PACQUIAO-HATTON CLOSE TO REALITY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 10 Jun 2008
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum mentioned as early as January 5 that a fight between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Ricky ?Hitman? Hatton was a reality.
Arum made the statement in an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today. Arum said he was having lunch with Pacquiao at one of the restaurants at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino when HBO boss Ross Greenberg called. Arum put Pacquiao on the line to wish Greenberg a Happy New Year.
Arum said ?it was funny because he (Greenberg) was together with the Ricky Hatton people for lunch in New York and they were talking about fighting Manny at the end of the year. So that?s a reality. Pacquiao now knows that he has the opportunity to really make history.?
At that time Pacquiao hadn?t done the rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez which happened on March 15 and which Pacquiao won by split decision to capture the WBC super featherweight title. Arum said then, in addition to fighting Marquez for the super featherweight title Manny will be fighting for the lightweight title and the 140 pound title. ?This could be a big year for Manny but he?s got to win this fight against Marquez.? Now he may add, he?s got to beat WBC lightweight champion David Diaz on June 28.
Talk of a Pacquiao-Hatton fight has re-surfaced with Pacquiao telling Ring Magazine ?After Diaz, I want to fight Ricky Hatton. That will be a good fight.? Pacquiao was quoted as saying at the time of the Ring interview ?I?m 150 poubds right now. My sparring partners are always 140 to 150 pounds. Its no problem for me. And I?m not getting younger. So why not??
It was noted that Pacquiao weighed 146 pounds on the night he beat Marquez and a showdown with Hatton could ?pit two of the world?s most exciting and popular fighters in a mouth-watering showdown.?
Prior to Pacquiao?s departure for Los Angeles to step up training for the Diaz fight at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach, both his business manager Eric Pineda and close friend and confidant Rex ?Wakee? Salud said there had been some initial conversations with the Hatton people because Pacquiao wanted the fight.
BBC Sports quoted Hatton?s father Ray as saying they had been approached by the team of Pacquiao after Hatton?s fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr and ?its on the cards.?
Hatton Sr said Pacquiao is big at his weight and ?it would be a wonderful fight. They?ve just about got the two biggest followings in the world ? where would you stage a fight like that??
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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