Hatton can only hope to win on a ‘lucky punch’

Ricky Hatton does everything that will only justify Manny Pacquiao’s stranglehold on the mythical title of pound-for-pound king on May 2.

Boxing man Rod Nazario told the Bulletin yesterday that Hatton doesn’t have a chance in surviving the onslaught of the Filipino pound-for-pound king when they collide at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"I can’t see Manny losing this fight," said Nazario, who was Pacquiao’s business manager from 1995 to 2005. "Of course, there’s that possibility that Hatton might land a lucky punch but that’s it. You’ll never know, but that’s about it."

While Hatton possesses above-average knockout power and relentless aggression, those are the only things that he’ll bring to the table, Nazario pointed out.

"Hatton can change his fighting style and he might run but that’s not him and that would only lessen his chances of winning. He knows only one style of fighting and that’s coming forward. You can’t expect him to run so he’ll be coming forward right straight into Pacquiao’s firing range."

Nazario said Hatton will just end up like David Diaz and Oscar De La Hoya, who Pacquiao befuddled with a combination of speed, precision and power.

"If there’s one guy out there who suits Manny’s style, that’s Hatton," said Nazario, who predicts that Pacquiao will have an easier time taking the sting out of the British slugger.

"Hatton’s punches can easily be spotted because they’re fired from outside and that would help Manny evade or block them. Manny will soften him up and the fight’s going to be over by the seventh round," said Nazario, who, likewise doesn’t see Pacquiao having problems making the super-lightweight/junior-welterweight limit of 140 lbs.

"He dropped by my office almost two weeks ago and he appeared to be about 150 to 155 lbs and he kept on eating," said Nazario. "But’s that’s Manny when he’s not yet in training. He’ll get down to 140 without a problem."

Nazario is not the first to say that Hatton’s devil-may-care attitude will only bring out the best in Pacquiao as the fighter’s chief trainer, Freddie Roach, had said that Hatton’s face-first approach will cost him dearly although the amiable cornerman insists that Hatton is still a dangerous opponent.

Roach expects to see Pacquiao at the Wild Card right after the UK and US press tour that will kick off late this month.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao will throw the ceremonial first pitch when the San Francisco Giants take on the San Diego Padres at the 41,000-seat AT&T Park in San Francisco on April 21, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said.

"That’s going to be Fans Day for Manny Pacquiao and it’s going to be fun," Arum said on Tuesday from New York.

Source: mb.com.ph