Fighting is in Hatton’s blood

Fighting is in Hatton’s blood



By NICK GIONGCO

Fighting is in Ricky Hatton’s genes.

Hatton is slated to face Filipino star Manny Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas and the British bomber should lean heavily on his boxing bloodline in his quest to wear the mythical crown of pound-for-pound king.

Daniel Slattery, a great-grandfather of Hatton, fought during the bare-knuckle era, while a great uncle, known as Spider Hatton, fought regularly during the 1930s.

"There are some boxing roots in my family," Hatton wrote in his autobiography, Ricky Hatton: The Hitman – My Story, that was released in Sept. 2006.

"My great uncle Spider Hatton was a very famous local fighter in the Manchester area in the days when there were shows all over the place. My dad also tells me that on my Irish side I have another relative, my great-granddad, who was called Daniel Slattery. He was famous across Ireland for his fighting ability," said Hatton.

Perhaps because of this trait, the most famous of all the Hattons hates losing and would do anything just to wound up with his arms raised, a trait that he is known for stretching back to his early amateur days.

"I don’t consider myself a dirty fighter, but I am a boxer who will do everything he can to win," said Hatton in his best-seller. "If my opponent slips in a few rabbit punches or, as in (Kostya) Tszyu’s case (in 2005), throws one into my knackers, rest assured, I’ll do exactly the same back, only harder."

Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach has been widely quoted as saying that Hatton fights rough and tough that he will devise a plan aimed at preventing him from doing damage.

"Movement will be the key (for Pacquiao)," said Roach, who will focus all eight weeks beginning early-March to make sure Pacquiao executes the gameplan as he envisioned his prized puncher would.

Although Hatton has only lost once in 46 fights – a knockout to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a welterweight (147 lbs) match late-2007 – he is unbeaten at super-lightweight/junior-welterweight (140 lbs).

Pacquiao and Hatton will fight at 140 lbs, the first time Pacquiao will step into that territory.

Source: mb.com.ph