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Manny’s Hit Parade Continues
Pacquiao KO’s Hatton; Wins Sixth World Title
by rick olivares
Pacquiao KO’s Hatton; Wins Sixth World Title
by rick olivares
The Hitman got hit.
Again and again. And again.
There were 127 punches thrown by Manny Pacquiao of which 73 found their mark. Even the ones that missed were not because Ricky Hatton ducked out of harm’s way but because they were zinging way too fast for Pacman’s own good.
Down by seven pounds for the fight after fighting at 147 in his career-defining win against Oscar de la Hoya, Pacquiao was blindingly fast and even more powerful.
Pacman’s 73rd punch knocked out the Briton for good late in the second round and perhaps as well his career. The spectacular win that cemented Pacquaio’s claim as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world also will probably shelve the loud-mouthed Floyd Mayweather Sr. as a trainer for his last two fighters – Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya – were badly mauled.
And the Pride of the Philippines took Hatton’s International Boxing Organization Light Welterweight belt; his sixth crown in six different weight classes.
There were 16, 262 in attendance at the MGM Grand Arena and Pacman entered to the music of Australian rock band AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” before it segued into the Lito Camo-penned anthem, “Pilipino Ako.” One Filipino held up a sign that said Pacman: The Fast and the Furious.
The Vin Diesel movie, the fourth in the car movie franchise, may sped away to a humongous $72.5 million at the turnstiles in its opening weekend, but the Pacquiao-Hatton fight dubbed “East vs. the West” was over after a series of overpowering right hooks and that powerful left hook that decked Hatton for the third time in the fight.
In the first round, Hatton came out charging while Pacquiao waited for the erstwhile champion to make a mistake. As Hatton was on the look out for the left hook, Pacman threw a hard right that rocked the Mancunian and it forced his to change his strategy by locking arms. But still Hatton had not learned so Pacquiao peppered him with a flurry before his fifth right hook to the head knocked him down.
The Englishman got up in time to make veteran referee Skip Bayless’ eight count but Pacquiao sent him crashing back to the canvass with another flurry. Hatton stood up but was literally saved by the bell.
But Pacquiao, a 2-1 pre-fight favorite, was like a shark smelling the blood in the water.
In the second round, after seeing the right hook for much of the fight, Hatton, with suspect defense and hoping to land a solid punch that might turn the fight to his favor, fell for the trick and ran into a Mac truck for a left hook to the jaw that knocked him out for good.
When he was able to sit up and realize he lost his belt, only then did it become apparent that the license plate of the truck that hit him read: 49-3-2 in favor of Pacquiao.
Hatton only got in 18 punches but they were at the most an annoyance and hardly had an effect on the Filipino.
“I was surprised,” described Pacquiao of what just transpired; an easy win over the hard-punching Hatton who looked more like a barroom brawler than a practitioner of the sweet science. “It was easy. I knew he would be looking for my left hook but he was wide open for my right.”
As for trainer Freddie Roach who took a lot of verbal jabs from Mayweather Sr. during the press conference and the weigh-in, he didn’t even permit a smile to cross his face. "The fight was no surprise to me,” Roach said with the same as a matter of fact smugness after de la Hoya was manhandled after he predicted that the Golden Boy had nothing left. "We know he always pumps his hands before he throws a punch. He's a sucker for the right hook."
In the post-fight interview, Top Rank Boxing promoter Bob Arum made a bold proclamation that when Pacquiao hangs up his gloves he’ll be known as the greatest fighter that ever lived. Thus far, the General Santos City native already ranks among the best ever and he can’t ever worry about what will be written and said as sportswriters tumble over their thesauri in search of superlatives.
But the way Pacquiao has been cutting through boxing’s elite ranks with a scythe and a mean left hook, for now, he’s taking championship belts and names.
He just didn’t inherit Ricky Hatton’s belt, showed the boxing glitterati that he’s the true Golden Boy and the real Hitman.
So who’s next?
Again and again. And again.
There were 127 punches thrown by Manny Pacquiao of which 73 found their mark. Even the ones that missed were not because Ricky Hatton ducked out of harm’s way but because they were zinging way too fast for Pacman’s own good.
Down by seven pounds for the fight after fighting at 147 in his career-defining win against Oscar de la Hoya, Pacquiao was blindingly fast and even more powerful.
Pacman’s 73rd punch knocked out the Briton for good late in the second round and perhaps as well his career. The spectacular win that cemented Pacquaio’s claim as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world also will probably shelve the loud-mouthed Floyd Mayweather Sr. as a trainer for his last two fighters – Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya – were badly mauled.
And the Pride of the Philippines took Hatton’s International Boxing Organization Light Welterweight belt; his sixth crown in six different weight classes.
There were 16, 262 in attendance at the MGM Grand Arena and Pacman entered to the music of Australian rock band AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” before it segued into the Lito Camo-penned anthem, “Pilipino Ako.” One Filipino held up a sign that said Pacman: The Fast and the Furious.
The Vin Diesel movie, the fourth in the car movie franchise, may sped away to a humongous $72.5 million at the turnstiles in its opening weekend, but the Pacquiao-Hatton fight dubbed “East vs. the West” was over after a series of overpowering right hooks and that powerful left hook that decked Hatton for the third time in the fight.
In the first round, Hatton came out charging while Pacquiao waited for the erstwhile champion to make a mistake. As Hatton was on the look out for the left hook, Pacman threw a hard right that rocked the Mancunian and it forced his to change his strategy by locking arms. But still Hatton had not learned so Pacquiao peppered him with a flurry before his fifth right hook to the head knocked him down.
The Englishman got up in time to make veteran referee Skip Bayless’ eight count but Pacquiao sent him crashing back to the canvass with another flurry. Hatton stood up but was literally saved by the bell.
But Pacquiao, a 2-1 pre-fight favorite, was like a shark smelling the blood in the water.
In the second round, after seeing the right hook for much of the fight, Hatton, with suspect defense and hoping to land a solid punch that might turn the fight to his favor, fell for the trick and ran into a Mac truck for a left hook to the jaw that knocked him out for good.
When he was able to sit up and realize he lost his belt, only then did it become apparent that the license plate of the truck that hit him read: 49-3-2 in favor of Pacquiao.
Hatton only got in 18 punches but they were at the most an annoyance and hardly had an effect on the Filipino.
“I was surprised,” described Pacquiao of what just transpired; an easy win over the hard-punching Hatton who looked more like a barroom brawler than a practitioner of the sweet science. “It was easy. I knew he would be looking for my left hook but he was wide open for my right.”
As for trainer Freddie Roach who took a lot of verbal jabs from Mayweather Sr. during the press conference and the weigh-in, he didn’t even permit a smile to cross his face. "The fight was no surprise to me,” Roach said with the same as a matter of fact smugness after de la Hoya was manhandled after he predicted that the Golden Boy had nothing left. "We know he always pumps his hands before he throws a punch. He's a sucker for the right hook."
In the post-fight interview, Top Rank Boxing promoter Bob Arum made a bold proclamation that when Pacquiao hangs up his gloves he’ll be known as the greatest fighter that ever lived. Thus far, the General Santos City native already ranks among the best ever and he can’t ever worry about what will be written and said as sportswriters tumble over their thesauri in search of superlatives.
But the way Pacquiao has been cutting through boxing’s elite ranks with a scythe and a mean left hook, for now, he’s taking championship belts and names.
He just didn’t inherit Ricky Hatton’s belt, showed the boxing glitterati that he’s the true Golden Boy and the real Hitman.
So who’s next?
Wakee Salud looks like he went a few rounds with Ricky Hatton.
Thanks to Jude Turcuato and my friends at Solar Sports.
I love the Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7. It started slowly but as it got going... what a story and what a documentary. A salute to the fine crew who put it together.
If you all noticed Manny Pacquiao was wearing a blue basketball jersey with the number #17.
Remember how that adidas jacket that used the Philippine flag for a design was phased out because of some complaint of defacing the flag? Who in the blue hell is that idiot? Let's see him take to task Manny Pacquiao for wearing a similarly designed jacket at the MGM Grand Hotel. Got the balls to do it?
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