Ricky Hatton has absolutely no fear of Manny Pacquiao’s power, speed or footwork. He challenges Pacquiao, the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Speaking with BoxingScene.com, Hatton told Luis Sandoval that everyone thought Paulie Malignaggi was going to beat him by using his speed and boxing ability to win a decision. Hatton feels that he was faster and a better boxer than Malignaggi, and those two factors allowed him to dominate the fight. He feels Pacquiao is not as elusive as Malignaggi.
"Everyone expected Paulie Malignaggi to out-speed me and out-jab me and I out-jabbed and out-speeded him - and that was just after seven weeks [of training with Floyd Mayweather Sr]. I have another training camp under my belt so my defense will be even better and I'll be moving my head as I'm attacking, and catching punches as I'm attacking. To be honest, Manny has always been quite easy to hit. He hasn't been the most elusive himself so if you say my defense then I can throw it right back at you and say his defense,” Hatton said.
Hatton is not hiding his intentions in the fight. He told BoxingScene that he doesn’t want a decision. He wants to win with a knockout and he plans to test Pacquiao’s chin and body very early in the fight.
“He's been shaken up several times. He's been stopped twice by body shots. You can improve and he's improved technically. I hope that he's improved on that body and that chin because he's going to get hit by the biggest man that he's ever fought. I don't that it's going to go to a decision. We generally don't fight decision type fighters. Manny goes for the knockout and I go for the knockout. It might come back to bite me on the ass but I really don't think so. Kostya Tszyu hit me with that murderous right hand. Luis Collazo, big and strong, hit me and he couldn't knock me out,” Hatton said.
He is definitely surprised that everyone is holding Pacquiao as the clear favorite and asking him questions about his strategy for Pacquiao’s power. He doesn’t believe that Pacquiao hits hard enough to cause him serious concern. He believes the public is blinded by Pacquiao’s one-sided win over Oscar De La Hoya, which Hatton feels was overhyped because Oscar was drained from trying to make weight.
“I'm a bit shell shocked that he fought at 130, once at 135 and once with Oscar at 147 and everyone is asking if I can take his power. Hell yeah I can take his power. I would like to think I can. You can never tell in boxing. He will be in for one hell of a shock with my boxing ability and my hand speed. He's generally fought at 130, he fought once at 135 and fought Oscar. I think Freddie and his camp are going off the Oscar performance. Everyone I speak to, they don't think he should be fighting me. They think he should be fighting Godzilla. That De La Hoya fight, I just don't see it. It's a lot better to win when you are the underdog,” Hatton said.
Hatton also sees a serious flaw. He says Pacquiao is unable to fight going backwards. He plans to press the Filipino fighter by coming forward and throwing. He doesn’t think Pacquiao’s speed will help him get away from the punches.
“Maliganggi tried to get away too. Manny doesn't punch going back on the back foot. He doesn't punch going back. He comes forward on the front foot to punch. He does very little punching going backwards. He always punches going on the front foot. To come in on the front foot he has to come into my territory.,” Hatton said.
Source: boxingscene.com
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