Little seems to bind Pacquiao, Hatton

LOS ANGELES - "The Battle of East and West" should be renamed "The Odd Couple."

Judging by the press conference Monday night, the only similarity between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton might be their in-ring styles. Hatton entered the hotel first to a doo-wop, barbershop quartet tune. Rock music welcomed Pacquiao.

Hatton was wearing a nice casual outfit, while Pacquiao was decked out in a suit and tie, looking more like a guy who's ready to run for office than win what he called possibly the biggest fight of his career.

Consciously or unconsciously, even their trainers picked up on this opposites theme. Hatton's trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., really got things going with a rhyme that elicited laughs and "Manny" chants.

Hey Pac, it's over. So (stop) wishing on a four-leaf clover. ...

Come May 2, you will be uncrowned with your head hanging down. ...

Your title will be gone like the Roach when the lights go on.

The Roach, is Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer. Roach and Mayweather have more animosity toward each other than their two fighters do.

So, now you're expecting Roach to fire back with something witty, something hard-hitting. Instead, he responded in ho-hum fashion, predicting that his man, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, would make his victory short and sweet.

When the fighters finally got the microphone, the contrast from the two camps couldn't have been more clear.

Hatton came in fired up. He seemed more than annoyed that people kept asking him how he was going to handle Pacquiao's hand speed and power. Hatton said most people are basing those observations on Pacquiao's dismantling of Oscar De La Hoya in December.

"Anybody who knows boxing knows that wasn't the Oscar we've come to know." Hatton later remarked about those who say Pacquiao has a decided advantage in speed and power: "They're talking through their ass. ... Watch my hand speed. It'll surprise the hell out of you."

He also issued a warning to Pacquiao, referencing the fact that the Filipino great has been stopped twice.

"I hope he's improved on the body and that chin."

Pacquiao was calm and smiling, and even cracked a joke. He, unlike his opponent, wouldn't even guarantee victory.

"Only God knows who will win May 2. ... We'll just pray nobody gets hurt."

Later asked if he agreed with his trainer's prediction, Pacquiao said he respected Roach's words, but he didn't care what people believe.

After the fight, Pacquiao said he wants to play Hatton in darts.

Darts?! There are millions of dollars at stake, a potential big-money match with Floyd Mayweather Jr., in the winter and Pacquiao is acting like he doesn't have a care in the world.

For all of their differences, the attribute that Hatton and Pacquiao share could be the deciding factor in their bout. The two both love to come forward, and neither didn't mention any extra training on counterpunching or how to fight going backward.

Pacquiao even said, "I expect him to come forward and throw a lot of jabs."

The Hatton camp was even more blunt in its assessment. Responding to a reporter's question on if Hatton is comfortable countering, the elder Mayweather said, "Ricky ain't going backward. ... (Pacquiao) can't stop his mistakes right now.

"A body shot is going to get him."

The same strategy can't bring both men to victory. So, the one thing Hatton and Pacquiao share ultimately will separate them — a winner and a loser.

Source: foxsports.com