Freddie Roach is under no illusions that Manny Pacquiao will be the first fighter to stop Ricky Hatton at light-welterweight when they meet in Las Vegas in May.
Roach, responding to claims from Hatton's trainer Floyd Mayweather Snr earlier this week that Hatton has the armoury to take Pacquiao apart, said: "I can see Ricky being competitive for half of the fight, and posing some problems for Manny, but Manny will stop him in the later rounds. Ricky is tough and durable, but I can see him being stopped around round 9."
Pacquiao won world titles at super-featherweight and lightweight in 2008, and then stepped up to welterweight to deliver a shock defeat over Oscar De La Hoya in December.
Although Hatton suffered his only career loss at welterweight (147 lbs) in December 2007 to Floyd Mayweather Jnr, the Mancunian has always insisted that there is no-one in the world who can live with him at light-welterweight (140lbs). Hatton is 45-1.
Roach will come to the United Kingdom with Khan for his next fight, expected to be in March. Khan has returned to Los Angeles to resume training with Roach. Frank Warren, Khan's promoter, revealed that the Bolton fighter could meet former World Boxing Organisation super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur in 2009.
European heavyweight champion Matt Skelton will defend his Commonwealth title against Belfast’s Martin Rogan in Birmingham on Feb 28. On the same night Olympic middleweight gold medallist James DeGale will make his professional debut, though his opponent has not yet been announced.
The Bedford brawler will go up against unbeaten Prizefighter contest winner Rogan – the man who beat Audley Harrison in London in December – at the National Indoor Arena. On the same card, Commonwealth super-flyweight champion Don Broadhurst, trained by Richie Woodhall, will make the first defence of his belt on home soil against former British title-holder Andy Bell.
Skelton (22-2), who unsuccessfully challenged Ruslan Chagaev for the WBA title last year, believes he can come good again at world title level this year.
"Rogan is a dangerous fighter and I was impressed by the way in which he dug deep against Harrison," said the 41-year-old, who only turned professional in 2002, after a career in kickboxing which took him to fighting in championships in front of 60,000 spectators in Japan.
"Anyone with an undefeated record is a threat because they don't know how to lose. But I believe I will win this fight.
"When I lost to Chagaev people asked me whether I would quit, but I feel better than ever and I think that I'm still improving.
"That fight in Germany against Chagaev showed me that I can compete at the highest level and I'm not out of place on the world scene."
Skelton claimed the European title with victory over Paolo Vidoz in December. "Winning the European title in Italy against an Italian surprised a few people, but it didn't surprise me because I'm always very confident in my own ability."
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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