The Hit Parade
by rick olivares
by rick olivares
The two men are an anomaly, this Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton.
In a sport increasingly dominated by Eastern Europeans and Hispanics, the two carry the banner for their people and make a case for a sport that hardly seems popular where they hail from.
For Manny Pacquiao, he is the Philippines first true global superstar. In a country that fancies itself a basketball power had it the height to compete, boxing is the poor man’s sport. Yet when Manny fights, the whole country stops to watch whether they love or hate him. The only one with more commercial endorsements is talk show host Kris Aquino, a beguiling celebrity herself. Here everyone wants a piece of Manny whether it’s money, time, or to be photographed as an associate.
One person who badly wants a piece of him is Ricky Hatton, who is from England, the birthplace of football. Perhaps even more notable is the fact that he hails from Manchester; a place so known for its football that it even has two teams. You might even have heard of Manchester United who only happen to be arguably the world’s most popular club team and Manchester City that was recently purchased by one of the world’s richest persons and was in the news for its high-profile pursuits of world-class footballers Kaka and Gianluigi Buffon. And we haven’t even mentioned the local music scene which begat bands like Oasis and the Verve among so many others. But Hatton is a hero as he even has his own chant.
The current Junior Welterweight Champion watched as Pacquiao pummeled Oscar de la Hoya into retirement. True de la Hoya was one of those athletes who hung around longer than he should have, but it was still an impressive demolition job by Pacman. The former Olympic gold medalist should have also surrendered the tag of “Golden Boy” to Pacquiao for the Filipino has been soaring and positively golden ever since his scuttling of Erik Morales.
And because of his incredible run, Manny is perhaps already Asia’s greatest boxer ever and he no longer has to chase the ghost of Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who although was just as great never had the same success, clout, nor reach.
Pacquiao and Hatton before the fight speak of each other in reverential tones. Sure there’s a little tone to the public consumption pieces but it has been the two fighters’ respective trainers – Floyd Mayweather Sr. for Hatton and Freddy Roach for Pacquiao -- who have gotten it on as if they were the one to lace up their gloves on Sunday morning (Saturday evening in Las Vegas).
The two even if oceans separate them are similar in some ways both enjoying the fruits of their success that was denied them in their youth.
Pacquiao who enjoys a game of basketball, billiards, or cockfighting, has been material not just for the sports page, but also in the headlines, the business section for the windfall surrounding his fights, and entertainment columns for rumored dalliances, television shows, fledgling singing career, or his commercial endorsements. He’s even had a shoe designed by the legendary craftsman of the world-famous Air Jordan line, Tinker Hatfield. No wonder they had to put up Manny Pacquiao Productions; he is a one-man media outfit.
Hatton on the other hand considers himself an ornery bloke who can be found at the local pub with a pint of beer in one hand with the other raised while cheering for his beloved Manchester City squad. But he counts among his close pals Wayne Rooney who stars for local rivals United. Hatton is known to put on extra weight when not training but he's never had a problem ditching the excess poundage. And thus far, he is right since his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. who he lost to two years ago. Since then he’s demolished the competition and faces his own career defining moment should he defeat Pacquiao.
In comparison to Hatton’s steady diet of Americans and one Uruguayan, Pacquiao has become known as the Mexicutioner as he’s felled their Hall-of-Famers one by one. In fact, he is revered in Mexico and is perhaps one of the few positive images at the mention of the word “Filipino.”
And as always he will be fighting for flag and country.
Fighting.
Many expect a slugfest as it will no doubt be. They have never been ones to dance and jab. Both have become smarter fighters but when its time to duke it out both can land a sustained barrage of solid haymakers.
Conventional wisdom dictates that the bigger one gets he loses his speed and reflexes. But Pacquiao who is in a position to win a title in his sixth different weight class if an anomalous freak in the vein of Magic Johnson; he gets even better and is even more powerful.
Freddie Roach says his prized pupil can take down the Englishman in the first three rounds. I say it’s possible.
If Manny doesn’t take him down then, the Hitman can do his damage from rounds 4-7 then even knock out Manny. Hatton will trade blows but stick and try to jab. When the occasion calls for mixing it up in the middle of the ring, he will stand and fight but he knows that the heavily favored Pacquiao can take a punch so he will be cautious.
But beyond that, I’d like the Pacman’s chances.
In a sport increasingly dominated by Eastern Europeans and Hispanics, the two carry the banner for their people and make a case for a sport that hardly seems popular where they hail from.
For Manny Pacquiao, he is the Philippines first true global superstar. In a country that fancies itself a basketball power had it the height to compete, boxing is the poor man’s sport. Yet when Manny fights, the whole country stops to watch whether they love or hate him. The only one with more commercial endorsements is talk show host Kris Aquino, a beguiling celebrity herself. Here everyone wants a piece of Manny whether it’s money, time, or to be photographed as an associate.
One person who badly wants a piece of him is Ricky Hatton, who is from England, the birthplace of football. Perhaps even more notable is the fact that he hails from Manchester; a place so known for its football that it even has two teams. You might even have heard of Manchester United who only happen to be arguably the world’s most popular club team and Manchester City that was recently purchased by one of the world’s richest persons and was in the news for its high-profile pursuits of world-class footballers Kaka and Gianluigi Buffon. And we haven’t even mentioned the local music scene which begat bands like Oasis and the Verve among so many others. But Hatton is a hero as he even has his own chant.
The current Junior Welterweight Champion watched as Pacquiao pummeled Oscar de la Hoya into retirement. True de la Hoya was one of those athletes who hung around longer than he should have, but it was still an impressive demolition job by Pacman. The former Olympic gold medalist should have also surrendered the tag of “Golden Boy” to Pacquiao for the Filipino has been soaring and positively golden ever since his scuttling of Erik Morales.
And because of his incredible run, Manny is perhaps already Asia’s greatest boxer ever and he no longer has to chase the ghost of Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who although was just as great never had the same success, clout, nor reach.
Pacquiao and Hatton before the fight speak of each other in reverential tones. Sure there’s a little tone to the public consumption pieces but it has been the two fighters’ respective trainers – Floyd Mayweather Sr. for Hatton and Freddy Roach for Pacquiao -- who have gotten it on as if they were the one to lace up their gloves on Sunday morning (Saturday evening in Las Vegas).
The two even if oceans separate them are similar in some ways both enjoying the fruits of their success that was denied them in their youth.
Pacquiao who enjoys a game of basketball, billiards, or cockfighting, has been material not just for the sports page, but also in the headlines, the business section for the windfall surrounding his fights, and entertainment columns for rumored dalliances, television shows, fledgling singing career, or his commercial endorsements. He’s even had a shoe designed by the legendary craftsman of the world-famous Air Jordan line, Tinker Hatfield. No wonder they had to put up Manny Pacquiao Productions; he is a one-man media outfit.
Hatton on the other hand considers himself an ornery bloke who can be found at the local pub with a pint of beer in one hand with the other raised while cheering for his beloved Manchester City squad. But he counts among his close pals Wayne Rooney who stars for local rivals United. Hatton is known to put on extra weight when not training but he's never had a problem ditching the excess poundage. And thus far, he is right since his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. who he lost to two years ago. Since then he’s demolished the competition and faces his own career defining moment should he defeat Pacquiao.
In comparison to Hatton’s steady diet of Americans and one Uruguayan, Pacquiao has become known as the Mexicutioner as he’s felled their Hall-of-Famers one by one. In fact, he is revered in Mexico and is perhaps one of the few positive images at the mention of the word “Filipino.”
And as always he will be fighting for flag and country.
Fighting.
Many expect a slugfest as it will no doubt be. They have never been ones to dance and jab. Both have become smarter fighters but when its time to duke it out both can land a sustained barrage of solid haymakers.
Conventional wisdom dictates that the bigger one gets he loses his speed and reflexes. But Pacquiao who is in a position to win a title in his sixth different weight class if an anomalous freak in the vein of Magic Johnson; he gets even better and is even more powerful.
Freddie Roach says his prized pupil can take down the Englishman in the first three rounds. I say it’s possible.
If Manny doesn’t take him down then, the Hitman can do his damage from rounds 4-7 then even knock out Manny. Hatton will trade blows but stick and try to jab. When the occasion calls for mixing it up in the middle of the ring, he will stand and fight but he knows that the heavily favored Pacquiao can take a punch so he will be cautious.
But beyond that, I’d like the Pacman’s chances.
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