FILIPINO fight fans turned Manchester into Manny-chester when their hero came face to face with Ricky Hatton.
Hatton and ther world pound-for-pound number one Manny Pacquiao smiled and laughed together as they met at the Trafford Centre today, to officially launch their super-fight on May 2 in Las Vegas.
It was intended as a fan rally, with Hatton fans showing up to cheer and sing for the Hitman – but around 200 Pacquiao fans stole the show.
They had come from all over the country – including a delegation from the Philippines embassy in London – and at first made themselves heard as they shouted and cheered their man, who had God-like status among his people.
Pacquiao was delighted with his reception: “This is my first time in England and I would like to thank everyone for turning out.
“The fight will be a great challenge because Ricky is a great fighter. It will be a once in a lifetime fight, the kind you only see once in boxing history.”
Hatton was confident that the fact he is unbeaten at light-welterweight – his only defeat coming when he moved up to welterweight to face Floyd Mayweather Junior – was crucial.
“I am unbeaten at 140 pounds, and believe I am unbeatable at that limit. This is a fight between two nice men, but there is nothing nice about either me or Manny when we get inside the ring.
“We are both aggressive, but in recent fights everyone has been a bit worried about Manny’s aggression. I know a man who won’t be bothered by it, and that’s me.”
Hatton’s fans, backed by the Sheffield Wednesday band, rallied behind their man, as bemused shoppers looked on.
The turn-out by Filipino fans did not surprise Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum, who said: “When Manny goes into the ring he fights for the 90million people in his country, and the ten million Filipinos who live around the world.
“He is a tremendous athlete and unlike any other champion we have ever promoted.
“When Manny walks to the ring he carries the weight of his country on his shoulders and he fights with all of his heart, every second of every round.”
With the two fighters greeting each other with cordial respect, it was left to the trainers to provide the first bad blood of the build-up.
Americans Floyd Mayweather Senior and Freddie Roach have a long history of mutual hatred, and Mayweather’s face was like thunder when Arum introduced Pacquiao’s trainer Roach as “the greatest trainer in the world.”
Mayweather, never shy of controversy, grabbed the mike and said: “If anybody thinks Freddie ‘the Joke’ Roach can out-train me, they have to be sick.”
Roach retorted: “It’s a shame Floyd senior isn’t in the Hall of Fame.”
“He should be in the Hall of Shame!” crowed Hatton’s man, as the two boxers looked on and laughed.
Mayweather had to have the last word, poetically predicting Hatton would de-throne Pacquiao: “When he beat the world legend Oscar de la Hoya, he was over the hill, now it’s time for you to swallow the same old pill.
“When it comes Manny, then you had better be ready, because I don’t want you to blame it on Freddie.”
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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