Hatton: I feared Vegas super fight with Pacquiao would collapse over his demands

Ricky Hatton has admitted that he feared his dream junior welterweight bout against Manny Pacquiao would fall through because of the Philippines boxer's purse demands.

The Hitman meets the man classified as the best 'pound-for-pound' boxer in the world in Las Vegas on May 2 having agreed to a 52%-48% split in his opponent's favour of the guaranteed £17million purse.

Hatton said: 'I thought it was slipping away, to be honest. I had to give ground to the fact that Manny is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but I will bring fans and the Sky TV money. It meant a bit of give and take before we could finally make it happen.'

The Imperial War Museum provided the unlikely backdrop to yesterday's press conference in London with the two men talking the talk just across the hall from a Lancaster bomber, a Spitfire and and Italian two-man torpedo submarine whose cockpit meant its occupants sat practically upon each other.

Hatton and Pacquiao are likely to be in similar proximity to each other inside the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena with each claiming the other's attacking style as a weakness.


Hatton, who will spend 10 weeks working with trainer Floyd Mayweather snr, added: 'For as fast as Manny is and his southpaw stance, he's an open fighter and there are opportunities there. He comes square on sometimes and he goes for broke when he tries to attack you.

'If I can make him miss, I think he's going to fall onto a few of my punches. He has been hurt before and I'm the biggest man he'll have faced. At the end of a day, I'm a handful.

'I only had six weeks working with Floyd before my last fight and look how much better my hand speed was then. It can only improve by working with him more.'

Pacquiao, who named his new baby daughter Queen Elizabeth, rose from the poverty of a childhood in which his family could afford only one meal each day and during which he slept in the street at times to hero-status in the Philippines.

He first boxed for money as a 12-year-old, taking home the winner's purse of 50 pesos - around 50p - to his mum. He plays the piano, sings and has had a number one record in his homeland with a song titled 'This Fight Is For You.'

Pacquiao said: 'I'm not shy to tell everybody about my life. I want to give them inspiration that they can do the same. I like Ricky because he is friendly and respectful outside the ring. I am like that, too. But inside the ring, I become a warrior.'


Source: dailymail.co.uk