Manny’s about to invade ‘time’

MANNY PACQUIAO has taken the No. 7 spot in the ongoing poll for the Time 100 for 2009, Time Magazine’s list of the most influential people in the world.

The four-division champion, considered the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter, has received 133,689 votes with an average influence rating of 25 as of Thursday.

Pacquiao was 13th on Tuesday and a day later made it on the top 10 on the list that, as of Thursday, had “Moot,” the 20-something founder of the imageboard web site 4 chan, as No. 1 (2,425,073 votes with an average rating of 73). South Korean pop artist Rain was running second with US President Obama a distant No. 14 and golf superstar Tiger Woods occupying the 200th spot.

The 30-year-old prizefighter looks to steal the International Boxing Organization light-welterweight championship belt from British slugger Ricky Hatton when they battle on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Hatton, also 30, has revealed his retirement plan, looking to set two big fights after Pacquiao before hanging up his gloves.

After facing Pacquiao, the Mancunian is hoping to take on Mexican pugilist Juan Manuel Marquez, said to be the second-best fighter pound-for-pound and, hopefully, set a showdown with retired American Floyd Mayweather Jr., who handed him the only loss of his career.

“I would like to finish the year off fighting Juan Manuel Marquez,” Hatton said in British news reports.

“He’s No. 2 in the pound-for-pound ratings and in doing that, and establishing myself as No. 1, I would like to think I would get a rematch with Floyd Mayweather.”

But Hatton admits it is too early to plan such fights as he faces the world’s current top fighter.

“Those three fights will see me to the end of my career, but I can’t look at Marquez or Mayweather yet as I’m fighting Pacquiao,” he said. Pacquiao had also earlier announced plans for his retirement and getting another shot at a government position.

Hatton, who has been fighting as a light welterweight for over a decade, is 14 lb. over the 140 lb.-limit, but will have enough time to make the cut with six weeks of training to go. After making the weight, he is again expected to balloon to his natural fighting weight on fight night.

“I’m now pretty much at the weight of 154 lb that I’ll be on the night,” he said.

“I think Freddie Roach (Pacquiao’s trainer) said in a couple of articles that ‘Ricky will be heavier, but he’ll lose his speed.’”

“For as long as I can remember, I have always got in the ring at 154 lb. I am 154 lb. now and I’m not exactly looking slow in training,” adding he is pleased with the rate he is going.

“It’s great being ahead of schedule,” added the Manchester fighter. “In being ahead of schedule in your weight, your timing, your sharpness, it gives you a little bit of luxury.”

Source: businessmirror.com.ph