Well the fight is only one day away now and my excitement is building. I feel like a kid at Christmas time the night before a good fight and find it hard to sleep. I've been following the careers of both fighters and now saturday night they will clash in what has a possible "Fight of the Year" written all over it. I can get excited about most fights, even when I know there could be very little action. Certain fighters and certain styles can make for a dull fight to the casual fan, but this fight should be all action from the first bell. You have two fighters who both have a come straight at you style and they throw alot of punches. Neither one likes to back up or give their opponents any ground. The key factor in this fight though I believe is that Hatton tends to lead with his face far too much. Granted the man has a great chin, only being dropped once by Eamonn Magee in 2002, and then again when KO'd by Floyd Mayweather Jr. two fights ago, but Pacquiao is a much harder puncher than what Hatton is used to. Hopefully trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. has been working on Hatton's defense, moving his head more as he rushes forward. Each time Hatton has sat on the canvas was because he walked into a counter hook. I can see this happening again later in the fight. I feel it will be a back and forth action fight with Hatton's face slowly showing the signs of getting beaten up as the fight progresses. Swollen eyes...possible cut. Then as Hatton tires late in the fight as he has in others with Luis Collazo and Juan Lazcano...Pacquiao will score the TKO started by a counter hook. Not a Knockout....but I feel the ref will step in and save a dazed and hurt Hatton.
BUT....there is still one thing that gives me pause in this prediction...and that is how will Pacquiao handle the weight? The Pacman only recently moved up to the 135lb division to take on WBC champ David Diaz. He looked fantastic in taking the title and knocking out the champ. Then from there he jumped right up to the 147lb division where he destroyed a much bigger Oscar De La Hoya...BUT...and here is the BUT....but Oscar gave no resistance. It was a completely one sided beating from the opening bell. So it didn't give us any indication of how Pacquiao could handle the bigger punches and getting ruffed up by a bigger fighter. The fight with Hatton is at 140lbs and Hatton has fought at that weight for his entire career, with the exception of the Collazo and Mayweather fights where he stepped up to 147lbs. Pacquiao turned pro at 106lbs!! Then captured the WBC Flyweight title at 113lbs! Now the Pacman has slowly moved up in weight over the years and has looked good in doing so but Hatton will be his biggest and strongest opponent to date....since I don't count Oscar in that equation. And Hatton is a very physical fighter that can drain the energy from opponents quickly. Pacquaio has been KO'd twice early in his career but has shown a solid chin since then. So as long as he can take the punches of a natural 140 pounder, and we'll learn that VERY early in the fight, then I feel it should play out as I described and Pacquiao's speed, skill, and power will prevail in the end. Don't miss this fight!!!
The undercard will be great as well....Steven Luevano....Humberto Soto....and the devastating middleweight puncher Daniel Jacobs. Don't blink when Jacobs is in the ring...you'll miss his impressive one punch KO's.
Great analysis!
ReplyDeleteI think, as shot As Oscar looked versus the Pacman at 147, Manny still without Oscar's help showed all of the speed, agility and activity as he did at the lower weights. This is a bad sign for Hatton. Hatton may surprise us a bit though, when his explosive attacks keep Manny humble. However, When Hatton looks to grab between his volleys, he will be eating short rapid fire shots from Manny, with the end result being as you have indicated.
Cheers
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ReplyDeleteYou are right....Manny did surprise me at how well he seemed to fit in at 147...which is what makes me give him the edge in the Hatton fight. But we just haven't seen him take a solid 140 pound punch yet.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis. I´m a Brit who´s seen Hatton from the early days and he´s a hell of a fighter,strong,durable,vicious body puncher with good knockout power but hittable and hasn´t looked good for sometime. If Ricky can hurt Manny to the body early on he can win but I think your right in saying that the Pac-man is too fast and will ultimately triumph in a cracking fight.
ReplyDeleteCheers
No doubt about it Queijo5...Hatton is one tough fighter and always entertains. But I think his best days are behind him. Fight styles like his don't make for long careers.
ReplyDeleteDon't underestimate Hatton. Hatton hasn't lost at 140lbs. and can punch. Many people have predicted a blow-out, with Pacquiao buzz-sawing Hatton. I think if Manny gets into exchanges with Hatton he can get caught. I think there will be high drama in this fight either way; not one-sided as some have suggested.
ReplyDeleteBilko....Hatton hasn't lost at 140 but hasn't fought the best in competition either, his best opponent probably being an aging Kostya Tszyu. But you are right you can't count him out.
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