Hatton says Pacquiao fight biggest of them all

MANILA, Philippines – British star Ricky Hatton said his upcoming bout with Manny Pacquiao is the biggest fight of his career, even more massive than his tussle with two former pound-for-pound greats.

Hatton’s trek to superstardom started with a fight with then junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu in 2004. The Australia-based Tszyu was then ranked high in the pound-for-pound rankings, making Hatton a heavy underdog in their match.

“He [Tszyu] was an animal, yes. And, I mean, he was a massive puncher. He was very physically strong. And nobody gave me a prayer of winning that fight. Similar is that nobody is giving me a prayer to win this fight [against Pacquiao],” Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) said in a conference call to promote “The Battle of East and West.”

Hatton went on beat Tszyu when the latter quit on his stool after 11 grueling rounds. The victory, which was for Tszyu’s IBF junior welterweight title, announced Hatton’s arrival to mainstream boxing and remains to many boxing observers as his most significant win.

But Hatton insists a fight with Pacquiao (48-3-2, 38 KOs) is more massive, noting that the General Santos City-based lefty is currently recognized as the sport’s pound-for-pound king.

“I mean, Kostya Tszyu was ranked number two I think at the time in the pound-for-pound rankings and [in] beating Manny Pacquiao, I would've gone one better and beaten the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Hatton continued. “Beat the pound-for-pound number one, [and] you're beating the best fighter in all weight divisions.”

When his fight with former pound-for-pound boss Floyd Mayweather Jr. was brought up, Hatton said it was a huge fight as well, but “was out of my weight division.”

The Hatton-Mayweather bout, staged last year, was fought at welterweight (147 pounds), a category Hatton admitted he was too small for. Mayweather won via tenth-round technical knockout.

Hatton’s bout with Pacquiao on May 2 (May 3 in Manila), meanwhile, will be fought at junior welterweight (140 pounds), a class where Hatton has remained undefeated in 46 outings.

Source: philstar.com