MAYWEATHER-HATTON INTERESTS FILIPINO FIGHT FANS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 07 Dec 2007
The world welterweight championship bout between ?Pretty Boy? Floyd Mayweather Jr and Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton has much more than the usual interest for Filipino fight fans.
Titled ?UNDEFEATED? the result of the main event may well impact on the prestigious Ring Magazine?s coveted pound-for-pound title currently held by Mayweather with Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao in second place despite the fact that many boxing writers believe Pacquiao should be No.1.
Pacquiao apparently lost the chance to switch places with Mayweather when he failed to repeat his November 2003 demolition of legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera and won their much-awaited and delayed rematch by a unanimous twelve round decision which showcased Pacquiao?s boxing skills more than his vaunted punching power.
Ranged against Mayweather?s somewhat lackluster if not questionable victory over the ?Golden Boy? Oscar De La Hoya, it seemed Mayweather had done enough and Pacquiao not enough to enable ?Pretty Boy? to hang on to No.1.
However, should Hatton beat Mayweather but not in spectacular fashion, Pacquiao may well emerge as PFP No.1 by default. If, on the other hand, Hatton shocks Mayweather as he promised with an impressive performance he may well rocket to the top of the list.
The supporting WBO super bantamweight title defense of the menacing Mexican Daniel Ponce De Leon against the WBO?s NABO champion Eduardo Escobedo also has some significance for Filipinos. Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista who won a twelve round unanimous decision in his comeback fight against Antonio Meza following his devastating first round TKO at the hands of Ponce De Leon last August 11 has said he?d like a rematch with his Mexican tormentor. WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa who out-boxed Ponce De Leon but lost a lopsided decision on the judges scorecards has also stated many times he was aching for a rematch with the Mexican provided the price was right.
However, the consensus of boxing writers and fans is that Ponce De Leon is far too strong at this stage at least for Bautista who showed he has a long way to go before emerging as a worthy title contender when he beat Meza who is ranked No. 18 by the WBC at the Araneta Coliseum last Sunday.
Penalosa, on the other hand is scheduled to defend the WBO bantam weight crown he won with a dramatic one-punch stoppage of Jhonny Gonzalez last August 11 in a mandatory defense against former champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin sometime in February or March next year. Besides, Penalosa himself has conceded that Ponce De Leon is too big for him since he is only a natural bantamweight.
Whatever it is Filipino fight fans are certain to eagerly follow the Mayweather-Hatton ?Undecided? fight card which will be telecast by the giant Philippine broadcast network ABS-CBN on Sunday morning Manila Time in another truly top-class presentation with Penalosa himself as a member of the TV panel.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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