Manny Pacquiao thrashed Ricky Hatton Saturday night in Las Vegas, both winning the junior welterweight championship of the world and solidifying his place as boxing’s current pound-for-pound king. He also further garnered interest in a fight with the one other man out there that may rightfully have a claim to the pound-for-pound throne: “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather, also known as “Money” Mayweather.
Earlier in the day, Mayweather announced he was coming out of an 11 month retirement to fight lightweight champ and Pacquiao rival Juan Manuel Marquez. Logically, a win for “Money” would set up a megafight between him and Pacquiao for later this year.
Acknowledging this fight is several months away, if it happens at all, let’s analyze.
Both Pacquiao and Mayweather have common opponents for their last two fights: Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Mayweather first defeated De La Hoya by split decision in a junior middleweight fight, while Pacquaio later stopped him following 8 rounds in a welterweight bout.
In Mayweather’s most recent fight, he TKO’d Ricky Hatton in the 10th round of their welterweight championship match. While Saturday night, Pacquaio annihilated Hatton within 2 rounds to claim the junior welterweight championship.
Pacman beat both opponents far more convincingly than Mayweather did. Does this automatically make him the favorite? It certainly adds sizzle to the fight.
Mayweather’s win over De La Hoya came at 154 pounds, the weight De La Hoya spent most of the decade fighting at. De La Hoya still seemed to have some fight left in him, especially during the first 6 rounds. Mayweather was coming up in weight and picked up the biggest victory of his career.
Pacquaio’s win over De La Hoya came at 147 pounds, a weight De La Hoya hadn’t fought at in several years. De La Hoya appeared dehydrated and a shot fighter. Pacquiao was coming up in weight and much stronger. He thrashed him for 8 rounds before the “Golden Boy” quit on his stool and the Filipino phenom picked up the biggest win of his career.
Mayweather’s win over Hatton was expected. He outclassed the “Hitman” and stopped him en route to a 10th round TKO.
Pacquaio was favored against Hatton, but no one thought he would do it so easily and so quickly. Pacman used his blinding speed and considerable power to drop Hatton 3 times on his way to a crushing 2nd round KO. Certainly the leading candidate for knockout of the year.
Despite Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach making claims before the fight that his charge would stop Hatton inside 3 rounds, he later admitted leading up to the bout that he said that to get under the skin on Hatton’s trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., who he called an “idiot” after Mayweather hurled numerous insults his way.
So how much stock should we put in their performances in these two fights?
Paul Williams stopped Walter Matthysse in 10 rounds a few years back, while Kermit Cintron KO’d Matthysse in 2 awhile later. I certainly feel that Williams is a better fighter than Cintron and would win if they ever met.
But about Pacman and Money? I’m not so sure.
Pacquaio’s been on such a roll winning big fights and winning impressively. Mayweather, while his skill set is certainly top notch, has been off since December of 2007. Will he be at all rusty against Juan Manuel Marquez?
The conclusion I come to is that, pending Mayweather beating Marquez, this fight need’s to happen. There is no clear cut favorite and it’s as big a fight that can be made in boxing right now. The two best fighter’s in the world going up against each other in a bout that each would be risking defeat.
Fighters, managers, promoters: Make it happen!
More Ponderings:
* I watched Pacquaio – Hatton at a bar in Boston Saturday night. After Game 7 of the Celtics – Bulls NBA Playoff series ended, I expected many of the bar patrons to go home and I’d get a more desirable spot at the bar or a table to watch the fight.
However, the place remained packed. There was a large contingent of singing British fans yelling the familiar “there’s only one Ricky Hatton” song and plenty of Filipino college kids hoping to get a glimpse of their hero conquer another opponent.
Despite not getting the desired seat at a bar or table, I was pleased to see so many people interested in boxing. I ended up standing behind a counter watching the fight on one of many flat screen TV’s showing the bout.
There were some very attractive Filipino college girls in front of me at a table watching the fight. After Pacquiao knocked Hatton out and was being interviewed by HBO’s Larry Merchant, some British guy booed him. The mild mannered college girl got out her seat and yelled, “Shut the fuck up, your guy just got is ass knocked out!” Well said honey……Got to love her passion.
* What will Floyd Mayweather Sr. say next? Is it possible he’s been humbled? Stay tuned.
* I wouldn’t mind seeing Pacquaio fight Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley or even Edwin Valero as has been discussed. But can we please leave Julio Cesar Chaves Jr. out of the discussion? It’s impressive to see Pacquiao dispose of a quality foe like Hatton so quickly. To watch him do it to Chaves Jr. would just be a waste of money…..still, Money Mayweather remains the best possible fight out there, so make that one happen!
* What’s next for Ricky Hatton? Maybe pack a soccer stadium in Manchester once more and call it a career…and a fine career it has been.
