Hatton is a Very Tough Fight For Pacquiao, Says Sulaiman

World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman predicts that Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will have a tough fight against Britain’s IBO light welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton in their showdown on May 2.

Titled the “Battle of East and West” the eagerly awaited clash will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with featherweight Bernabe Concepcion taking on WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano in a title fight on the undercard.

Sulaiman told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports “I believe it will be a tough fight for Manny because Hatton has a very, very difficult style.”

Sulaiman noted that Hatton “comes in with four five punches and then holds so he won’t let the opponent punch back.”

He also pointed out that 140 pounds “is the natural weight for him (Hatton.)” and he personally didn’t want Pacquiao to fight Hatton but said the choice was up to Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum.

Well known boxing writer Mark Vester reported in a story on Boxing Scene that he had spoken to Hatton’s trainer Lee Beard who will work alongside Floyd Mayweather Sr and that Beard doesn’t feel Pacquiao will be able to stay with Hatton for the first six rounds and claimed trainer Freddie Roach was “overestimating what Pacquiao can do.”
Beard said Roach’s views were based on Pacquiao’s 9th round demolition of lightweight champion David Diaz and his 8th round mauling of Oscar De La Hoya. Beard stressed that if Hatton fought Diaz he would be “way too fast, big and strong” and would have stopped Diaz between three to five rounds and if he was “in the ring with Oscar (De La Hoya) on that same night, it nwould have ended in four.”

Vester quoted Beard as saying he had been to the Wild Card gym to watch Pacquiao train and spar and witnessed his fights over the past few years adding “I’ve seen a lot of mistakes and they will automatically play into Ricky’s hands.”

He said Pacquiao makes the same mistakes “over and over again” although he wouldn’t reveal the mistakes Beard told Vester “I’m positive Ricky will knock Manny out within six rounds and I believe the fight won’t be as difficult as some may think.”

Source: boxingscene.com