Hatton, tatapusin sa loob ng 3 round

MANILA, Philippines - Siyam na minuto lang ang ibinibigay ni Freddie Roach kay Manny Pacquiao upang tapusin si Ricky Hatton sa kanilang laban sa May 2 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I told Manny I would be very disappointed in him if he didn’t have Hatton stopped by the third round,” ani Roach.

Noong nakaraang buwan, sinabi ni Roach na masisiyahan siya kapag agad pinabagsak ni Pacquiao si Hatton sa loob ng 9 rounds, tulad nang ginawa niya kay Oscar dela Hoya.

Ngunit sa nakaraang ilang araw, iba na ang nais ni Roach --ito ay ang tapusin agad ni Pacquiao sa Hatton sa loob ng tatlong rounds.

Tila may nakikita ang American trainer na hindi nakikita ng ibang tao kaya nasabi niya ito.

“Hatton is not fundamentally sound as a fighter - he keeps his chin up. He is the perfect opponent for Manny,” wika niya.

“You’re going to hear a lot of glass breaking when Manny starts playing his chin music concerto on Hatton. You’re going to see who has the chops to play this masterpiece on May 2.”

Sinabi rin ni Roach na aatakihin ni Pacquiao ang baba ni Hatton at sinabi ring “it’s the money shot.”

Inaasahan din ni Roach na malamang na makalaban ni Pacquiao si Juan Manuel Marquez sa ikatlong pagkakataon, kung hindi maayos ang pinaplanong laban kay Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“If negotiations with Floyd doesn’t work out, I’m sure it’s Marquez. Where else do we have to go? I think there’s only two guys out there or maybe three -- Floyd, Shane Mosley, but the weight is a little bit an issue there, and then Marquez. I don’t think we have a lot of options because nobody wants to see Manny fight a small fight,” aniya.

Ang American trainer ay nakikipagbungangaan sa trainer ni Hatton na si Floyd Mayweather Sr. at sinabing ang malinis na 140 lbs ni Hatton ay wawasakin ni Pacquiao sa kanilang laban sa MGM Place.

Ang tanging kabiguan ni Hatton sa 47 na laban ay ang laban nito kay Floyd Jr. sa 147 lbs noong 2007.

“A lot of people ask me if I’m worried about Manny fighting Hatton since Hatton has never lost a fight at 140 pounds. As long as Floyd Mayweather is in Hatton’s corner I have absolutely no concerns. It’s not like his brother Roger is training him. Floyd training Hatton for this fight is our biggest advantage,” pahayag pa ni Roach.

Ngunit kinontra naman ito ni Floyd Sr. at sinabing si Hatton ang magwawagi at sa loob din ng tatlong round.

Nasa maigting na pagsasanay na si Pacquiao sa Wild Card Gym sa Los Angeles at tila nauubusan na ito ng kaispar sa mga nangyayari.

Sa unang araw ng sparring nito noong Marso 17 pinabagsak niya si Armenian Art Hovghannesyan, ang kaliweteng undefeated boxer, na duguan dahil sa putok sa kaliwang mata bagamat nakasuot pa ito ng headgear.

Noong nakaraang Martes naman, umuwi ding duguan si Irish fighter Gary Young, sanhi ng sabog na ilong.

“He did indeed send sparring partner Gary Young home. I was at their sparring session on Tuesday when Manny literally had Young out on his feet and bleeding from the nose,” pabatid ni Roach.