunk others are making it out to be. Floyd has been known to be slightly, shall we say, risk-averse in the past, and there are weight questions too, with Roach hinting that Manny won't go back above 140.
Mayweather also has to get past Juan Manuel Marquez first. He should, but JMM is talented enough that it's not guaranteed.
Miguel Cotto - I can't find the quote, but I believe Bob Arum has already suggested this as a possibility. It would be easy to do with Top Rank promoting both fighters, and it could be a chance to bring the Pac-Man show to the East Coast at a venue like Madison Square Garden.
Cotto has fought exclusively at 147 since June 2006, so who knows whether he could reasonably come down to 140? He also has an opponent who's no slouch coming up in June in Joshua Clottey, and if he loses, I think he can kiss a Pacquiao fight goodbye.
Shane Mosley - Sugar Shane is definitely in the "make as much money as possible before retiring" phase of his career, and he'd jump at the chance to face Pac-Man. His stock is high after he took apart Antonio Margarito and his dance card is currently clear.
Weight would be the biggest issue here, as Mosley has been fighting at 147 or higher for a decade. At age 37, even asking him to cut to a catch-weight between junior welterweight and welterweight may be a stretch.
Juan Manuel Marquez - JMM has made no bones about the fact that he wants a third shot at Pacquiao. He clearly feels the two of them have unfinished business and has even insinuated that Manny is ducking him.
But Marquez's case for a third fight may not be as strong as he thinks. Despite fighting Pacquiao closely enough the observers thought he may have won either or both of their first two fights, the fact remains that Pacquiao emerged 1-0-1. He's also the smallest draw on this list - HBO would need to do a 24/7 series just to tell casual fans who JMM was.
In any case, he'd need to upset Mayweather to have a serious shot at getting his wish.
As bright as the near future looks for Pacquiao, it appears equally grim for Hatton. There's talk of Amir Khan, which would no doubt electrify the U.K.
That's a minority opinion though, as you can find writers and editors and fans saying Hatton should retire. (But really, Carl Froch, who asked you?) People close to him have said he doesn't need to keep fighting for the money, so we'll see if he listens to his head or his heart.
If Saturday was the last time we see the Hitman in the ring, he'll be remembered as an A-level attraction and a really good fighter who just didn't have the natural ability to match up with the very best boxers of his era.
Posted by The Franchise
With a thunderous left hand that looked like something out of the Fight Night series of video games instead of a punch delivered by an actual human being, Manny Pacquiao silenced Hatton's boisterous fans, his outspoken trainer and, one suspects, any remaining critics he may have had.
While Pacquiao was the betting favorite and just about every boxing pundit picked him to win, even he was surprised that the end came so quickly. Hatton was out so cold that no count was necessary, and he wasn't available for a post-fight interview because doctors were still checking him out.
Now that the dust has settled from his explosive victory, it's hard to find anyone who doubts whether Pac-Man is one of the best boxers alive at any weight. Even BoxRec.com, which hasn't been as kind to him in its pound-for-pound rankings, has moved him up to No. 2 behind Bernard Hopkins.
It's hard to imagine a better boost to one's career than to win in spectacular fashion on a huge stage. Manny is truly in the driver's seat of the sport right now, it's biggest star and top practitioner rolled into one, at least for the time being.
And yet there's no guarantee that we, the boxing fans, will get to enjoy him for too much longer. Trainer Freddie Roach has spoken more than once about his wish to see Manny retire soon, and Pacquiao's desire to help his Filipino people may lead him into politics or other ventures.
As for his immediate in-ring future, here are some quick thoughts on some possible opponents being tossed around in the media:
Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Now that Money has officially unretired, this is the fight that the boxing world is clamoring for the loudest. Many are suggesting that it's not a matter of if the bout will happen, but when.
Though it would undoubtedly be a huge event and I'd like to see it as much as anyone, I don't think it's the slam dunk others are making it out to be. Floyd has been known to be slightly, shall we say, risk-averse in the past, and there are weight questions too, with Roach hinting that Manny won't go back above 140.
Mayweather also has to get past Juan Manuel Marquez first. He should, but JMM is talented enough that it's not guaranteed.
Miguel Cotto - I can't find the quote, but I believe Bob Arum has already suggested this as a possibility. It would be easy to do with Top Rank promoting both fighters, and it could be a chance to bring the Pac-Man show to the East Coast at a venue like Madison Square Garden.
Cotto has fought exclusively at 147 since June 2006, so who knows whether he could reasonably come down to 140? He also has an opponent who's no slouch coming up in June in Joshua Clottey, and if he loses, I think he can kiss a Pacquiao fight goodbye.
Shane Mosley - Sugar Shane is definitely in the "make as much money as possible before retiring" phase of his career, and he'd jump at the chance to face Pac-Man. His stock is high after he took apart Antonio Margarito and his dance card is currently clear.
Weight would be the biggest issue here, as Mosley has been fighting at 147 or higher for a decade. At age 37, even asking him to cut to a catch-weight between junior welterweight and welterweight may be a stretch.
Juan Manuel Marquez - JMM has made no bones about the fact that he wants a third shot at Pacquiao. He clearly feels the two of them have unfinished business and has even insinuated that Manny is ducking him.
But Marquez's case for a third fight may not be as strong as he thinks. Despite fighting Pacquiao closely enough the observers thought he may have won either or both of their first two fights, the fact remains that Pacquiao emerged 1-0-1. He's also the smallest draw on this list - HBO would need to do a 24/7 series just to tell casual fans who JMM was.
In any case, he'd need to upset Mayweather to have a serious shot at getting his wish.
As bright as the near future looks for Pacquiao, it appears equally grim for Hatton. There's talk of Amir Khan, which would no doubt electrify the U.K.
That's a minority opinion though, as you can find writers and editors and fans saying Hatton should retire. (But really, Carl Froch, who asked you?) People close to him have said he doesn't need to keep fighting for the money, so we'll see if he listens to his head or his heart.
If Saturday was the last time we see the Hitman in the ring, he'll be remembered as an A-level attraction and a really good fighter who just didn't have the natural ability to match up with the very best boxers of his era.
Posted by The Franchise
2.5.09
Hatton v. Pacquiao: Round by Round
The undercard fights are finished and the build-up for the main event has begun. Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton should be in the ring in about 10-15 minutes.
There are a lot of stars in the crowd: Jay-Z, Jack Nicholson, P. Diddy, Jeremy Piven, Mariah Carey and Denzel Washington.
Michael Buffer starts the pre-fight pageantry. There are three national anthems: American, British and Filipino.
The British fans are in full force now. The band is deafening.
Hatton comes out first. He usually comes out to "Blue Moon;" we'll see if he does again. Not this time. He comes out to his Ricky Fatton theme song. The crowd is not nearly pumped as they used to get for "Blue Moon." Now "Blue Moon" comes on. I thought the crowd would be louder. That's very strange.
Pacquiao comes out second. He comes out to a Filipino tune.
The fight is for the IBO junior welterweight title. The crowd goes wild for Hatton's intro as expected. They then boo Manny.
The fighters receive their instructions and we are finally ready to go!
Round 1
Hatton's band starts up quickly. They come to the center of the ring. Hatton throws the first punch and it's a jab. Manny's using good footwork to get out of the way. Hatton keeps throwing the jab. Manny counters with a good right hand. Manny comes forward with his own jab. Manny has been tagging Hatton when he comes in. Hatton gets tagged again on the way in. Manny dodges a right hand and makes Hatton eat one of his own. Hatton gets rocked again and has to clinch to stay up. Pacquiao connects again and Hatton goes down! Hatton beats the count, but he is in trouble. Hatton eats more right hands. The Hitman clinches to stay alive. He goes down again! Hatton makes it up by the count of eight. What a fantastic round for Pac-Man.
Spartan117: 10-7 Pacquiao
Uatu: 10-7 Pacquiao
Round 2
Hatton looks to have his legs back under him, but he just can't find Manny. Pacquiao is dodging Hatton's right hand every time. Hatton turns on the aggression. Hatton lands a right hand. Manny now lands a left-right combo. Manny blocks a right hand from Hatton. Manny hits Hatton again with a right hand when he comes in. Manny dodges a right hand and lands another of his own. Manny is making all of the right moves right now. Hatton is trying to overpower Manny now. Manny lands a big right hand and sends Hatton backwards. Hatton is trying to land a big knockout punch. Pac-Man lands an absolutely ridiculous left hand and Hatton goes down hard! Hatton is unconscious. It's all over.
The winner by KO at 2:59 of Round 2... and new IBO light welterweight champion... Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao.
In the post-fight interview, Manny says that he knew the fight would be tough and that Hatton has a strong left hand. He says that Hatton would fear his left hand but the right hand is his new weapon. They show him the first knockdowns and Manny says that it's exactly how they trained and you could see that in the episodes of 24/7. Larry Merchant hints at Floyd Mayweather.
Freddie Roach gets the mic now. He says that Hatton hasn't changed at all despite his training with Floyd Sr. He said he's watched the tapes and nothing has changed.
No post-fight interview for Hatton as he is being observed by the ring doctors.
Posted by spartan117
There are a lot of stars in the crowd: Jay-Z, Jack Nicholson, P. Diddy, Jeremy Piven, Mariah Carey and Denzel Washington.
Michael Buffer starts the pre-fight pageantry. There are three national anthems: American, British and Filipino.
The British fans are in full force now. The band is deafening.
Hatton comes out first. He usually comes out to "Blue Moon;" we'll see if he does again. Not this time. He comes out to his Ricky Fatton theme song. The crowd is not nearly pumped as they used to get for "Blue Moon." Now "Blue Moon" comes on. I thought the crowd would be louder. That's very strange.
Pacquiao comes out second. He comes out to a Filipino tune.
The fight is for the IBO junior welterweight title. The crowd goes wild for Hatton's intro as expected. They then boo Manny.
The fighters receive their instructions and we are finally ready to go!
Round 1
Hatton's band starts up quickly. They come to the center of the ring. Hatton throws the first punch and it's a jab. Manny's using good footwork to get out of the way. Hatton keeps throwing the jab. Manny counters with a good right hand. Manny comes forward with his own jab. Manny has been tagging Hatton when he comes in. Hatton gets tagged again on the way in. Manny dodges a right hand and makes Hatton eat one of his own. Hatton gets rocked again and has to clinch to stay up. Pacquiao connects again and Hatton goes down! Hatton beats the count, but he is in trouble. Hatton eats more right hands. The Hitman clinches to stay alive. He goes down again! Hatton makes it up by the count of eight. What a fantastic round for Pac-Man.
Spartan117: 10-7 Pacquiao
Uatu: 10-7 Pacquiao
Round 2
Hatton looks to have his legs back under him, but he just can't find Manny. Pacquiao is dodging Hatton's right hand every time. Hatton turns on the aggression. Hatton lands a right hand. Manny now lands a left-right combo. Manny blocks a right hand from Hatton. Manny hits Hatton again with a right hand when he comes in. Manny dodges a right hand and lands another of his own. Manny is making all of the right moves right now. Hatton is trying to overpower Manny now. Manny lands a big right hand and sends Hatton backwards. Hatton is trying to land a big knockout punch. Pac-Man lands an absolutely ridiculous left hand and Hatton goes down hard! Hatton is unconscious. It's all over.
The winner by KO at 2:59 of Round 2... and new IBO light welterweight champion... Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao.
In the post-fight interview, Manny says that he knew the fight would be tough and that Hatton has a strong left hand. He says that Hatton would fear his left hand but the right hand is his new weapon. They show him the first knockdowns and Manny says that it's exactly how they trained and you could see that in the episodes of 24/7. Larry Merchant hints at Floyd Mayweather.
Freddie Roach gets the mic now. He says that Hatton hasn't changed at all despite his training with Floyd Sr. He said he's watched the tapes and nothing has changed.
No post-fight interview for Hatton as he is being observed by the ring doctors.
Posted by spartan117
Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton: Live Round By Round Updates Tonight
Well, Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be trying to steal the spotlight with his official announcement that he's returning to the ring, but in the meantime there's a pretty bright glare coming from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton finally get down to business tonight.
If you're a boxing fan or even just a curious casual sports fan, you've probably already made plans to get somewhere to watch the fight. And that's good.
But the BoxingWatchers know that life gets in the way sometimes, and there will be some unfortunate souls out there who, for whatever reason, won't be able to watch. That's why even though every sports-related site known to man is doing the same, we're doing our part to help out right here.
Watch for a live blog for the undercard starting shortly after 9 pm Eastern out on our main page, with a new thread for live round by round updates of the Pacquiao-Hatton showdown itself, expected to get underway at approximately 11:30 Eastern.
Posted by The Franchise
If you're a boxing fan or even just a curious casual sports fan, you've probably already made plans to get somewhere to watch the fight. And that's good.
But the BoxingWatchers know that life gets in the way sometimes, and there will be some unfortunate souls out there who, for whatever reason, won't be able to watch. That's why even though every sports-related site known to man is doing the same, we're doing our part to help out right here.
Watch for a live blog for the undercard starting shortly after 9 pm Eastern out on our main page, with a new thread for live round by round updates of the Pacquiao-Hatton showdown itself, expected to get underway at approximately 11:30 Eastern.
Posted by The Franchise
1.5.09
Recap: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, Episode 4 (Finale)
It's fight week in Las Vegas. Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have been in town for more than a month preparing.
Hatton says Manny Pacquiao will be fighting an animal, and Mayweather says Pac-Man and Freddie Roach are scared. Hatton admits he understands why he's the underdog, but Manny is in for a long night on May 2.
The Hatton training camp has been closed to cameras most of the time, but that changes for one late sparring session. There seem to be a lot of people yelling at Ricky all the time, but he looks good. Floyd Sr. talks about his four-year old nephew, who he says is destined to be the next in line.
Camp is winding down for Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Roach explains why it's necessary to have fighters wind down as the fight nears. Michael Moorer thinks Manny is emotionally ready.
Roach also adds that if they have Manny fight the wrong fight, it could be a long night. But he says that one of the things that makes Pacquiao so good is that he combines natural ability with the brain to carry out the plan laid out for him.
Team Pacquiao packs up for the drive from L.A. to Vegas. Manny sleeps in the passenger seat of an SUV.
Hatton's family, including his dad and fiancee Jennifer, arrive at the Vegas airport. She gets to see him right away, but Ricky says it has to be in small doses so he stays in the right frame of mind to destroy his opponent.
The Filipino media and a throng of fans awaits Manny's arrival at Mandalay Bay. Only Shane Langford remains behind to clean up at the Wild Card.
Hatton's eight-year old son Campbell did not make the trip, as Ricky does not want him to see his dad take punishment in the ring. He promises Campbell a holiday after the fight and talks about how hard it is to be away from his kid.
Father Ray does drop in to watch Ricky and Matthew (who fights on the undercard) go through some of their final training sessions. The mood in camp is confident and light, and some of the crew fools around wearing Ricky Hatton masks.
Hatton makes his arrival at the MGM Grand and faces the media and fans. Floyd Sr. sneaks into the empty arena sounding excited about the fight.
Pacquiao and company make a second, ceremonial arrival at the Mandalay Bay, which is flooded with his fans. Pac-Man signs some autographs before retreating to his bedroom, and we check in with Dionesia, Manny's mom, who is in town to watch Manny fight for the first time. She's nervous and is praying for her son.
Roach and Moorer do the final walk-through of their game plan. Describing his relationship with Pacquiao as like a father and son, Roach says he never expected them to get so close. Freddie speaks about his Parkinson's disease with determination, but says he'll walk away from the sport he loves so much if he gets to a point where he can't function.
The next day at the press conference, Floyd Sr. tries to lure Roach into a war of words but is unsuccessful.
The show ends with an extended sequence that uses boxing as a metaphor for life, set against video clips of the Las Vegas strip and all of the key players around Pacquiao and Hatton.
Posted by The Franchise
Hatton says Manny Pacquiao will be fighting an animal, and Mayweather says Pac-Man and Freddie Roach are scared. Hatton admits he understands why he's the underdog, but Manny is in for a long night on May 2.
The Hatton training camp has been closed to cameras most of the time, but that changes for one late sparring session. There seem to be a lot of people yelling at Ricky all the time, but he looks good. Floyd Sr. talks about his four-year old nephew, who he says is destined to be the next in line.
Camp is winding down for Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Roach explains why it's necessary to have fighters wind down as the fight nears. Michael Moorer thinks Manny is emotionally ready.
Roach also adds that if they have Manny fight the wrong fight, it could be a long night. But he says that one of the things that makes Pacquiao so good is that he combines natural ability with the brain to carry out the plan laid out for him.
Team Pacquiao packs up for the drive from L.A. to Vegas. Manny sleeps in the passenger seat of an SUV.
Hatton's family, including his dad and fiancee Jennifer, arrive at the Vegas airport. She gets to see him right away, but Ricky says it has to be in small doses so he stays in the right frame of mind to destroy his opponent.
The Filipino media and a throng of fans awaits Manny's arrival at Mandalay Bay. Only Shane Langford remains behind to clean up at the Wild Card.
Hatton's eight-year old son Campbell did not make the trip, as Ricky does not want him to see his dad take punishment in the ring. He promises Campbell a holiday after the fight and talks about how hard it is to be away from his kid.
Father Ray does drop in to watch Ricky and Matthew (who fights on the undercard) go through some of their final training sessions. The mood in camp is confident and light, and some of the crew fools around wearing Ricky Hatton masks.
Hatton makes his arrival at the MGM Grand and faces the media and fans. Floyd Sr. sneaks into the empty arena sounding excited about the fight.
Pacquiao and company make a second, ceremonial arrival at the Mandalay Bay, which is flooded with his fans. Pac-Man signs some autographs before retreating to his bedroom, and we check in with Dionesia, Manny's mom, who is in town to watch Manny fight for the first time. She's nervous and is praying for her son.
Roach and Moorer do the final walk-through of their game plan. Describing his relationship with Pacquiao as like a father and son, Roach says he never expected them to get so close. Freddie speaks about his Parkinson's disease with determination, but says he'll walk away from the sport he loves so much if he gets to a point where he can't function.
The next day at the press conference, Floyd Sr. tries to lure Roach into a war of words but is unsuccessful.
The show ends with an extended sequence that uses boxing as a metaphor for life, set against video clips of the Las Vegas strip and all of the key players around Pacquiao and Hatton.
Posted by The Franchise
Pacquiao vs. Hatton: Live Weigh-In
The show is on at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mario Lopez is the master of ceremonies. He opens the show to pump up the crowd and now hands the mic over to Michael Buffer. Buffer is doing well. He makes some jokes about the swine flu. The crowd is really pumped up. It sounds like they are mostly there for Ricky Hatton.
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
30.4.09
Manny Pacquiao Vs. Ricky Hatton: Predictions
The Franchise says...
In contrast to the last time we saw Manny Pacquiao in the ring, when no one was sure how hopping up several weight classes would affect him against Oscar De La Hoya, he seems like the known quantity this time out. His blend of speed, explosiveness and determination should be as formidable as ever, and trying his hand at 140 shouldn't impact his stamina either.
Even fighting at his natural weight class, Ricky Hatton is the bigger question mark since he's fought just once with Floyd Mayweather Sr. in his corner. His chances of pulling off the upset revolve around two questions. Will Hatton be bigger and stronger than Pacquiao? And is it possible for a trainer, even one as good as Floyd Sr., to perform a complete style makeover in just two bouts?
My answer to both questions is the same: it's possible, but I don't expect to see it.
Mayweather seems to be basing his assumption of a strength advantage for the Hitman on the fact that Ricky walks around at a weight appropriate to cut to 140 and won't be killing himself like De La Hoya did. And it's true, Hatton is a pretty rugged junior welterweight.
But Manny is only about an inch shorter and has a pretty similar frame, and he carried even more weight against Oscar with no discernible drawbacks. If anything, I think the size and strength issue will be a push.
As for the second question, learning under Floyd Sr. has taken Hatton's defense from the "virtually nonexistent" category and moved it to "not bad." That's the same kind of step Pacquiao has taken under Freddie Roach.
Ricky's offense looked a little more multidimensional against Paulie Malignaggi too, but what he really needs is to be able to counter Manny with sheer ferocity (a la Erik Morales in his first fight with Pacquiao) or accuracy (like Juan Manuel Marquez). No matter who's in your corner, those aren't things you can easily add to your MO when you've already got 40-plus pro bouts under your belt.
Unless Hatton comes up with positive answers for both of those questions, I don't like his chances. I think he's plenty tough enough to hang around for a while, and there should be enough exciting exchanges to allow both the Filipino and British contingents to have reasons to cheer.
Ultimately, though, I expect Pacquiao to prevail via late-round KO.
Uatu says...
I don't believe that there is anything that Hatton can do better than Manny. I don't believe Hatton has any physical advantages over Manny.
I am trying to temper my enthusiasm for both Manny's win over Oscar, and also Hatton's win over Paulie. In the end, I don't believe either of those fights have any bearing on this fight.
Hatton will never give up and will fight with pride and aggression, which will lead to him getting cut up and knocked around.
Pacquiao by mid to late TKO. Hatton's "new" style will lead to the KO coming a little later in the fight, but I think it's still coming.
Spartan117 says...
The amount of support that Hatton has for this fight surprises me. You can always count on his loyal British fans to represent Hatton for his big fights, but I see more analysts backing Hatton than I expected.
Watching HBO's 24/7 has only supported my prediction that Manny will just be too much for Hatton to handle and this new news of Hatton's camp hasn't helped him either.
Manny will throw vicious combos that will overwhelm Hatton. Hatton will start off with what he has learned from Floyd Sr., but I agree with Uatu who says he will revert to his old ways within a few rounds. At the weigh-in, Hatton looked skinnier while Manny looked fit and healthy.
Manny's speed will also prove to be too much for Hatton. The punches will add up and take the Pac-Man to a TKO victory in the middle rounds - my pick is the 7th.
UPDATE: Via Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports comes word that all is not well in Camp Hatton, and that perhaps the Hitman will be looking to train with Roach after this fight. It's quite possible the alleged discord will have no effect on what happens Saturday, but it doesn't make me think the odds of a Hatton upset are any better, that's for sure.
Posted by The Franchise
In contrast to the last time we saw Manny Pacquiao in the ring, when no one was sure how hopping up several weight classes would affect him against Oscar De La Hoya, he seems like the known quantity this time out. His blend of speed, explosiveness and determination should be as formidable as ever, and trying his hand at 140 shouldn't impact his stamina either.
Even fighting at his natural weight class, Ricky Hatton is the bigger question mark since he's fought just once with Floyd Mayweather Sr. in his corner. His chances of pulling off the upset revolve around two questions. Will Hatton be bigger and stronger than Pacquiao? And is it possible for a trainer, even one as good as Floyd Sr., to perform a complete style makeover in just two bouts?
My answer to both questions is the same: it's possible, but I don't expect to see it.
Mayweather seems to be basing his assumption of a strength advantage for the Hitman on the fact that Ricky walks around at a weight appropriate to cut to 140 and won't be killing himself like De La Hoya did. And it's true, Hatton is a pretty rugged junior welterweight.
But Manny is only about an inch shorter and has a pretty similar frame, and he carried even more weight against Oscar with no discernible drawbacks. If anything, I think the size and strength issue will be a push.
As for the second question, learning under Floyd Sr. has taken Hatton's defense from the "virtually nonexistent" category and moved it to "not bad." That's the same kind of step Pacquiao has taken under Freddie Roach.
Ricky's offense looked a little more multidimensional against Paulie Malignaggi too, but what he really needs is to be able to counter Manny with sheer ferocity (a la Erik Morales in his first fight with Pacquiao) or accuracy (like Juan Manuel Marquez). No matter who's in your corner, those aren't things you can easily add to your MO when you've already got 40-plus pro bouts under your belt.
Unless Hatton comes up with positive answers for both of those questions, I don't like his chances. I think he's plenty tough enough to hang around for a while, and there should be enough exciting exchanges to allow both the Filipino and British contingents to have reasons to cheer.
Ultimately, though, I expect Pacquiao to prevail via late-round KO.
Uatu says...
I don't believe that there is anything that Hatton can do better than Manny. I don't believe Hatton has any physical advantages over Manny.
I am trying to temper my enthusiasm for both Manny's win over Oscar, and also Hatton's win over Paulie. In the end, I don't believe either of those fights have any bearing on this fight.
Hatton will never give up and will fight with pride and aggression, which will lead to him getting cut up and knocked around.
Pacquiao by mid to late TKO. Hatton's "new" style will lead to the KO coming a little later in the fight, but I think it's still coming.
Spartan117 says...
The amount of support that Hatton has for this fight surprises me. You can always count on his loyal British fans to represent Hatton for his big fights, but I see more analysts backing Hatton than I expected.
Watching HBO's 24/7 has only supported my prediction that Manny will just be too much for Hatton to handle and this new news of Hatton's camp hasn't helped him either.
Manny will throw vicious combos that will overwhelm Hatton. Hatton will start off with what he has learned from Floyd Sr., but I agree with Uatu who says he will revert to his old ways within a few rounds. At the weigh-in, Hatton looked skinnier while Manny looked fit and healthy.
Manny's speed will also prove to be too much for Hatton. The punches will add up and take the Pac-Man to a TKO victory in the middle rounds - my pick is the 7th.
UPDATE: Via Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports comes word that all is not well in Camp Hatton, and that perhaps the Hitman will be looking to train with Roach after this fight. It's quite possible the alleged discord will have no effect on what happens Saturday, but it doesn't make me think the odds of a Hatton upset are any better, that's for sure.
Posted by The Franchise
28.4.09
Manny Pacquiao Vs. Ricky Hatton: In-Depth Preview
Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao
Born: Bukidnon, Philippines
Resides: General Santos City, Philippines
Height: 5' 6 1/2"
Reach: 67"
Current Titles Held: None
Former Titles Held: WBC Lightweight (135 lbs.), Ring Magazine, WBC Super Featherweight (130 lbs.), Ring Magazine Featherweight (126 lbs.), IBF Super Bantamweight (122 lbs.), WBC Flyweight (112 lbs.)
Professional Record: 48-3-2, 36 KOs
Record in World Title Fights: 8-1-2, 7 KOs
Record at 140 lbs.: First fight at this weight
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 3-1-1
Notable Wins: TKO8 Oscar De La Hoya, TKO11 Marco Antonio Barrera I, SD12 Juan Manuel Marquez II
Notable Losses: UD12 Erik Morales I, KO3 Medgoen Singsurat
Ricky "Hitman" Hatton
Born: Stockport, England
Resides: Manchester, England
Height: 5' 7 1/2"
Reach: 65"
Current Titles Held: Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight (140 lbs.)
Former Titles Held: WBA Welterweight (147 lbs.), WBA, IBF Light Welterweight (140 lbs.)
Professional Record: 45-1, 32 KOs
Record in World Title Fights: 7-1, 4 KOs
Record at 140 lbs.: 40-0
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 8-0
Notable Wins: TKO11 Paul Malignaggi, KO4 Jose Luis Castillo, TKO11 Kostya Tszyu
Notable Losses: TKO10 Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Analysis:
For the second consecutive year, Pacquiao finds himself in the biggest fight on the calendar. Last time out, the pride of the Philippines blitzed Oscar De La Hoya into retirement and became the most likely candidate to take over for the Golden Boy as the top draw in boxing.
In Hatton, Pacquiao will battle not a fading superstar but a world champion who should also be in his prime. Though he crashed and burned the last time he fought a pound-for-pound king - losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007 - the brawler from Manchester has reinvented himself as more of a technician under the guidance of Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr.
Mayweather has been insistent throughout his war of words with opposite number Freddie Roach that Hatton will be both too skilled and too big for Pacquiao to handle. The former point is debatable, but the latter point could have some merit considering the Hitman has spent nearly his entire career at 140 pounds.
Still, Pacquiao carried even more weight into the ring against De La Hoya without sacrificing his signature blend of speed and power. It's not out of the question that after hopping from super featherweight to lightweight to welterweight in his last three fights that he'll settle in nicely at junior welterweight.
While both men will be eager to show how much they've improved as boxers over the last few years, each has hinted that he wouldn't be surprised if the fight ends with someone looking at the lights. Most of Pacquiao and Hatton's career knockouts have come from cumulative damage, so the large audience expected to tune in on pay-per-view should get its money's worth.
And since the old instincts that say stand and trade never completely go away, there may well be more two-way fireworks before the end comes than either trainer is planning.
Pacquiao's Winning Strategy: Keep It Moving
Blessed with exceptionally fast hands, it's hard to imagine Pacquiao will have any more trouble beating Hatton to the punch than he's had in any of his other big fights. He's also come a long way from simply jabbing to set up his powerful left hand, so his offense now comes in a variety of forms.
But Manny can be hit when he stands in front of an opponent for too long, and while Hatton isn't a noted counterpuncher like Pac Man nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez, he is much more effective against a stationary target.
To combat that, Pacquiao would be well served to utilize the excellent lateral movement he displayed against De La Hoya. He'll look to avoid having the ring cut off, keeping the action in the center where his advantage in hand speed will be most apparent.
Pacquiao can also use his legs to control the distance of the fight, as Hatton feels most at home at very close range. Moving in and out will give Manny access to his whole arsenal, allowing him to start combinations with jabs, hooks or lead lefts.
Hatton's Winning Strategy: Combine the Old With the New
The bull in a china shop act that allowed Hatton to rack up 43 straight wins to start his career and bludgeon Kostya Tszyu into submission finally ran out of steam against Mayweather Jr. To his credit, he knew he needed to retool and showed quite a few new wrinkles against Paulie Malignaggi last November.
Even with more offensive diversity and defensive awareness, though, it's hard to see Hatton prevailing in a straight-up contest of boxing skills. Pacquiao has advantages in hand and foot speed that are just too obvious for even the "new" Hitman to overcome, and the risk of giving the fight away on the scorecards would be high.
What Hatton needs is a hybrid approach: using an improved jab and head movement to avoid trouble on the outside and exhibiting his previous rough and tumble approach to punish Pacquiao once he gets in close. He also needs to cut off the ring to give Manny less room to roam and allow his likely edge in strength to work in his favor.
If Hatton can make peace between his inner brawler and his newfound boxer, he'll have more than a puncher's chance to have his hand raised in victory at the end of the night.
Posted by The Franchise
25.4.09
Recap: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, Episode 3
We join Ricky Hatton and his entourage on an off day in Las Vegas enjoying a little food and Kool-Aid provided by Floyd Mayweather Sr. Floyd shows off his gear and the Hitman calls his clothing "ridiculous." Hatton and company are impressed with his artistic talents though.
The crew watches last week's 24/7 and gains some more confidence - not that it was lacking to begin with - by watching Manny Pacquiao's training footage.
Speaking of Pacman, we get a look at how important Manny's faith is to his life and success. Freddie Roach says the guy who prays the most isn't going to win, but the guy who works the most will. Roach has his issues with Catholicism but respects Manny's views.
Roach and Michael Moorer are frustrated because they tried to close the Wild Card Gym but the crowds are growing again. Though it goes against his nature, Roach starts kicking people out, incuding members of Pacquiao's entourage. Cameras are allowed to keep rolling during sparring as a psychological weapon.
Hatton's training is going well too, and he repeats his belief that he's a different fighter than he was in the past. Hatton thinks there will be a knockout in the fight, and he's going through some tough work with a medicine ball to avoid getting stopped with a body shot.
Business picks up when Roger Mayweather arrives with one of his fighters to serve as a sparring partner. Floyd Sr. dismisses some of the past battles with his brother and says it's all about family. He talks a bit about his chronic lung disease and the pain he endures.
Pacquiao goes to see the doctor for his pre-fight exam, and Roach says he's happy that Manny is taking a day off because he's been pushing himself so far. He gets a clean bill of health and returns to training to find that Roach's crackdown has succeeded - the Wild Card is almost empty.
We're down to a week to go before the fight. The show explores Hatton's love for the Manchester City football (soccer) team, which was passed down through his family.
We also get to see Ricky's parents and his fiancee. A phone call references Hatton's thong scene fromt he first episode of 24/7. Apparently it did not belong to his woman.
Pacquiao gets treatment on his legs and waits anxiously for his mother to arrive. It's her first trip to the U.S. and the first time she will see him fight in person.
Manny heads to San Francisco for Filipino heritage day and his bobblehead day at a Giants game. Roach says events like that are important for fighters to avoid burnout and stay in the correct frame of mind. Manny also throws out the first pitch, though not well.
Roach and Mayweather trade verbal jabs during a couple of press days. The show ends by comparing and contrasting the fighters' training styles.
Posted by The Franchise
The crew watches last week's 24/7 and gains some more confidence - not that it was lacking to begin with - by watching Manny Pacquiao's training footage.
Speaking of Pacman, we get a look at how important Manny's faith is to his life and success. Freddie Roach says the guy who prays the most isn't going to win, but the guy who works the most will. Roach has his issues with Catholicism but respects Manny's views.
Roach and Michael Moorer are frustrated because they tried to close the Wild Card Gym but the crowds are growing again. Though it goes against his nature, Roach starts kicking people out, incuding members of Pacquiao's entourage. Cameras are allowed to keep rolling during sparring as a psychological weapon.
Hatton's training is going well too, and he repeats his belief that he's a different fighter than he was in the past. Hatton thinks there will be a knockout in the fight, and he's going through some tough work with a medicine ball to avoid getting stopped with a body shot.
Business picks up when Roger Mayweather arrives with one of his fighters to serve as a sparring partner. Floyd Sr. dismisses some of the past battles with his brother and says it's all about family. He talks a bit about his chronic lung disease and the pain he endures.
Pacquiao goes to see the doctor for his pre-fight exam, and Roach says he's happy that Manny is taking a day off because he's been pushing himself so far. He gets a clean bill of health and returns to training to find that Roach's crackdown has succeeded - the Wild Card is almost empty.
We're down to a week to go before the fight. The show explores Hatton's love for the Manchester City football (soccer) team, which was passed down through his family.
We also get to see Ricky's parents and his fiancee. A phone call references Hatton's thong scene fromt he first episode of 24/7. Apparently it did not belong to his woman.
Pacquiao gets treatment on his legs and waits anxiously for his mother to arrive. It's her first trip to the U.S. and the first time she will see him fight in person.
Manny heads to San Francisco for Filipino heritage day and his bobblehead day at a Giants game. Roach says events like that are important for fighters to avoid burnout and stay in the correct frame of mind. Manny also throws out the first pitch, though not well.
Roach and Mayweather trade verbal jabs during a couple of press days. The show ends by comparing and contrasting the fighters' training styles.
Posted by The Franchise
19.4.09
Recap: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, Episode 2
The world's greatest show started in Hollywood.
Manny is living in a crowded condo again, with ten men living in the small condo.
Freddie has actually moved out of the gym into his own house.
Now people can't knock on his door at all times.
He doesn't seem to like it much, as he said the house may be rented soon.
Now Roach also has to sit in traffic and drive to the gym.
At the gym that day were Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale - Max Payne and the Batman/John Connor.
They showed Manny working over some sparring partners, knocking some dude down and out with a body shot.
Hatton is in Vegas.
Floyd, Sr. was running late for practice.
He stopped at Taco Bell.
He likes the number eight combo (hard shell), and he wants tomatoes on those with a Mountain Dew to drink.
Hatton was shown doing that Mayweather mitt routine.
I wonder if we will see any Hatton sparring footage.
The show went through Hatton's entourage and who all the players were.
The crew hit Vegas for some blackjack at night.
Back in L.A., Manny toured his new Hollywood house with his wife, Jinky. This will only be a second house, and not the primary residence.
Freddie said that Manny is now complete, he thinks. He sets things up, he is explosive, etc.
Michael Moorer got some airtime next.
Moorer is getting an education, he works from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm and he is getting an opportunity to help Freddie due to Roach's condition.
Hatton does his runs on Mount Charleston, where Floyd takes Hatton twice a week for serious training.
The show next did some time showing Hatton's family.
His fiance, Jennifer, and son are back in the U.K.
Hatton's mom theorized that Ricky is attracted to his fiance because she is taller than Ricky. His fiance is 5'10". Hatton's son is now 8 years old.
Floyd went on a mini-rant about Hatton being a racehorse and Manny being a mule.
Manny was on husband duties taking Jinky to the airport.
Freddie and Michael were up late into the night taking in Hatton tape on the couch.
Moorer was not impressed with the "new" Hatton, saying he reverted to his old ways and didn't do anything new in the ring.
Next they introduced us to Shane Langford. Freddie took in this fellow and lets him live in the gym and clean the place. Shane has had a rough life and he showed us his knife wounds.
The following bit was about Freddie's early training life. He had to work as a telemarketer to support himself in Vegas. His big break came from Mickey Rourke who called him to train him. Mickey would show up only once that first week. Roach ripped him so bad he cried and left Vegas. Rourke called him every day for 30 days and Roach returned. Roach had him promise that the next day off he would get would be the one Roach gave him. Roach trained Rourke for seven fights, after which, Mickey sold his gym and gave his equipment to Roach.
Back in Vegas we got more Hatton training footage as Floyd put him through exercises. Floyd was flexing for the camera and showing off his muscles. He bragged about how he could eat cookies and cake and still look ripped even at age 56.
Back at his house, they showed Floyd watching tape of his career. He admits he had a bad career. He said he was one hell of a fighter that never got a break. He got shot with a shotgun while holding one year old Floyd Jr. Floyd Sr. said he still wants a relationship with Jr.
Even with Sr. having dropped out of school, he has managed to succeed in life, and he said he feels blessed.
The show ended with a dramatic montage of training, the auxiliary people in the fighters' lives and the trainers.
Posted by uatu
Manny is living in a crowded condo again, with ten men living in the small condo.
Freddie has actually moved out of the gym into his own house.
Now people can't knock on his door at all times.
He doesn't seem to like it much, as he said the house may be rented soon.
Now Roach also has to sit in traffic and drive to the gym.
At the gym that day were Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale - Max Payne and the Batman/John Connor.
They showed Manny working over some sparring partners, knocking some dude down and out with a body shot.
Hatton is in Vegas.
Floyd, Sr. was running late for practice.
He stopped at Taco Bell.
He likes the number eight combo (hard shell), and he wants tomatoes on those with a Mountain Dew to drink.
Hatton was shown doing that Mayweather mitt routine.
I wonder if we will see any Hatton sparring footage.
The show went through Hatton's entourage and who all the players were.
The crew hit Vegas for some blackjack at night.
Back in L.A., Manny toured his new Hollywood house with his wife, Jinky. This will only be a second house, and not the primary residence.
Freddie said that Manny is now complete, he thinks. He sets things up, he is explosive, etc.
Michael Moorer got some airtime next.
Moorer is getting an education, he works from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm and he is getting an opportunity to help Freddie due to Roach's condition.
Hatton does his runs on Mount Charleston, where Floyd takes Hatton twice a week for serious training.
The show next did some time showing Hatton's family.
His fiance, Jennifer, and son are back in the U.K.
Hatton's mom theorized that Ricky is attracted to his fiance because she is taller than Ricky. His fiance is 5'10". Hatton's son is now 8 years old.
Floyd went on a mini-rant about Hatton being a racehorse and Manny being a mule.
Manny was on husband duties taking Jinky to the airport.
Freddie and Michael were up late into the night taking in Hatton tape on the couch.
Moorer was not impressed with the "new" Hatton, saying he reverted to his old ways and didn't do anything new in the ring.
Next they introduced us to Shane Langford. Freddie took in this fellow and lets him live in the gym and clean the place. Shane has had a rough life and he showed us his knife wounds.
The following bit was about Freddie's early training life. He had to work as a telemarketer to support himself in Vegas. His big break came from Mickey Rourke who called him to train him. Mickey would show up only once that first week. Roach ripped him so bad he cried and left Vegas. Rourke called him every day for 30 days and Roach returned. Roach had him promise that the next day off he would get would be the one Roach gave him. Roach trained Rourke for seven fights, after which, Mickey sold his gym and gave his equipment to Roach.
Back in Vegas we got more Hatton training footage as Floyd put him through exercises. Floyd was flexing for the camera and showing off his muscles. He bragged about how he could eat cookies and cake and still look ripped even at age 56.
Back at his house, they showed Floyd watching tape of his career. He admits he had a bad career. He said he was one hell of a fighter that never got a break. He got shot with a shotgun while holding one year old Floyd Jr. Floyd Sr. said he still wants a relationship with Jr.
Even with Sr. having dropped out of school, he has managed to succeed in life, and he said he feels blessed.
The show ended with a dramatic montage of training, the auxiliary people in the fighters' lives and the trainers.
Posted by uatu
11.4.09
Recap: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, Episode 1
The new season of 24/7 begins with a look at Manny Pacquiao's upbringing amidst the poverty of General Santos City in the Phillipines. We flash forward to Pacman's most recent victory over Oscar De La Hoya, and trainer Freddie Roach explains why he was so sure his charge would win.
The scene quickly switches to Manchester, the home of Ricky Hatton. A flashback to 2007 shows Hatton riding high before his fight with Floyd Mayweather, where as we know, he didn't fare too well. He uses the word "devastated" to describe how he felt after losing, and his family and countrymen took it hard as well.
Back in the Phillipines, we see the reaction of his fans to his last win. We see the christening of his baby, which like every Pacquiao-related event, was a huge deal - complete with 48 godparents.
The first training footage shows Manny at Roach's Wild Card Boxing Gym. Former heavyweight champ Michael Moorer is there too, giving advice. Hatton and former trainer Billy Graham talk a bit about their relationship and why Ricky felt the need to make a change.
The entertainment value immediately picks up as we hear from Hatton's new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. He makes it clear in no uncertain terms that he thinks he's the greatest trainer ever, and he's anxious for the world to see how Hatton is continuing to improve.
More detail is shown of Moorer's role in Pacquiao's training camp, which looks to be pretty large. Why add another person to the mix? Roach admits that he was spreading himself too thin, especially with other fighters to train and Parkinson's disease to battle.
Freddie also says he has to close the gym for a few hours a day because Pacquiao is so popular. Manny also looks like he hasn't been taking it easy on his sparring partners.
Hatton and Mayweather travel from England to Las Vegas to finish his training. Floyd says his goal is to keep Ricky's aggressiveness and tenacity but teach him defense and evasiveness.
On the personal side, Ricky and Floyd have had to adjust to each other's personalities and senses of humor. Mayweather has a little rhyme for Pacquiao too.
We see some scenes from the press tour for the fight, including the fighters playing darts in an English pub. The episode ends with dramatic training montages for both men.
Posted by The Franchise
20.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Floyd Mayweather Returning... But to Face Who?
Now that everyone is reporting the least surprising news in boxing - namely, that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is looking to end his retirement as soon as this July - it's time to give some more serious consideration to who Money might be fighting when he returns.
For the sake of argument, I'm assuming that Mayweather is going to be fighting a serious opponent right out of the gate even though the ESPN story raises the specter of a tune-up fight. As a fan, I sure wouldn't support the idea of a tune-up, because, let's face it, he wouldn't need one if he wouldn't have voluntarily taken the last 15 months off.
Without straining myself too hard, here's a short list of people Floyd could reasonably face before the year is out:
Juan Manuel Marquez
Why It Could Happen: JMM's stock has never been higher, and he's already made it abundantly clear he wants to fight Mayweather. Even though he went to war with Juan Diaz, he could reasonably be ready to go by July 11. His age and relatively small size might make him seem like a ripe target for Floyd.
Why It Might Not Happen: Despite his undeniable skills, Marquez doesn't have name recognition outside of hardcore boxing fans and may not seem like a marquee attraction who can sell tickets and/or pay-per-view buys. JMM also has yet to fight above 135, so he arguably adds the least to the Mayweather legacy with a Floyd win and detracts the most with a loss.
Manny Pacquiao
Why It Could Happen: Assuming Manny gets by Ricky Hatton, this is the biggest fight that could be made in the sport - exactly the kind of thing that should get an undefeated champion to come out of retirement. Pacquiao is thought of by many as the current pound-for-pound king but has fought most of his career at lower divisions than Mayweather, so the risk/reward ratio seems right.
Why It Might Not Happen: Team Pacquiao is unpredictable, to say the least, when it comes to negotiations, so financial issues could always be a factor. And Manny could lose to Hatton, which would torpedo this idea pretty quickly. There's also no way this would take place on July 11 - think fourth quarter 2009.
Ricky Hatton
Why It Could Happen: No doubt Mayweather would love it if Hatton wins on May 2 after handling him fairly easily the first time they met. The Hitman brings plenty of loyal fans to the party and has made enough strides over the past year and a half that he'd look like a more credible threat in a rematch, at least on paper.
Why It Might Not Happen: Put simply, I think Hatton is going to lose to Pacquiao, robbing this match-up of any potential luster. Again, it would have to be scheduled for the fall and not mid-summer.
Shane Mosley
Why It Could Happen: Sugar Shane is riding a wave of momentum after stopping Antonio Margarito and would certainly be up for fighting Mayweather. He's obviously still in possession of most of his skills, but it's not hard to see Floyd looking at his age and thinking he would be easy pickings.
Why It Might Not Happen: Mosley has never been a huge draw but has occasionally lost sight of that fact himself. Wrangling over the purse split looms as a potential hurdle.
Andre Berto
Why It Could Happen: Berto may not be ready for this kind of challenge at this stage of his career, but it's hard to see him turning a Mayweather fight down if one was offered. His status as WBC welterweight champion would allow Floyd to sell the idea (probably successfully) that it would not be a tune-up fight.
Why It Might Not Happen: With even less name recognition than Marquez and less pound-for-pound support than all the men listed above, it could be that Berto simply isn't on the radar for the Mayweather camp. Since Andre is young and potentially still improving, he's also more an unknown quantity than the 30-and-over crowd, and that's something that Floyd never seems to like.
Oscar De La Hoya
Why It Could Happen: It may have the slimmest of chances, but if you aren't cynical enough to think it could happen, then you're probably new to the sport. Welcome. The Golden Boy is certainly capable of duping... um, I mean, convincing people he just wasn't himself when he stunk up the joint against Pacquiao, and we'd hear about the narrow split decision from his first fight with Mayweather ad nauseum to reinforce that line of thinking.
Why It Might Not Happen: If there is indeed a benevolent higher power, He simply won't allow it.
Looking over this short list, I think Mosley would be the leader in the clubhouse if Mayweather and company are married to the July date, with the Pacquiao-Hatton winner even more likely if Floyd is willing to take a lesser fight first and wait until the fall for a huge one.
Posted by The Franchise
For the sake of argument, I'm assuming that Mayweather is going to be fighting a serious opponent right out of the gate even though the ESPN story raises the specter of a tune-up fight. As a fan, I sure wouldn't support the idea of a tune-up, because, let's face it, he wouldn't need one if he wouldn't have voluntarily taken the last 15 months off.
Without straining myself too hard, here's a short list of people Floyd could reasonably face before the year is out:
Juan Manuel Marquez
Why It Could Happen: JMM's stock has never been higher, and he's already made it abundantly clear he wants to fight Mayweather. Even though he went to war with Juan Diaz, he could reasonably be ready to go by July 11. His age and relatively small size might make him seem like a ripe target for Floyd.
Why It Might Not Happen: Despite his undeniable skills, Marquez doesn't have name recognition outside of hardcore boxing fans and may not seem like a marquee attraction who can sell tickets and/or pay-per-view buys. JMM also has yet to fight above 135, so he arguably adds the least to the Mayweather legacy with a Floyd win and detracts the most with a loss.
Manny Pacquiao
Why It Could Happen: Assuming Manny gets by Ricky Hatton, this is the biggest fight that could be made in the sport - exactly the kind of thing that should get an undefeated champion to come out of retirement. Pacquiao is thought of by many as the current pound-for-pound king but has fought most of his career at lower divisions than Mayweather, so the risk/reward ratio seems right.
Why It Might Not Happen: Team Pacquiao is unpredictable, to say the least, when it comes to negotiations, so financial issues could always be a factor. And Manny could lose to Hatton, which would torpedo this idea pretty quickly. There's also no way this would take place on July 11 - think fourth quarter 2009.
Ricky Hatton
Why It Could Happen: No doubt Mayweather would love it if Hatton wins on May 2 after handling him fairly easily the first time they met. The Hitman brings plenty of loyal fans to the party and has made enough strides over the past year and a half that he'd look like a more credible threat in a rematch, at least on paper.
Why It Might Not Happen: Put simply, I think Hatton is going to lose to Pacquiao, robbing this match-up of any potential luster. Again, it would have to be scheduled for the fall and not mid-summer.
Shane Mosley
Why It Could Happen: Sugar Shane is riding a wave of momentum after stopping Antonio Margarito and would certainly be up for fighting Mayweather. He's obviously still in possession of most of his skills, but it's not hard to see Floyd looking at his age and thinking he would be easy pickings.
Why It Might Not Happen: Mosley has never been a huge draw but has occasionally lost sight of that fact himself. Wrangling over the purse split looms as a potential hurdle.
Andre Berto
Why It Could Happen: Berto may not be ready for this kind of challenge at this stage of his career, but it's hard to see him turning a Mayweather fight down if one was offered. His status as WBC welterweight champion would allow Floyd to sell the idea (probably successfully) that it would not be a tune-up fight.
Why It Might Not Happen: With even less name recognition than Marquez and less pound-for-pound support than all the men listed above, it could be that Berto simply isn't on the radar for the Mayweather camp. Since Andre is young and potentially still improving, he's also more an unknown quantity than the 30-and-over crowd, and that's something that Floyd never seems to like.
Oscar De La Hoya
Why It Could Happen: It may have the slimmest of chances, but if you aren't cynical enough to think it could happen, then you're probably new to the sport. Welcome. The Golden Boy is certainly capable of duping... um, I mean, convincing people he just wasn't himself when he stunk up the joint against Pacquiao, and we'd hear about the narrow split decision from his first fight with Mayweather ad nauseum to reinforce that line of thinking.
Why It Might Not Happen: If there is indeed a benevolent higher power, He simply won't allow it.
Looking over this short list, I think Mosley would be the leader in the clubhouse if Mayweather and company are married to the July date, with the Pacquiao-Hatton winner even more likely if Floyd is willing to take a lesser fight first and wait until the fall for a huge one.
Posted by The Franchise
18.3.09
Quick Thoughts on Upcoming Fights
Except for the April 4 "Lightweight Lightning" card continuing to fall apart, it's been a pretty quiet week in boxing as we head toward the weekend. I've decided to kill some of the time by looking ahead a little bit on the schedule for some gut reactions.
April 4 - Timothy Bradley vs. Kendall Holt (Showtime) - I find it strange that this fight ended up in Montreal since neither man has ties to the area. That might kill what is usually a live crowd, but at least there won't be any insinuations of home cooking from the judges or referees.
This also seems like the rare fight that seems like a true toss-up. If forced to make a pick right this second, I'd lean toward Bradley, but I'll be giving it more thought in the next few weeks.
April 11 - Paul Williams vs. Winky Wright (HBO) - Williams is a guy I'll watch any time he steps in the ring. And Winky? Well, he's a nice guy in person, and I admire his skill, but some of his fights are pretty boring.
Since you know what you're getting from The Punisher, all the intrigue here comes from waiting to see how much the long layoff - just one fight in the last 28 months - affects Wright. He'll need to be pretty close to peak form to deal with Williams.
April 25 - Carl Froch vs. Jermain Taylor (Showtime) - I've always been strangely fascinated by Taylor. His drive and capacity to keep improving don't seem to be at the same level as his natural ability, which is kind of a shame. I can't help but think that if he had been able to put Kelly Pavlik away in their first fight, he'd be one of the sport's biggest stars right now.
Froch seems to be doing a lot of talking, and it's not really clear if The Cobra is doing it to psyche himself up or to try getting under Jermain's skin. Good luck if it's the latter: If Bernard Hopkins' mind games didn't get to the perpetually laid-back Taylor, nothing will.
May 2 - Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton (PPV) - It's way too early to do an official pick, but I like Manny in this one. I expect a great fight and an unbelievable atmosphere even if the global economy is still down in the dumps.
It should be noted that the powers that be are trying to put together an undercard that's actually worth watching, which is much appreciated. Steven Luevano is set to take on Bernabe Concepcion, and James Kirkland is supposed to fight as well.
May 9 - Chad Dawson vs. Antonio Tarver (HBO) - I'd love to see one more outstanding performance from Tarver, who's been a favorite of mine for a while. But what I expect is a replay of the first fight, which doesn't seem too appetizing.
Posted by The Franchise
April 4 - Timothy Bradley vs. Kendall Holt (Showtime) - I find it strange that this fight ended up in Montreal since neither man has ties to the area. That might kill what is usually a live crowd, but at least there won't be any insinuations of home cooking from the judges or referees.
This also seems like the rare fight that seems like a true toss-up. If forced to make a pick right this second, I'd lean toward Bradley, but I'll be giving it more thought in the next few weeks.
April 11 - Paul Williams vs. Winky Wright (HBO) - Williams is a guy I'll watch any time he steps in the ring. And Winky? Well, he's a nice guy in person, and I admire his skill, but some of his fights are pretty boring.
Since you know what you're getting from The Punisher, all the intrigue here comes from waiting to see how much the long layoff - just one fight in the last 28 months - affects Wright. He'll need to be pretty close to peak form to deal with Williams.
April 25 - Carl Froch vs. Jermain Taylor (Showtime) - I've always been strangely fascinated by Taylor. His drive and capacity to keep improving don't seem to be at the same level as his natural ability, which is kind of a shame. I can't help but think that if he had been able to put Kelly Pavlik away in their first fight, he'd be one of the sport's biggest stars right now.
Froch seems to be doing a lot of talking, and it's not really clear if The Cobra is doing it to psyche himself up or to try getting under Jermain's skin. Good luck if it's the latter: If Bernard Hopkins' mind games didn't get to the perpetually laid-back Taylor, nothing will.
May 2 - Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton (PPV) - It's way too early to do an official pick, but I like Manny in this one. I expect a great fight and an unbelievable atmosphere even if the global economy is still down in the dumps.
It should be noted that the powers that be are trying to put together an undercard that's actually worth watching, which is much appreciated. Steven Luevano is set to take on Bernabe Concepcion, and James Kirkland is supposed to fight as well.
May 9 - Chad Dawson vs. Antonio Tarver (HBO) - I'd love to see one more outstanding performance from Tarver, who's been a favorite of mine for a while. But what I expect is a replay of the first fight, which doesn't seem too appetizing.
Posted by The Franchise
11.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Who's the Better Trainer, Freddie Roach or Floyd Mayweather Sr.?
Kevin Iole's most recent boxing mailbag for Yahoo! Sports leads off with a look at an intriguing subplot to the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight: the rivalry between trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr.
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
6.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Mayweather-JMM Actually Possible? And Which Hatton is the Right One to Beat Pacquiao?
As ESPN's Dan Rafael says in his most recent blog entry, not too many serious boxing fans or observers think Floyd Mayweather Jr. is going to stay retired. It was what else Rafael said that grabbed my attention: that a Mayweather fight with Juan Manuel Marquez is not only possible, but already being kicked around.
I'm having a hard time accepting this possibility (not too long ago I sounded off saying it was wishful thinking on JMM's part), and it's not because I don't think it would be a tremendous bout. On the contrary, I'd love to see it.
It's just that fighting the supremely talented Mr. Marquez doesn't seem like it would fit the requirements for a comeback fight for someone who gave himself the nickname "Money." My guess is that Mayweather is looking for an opponent who would bring the most bang for the buck and also look like a challenge while providing little real threat.
That description doesn't fit JMM, who doesn't bring mainstream recognition to the table and would, at the very least, give Mayweather a miserably hard time. In fact, Marquez only looks like a tempting foe if Floyd assumes that:
I'm having a hard time accepting this possibility (not too long ago I sounded off saying it was wishful thinking on JMM's part), and it's not because I don't think it would be a tremendous bout. On the contrary, I'd love to see it.
It's just that fighting the supremely talented Mr. Marquez doesn't seem like it would fit the requirements for a comeback fight for someone who gave himself the nickname "Money." My guess is that Mayweather is looking for an opponent who would bring the most bang for the buck and also look like a challenge while providing little real threat.
That description doesn't fit JMM, who doesn't bring mainstream recognition to the table and would, at the very least, give Mayweather a miserably hard time. In fact, Marquez only looks like a tempting foe if Floyd assumes that:
- He'll be too big for JMM, which may actually be the case. Rafael says the fight would take place between 140 and 147 pounds, and Marquez has yet to fight above 135.
- The public will watch his comeback fight regardless of whether the guy across from him is a big name. It's a stretch, but considering the publicity Mayweather gained fighting Oscar De La Hoya, competing on Dancing With the Stars and participating in WWE's WrestleMania 24, it's not a ridiculous one.
So maybe that's what Money is thinking. Otherwise, his tailor-made situation would be hoping that Ricky Hatton upsets Manny Pacquiao.
That would give him an opponent who comes with legions of his own fans and whose reputation would be soaring after knocking off the sport's pound-for-pound king. And oh, by the way, he also happens to be someone Mayweather handled with relative ease the first time they fought.
Speaking of the Hitman, he (and Floyd Mayweather Sr.) have been doing a lot of talking recently about how we'll see the new Ricky Hatton against Pacquiao and how Manny's victory over De La Hoya wasn't that impressive. Hatton also claims that he'll be the biggest man Pacquiao has ever fought on fight night, and that may be true since the Golden Boy came in surprisingly small.
Here's the thing though: if Hatton really does show up at 154 pounds on May 2, doesn't it really mean his best bet for victory is to rough Manny up? In other words, isn't the Ricky Hatton that beat Kostya Tszyu into submission more up to the challenge than the one who outboxed Paulie Malignaggi the last time out?
Make no mistake, Hatton put on quite the show en route to stopping Malignaggi late. He'll need some of those improved boxing skills, as this won't be quite the head-on collision it would have been had the fighters met a few years ago - and I may even have favored Hatton back then.
But Pacquiao has progressed as an all-around boxer as well, adding both offensive and defensive wrinkles and making big leaps with his footwork and movement. He also has a natural explosiveness that can't be taught, no matter how much time one spends absorbing wisdom from Mayweather Sr.
It's way too early to break down the fight, but I already think Hatton might be approaching it with the wrong mindset. Instead of matching his new and improved self against the latest model of Pacquiao, he'd be better served rewinding the clock a bit and getting back in touch with his inner bully.
Posted by The Franchise
27.2.09
Betting the Marquez vs. Diaz Fight
After I made a prediction, I decided to check the current odds. Amazingly, the site I checked out, which I will not name since I am about to rip them, listed the fight as "Juan M Marquez vs. Julio Diaz" which is sort of an honest mistake, I guess, and listed the undercard fight as "Chris Byrd vs. Rocky Juarez" which is a much worse mistake. In that case, I'll take Chris Byrd -300, provided he can make weight.
Seriously though, on a different site, vegasinsider.com, Juan Diaz is an underdog, at +140, and since I picked him to win, as the slimmest of underdogs, I like the bet on him as well.
Looking over a few big fights upcoming, I don't think I would bet either way on Bradley-Holt
Bradley -170
Holt +140
But I like a bet on Manny as the favorite over Hatton.
Manny -250
Hatton +195.
My guess there is that there will be a lot of British fan money on Hatton making the odds closer than they deserve to be, and I like Manny to win anyway.
Posted by uatu
Seriously though, on a different site, vegasinsider.com, Juan Diaz is an underdog, at +140, and since I picked him to win, as the slimmest of underdogs, I like the bet on him as well.
Looking over a few big fights upcoming, I don't think I would bet either way on Bradley-Holt
Bradley -170
Holt +140
But I like a bet on Manny as the favorite over Hatton.
Manny -250
Hatton +195.
My guess there is that there will be a lot of British fan money on Hatton making the odds closer than they deserve to be, and I like Manny to win anyway.
Posted by uatu
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