Ricky Hatton's super-fight with Manny Pacquiao, worth £40 million, will take place in Las Vegas on May 2, according to Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum.
However, Hatton’s team are still attempting last-minute negotiations behind the scenes to bring the fight to the UK.
Hatton still harbours hopes of fighting Pacquiao at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans. Ray Hatton, the British fighter’s father and manager, said: “From our viewpoint, the fight is all but done and will go ahead. We’re just still negotiating the terms of the location. We want to have the fight over here for the British fans and we’ve been trying to put together a package to show that we can financially equal, or better, what they can do over there.”
However, Telegraph Sport understands that a UK-based fight has been ruled out by Home Box Office, the American cable giants, who are insisting the fight takes place in Nevada.
Pacquiao, hugely popular in the Philippines and a national icon, and Hatton, Britain’s most popular fighter, will share the spoils of a super-fight expected to generate £40 million, including revenue from pay-per-view television.
According to American promoter Arum, the only negotiation to be completed is whether the fight will be staged at the MGM Grand Garden Arena (capacity 15,000) or the Thomas & Mack Center, which can house a maximum of 19,000 spectators.
Hatton Snr also revealed that ’the Hitman’ will immerse himself in a 12-week training camp – which could start early in February in the UK, and then move to Florida before settling in Las Vegas a few weeks before the fight – under Floyd Mayweather Snr, the American trainer.
Mayweather was credited after Hatton’s victory over American Paulie Malignaggi in November as having instilled the basics back in the Mancunian’s fighting armoury, and returned him to his boxing skills and better footwork.
Hatton has also ruled out retiring if his contest with Pacquiao, who dismantled Oscar De La Hoya last month, is successful. Hatton has told his father that “if he wins his next fight, he’ll be looking at another year.” The ultimate goal is a re-match with Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who defeated Hatton in December 2007, the only blemish on his 12-year career record which stands at 45-1.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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