Isa lang ang nais ni Hatton: pabagsakin si Pacman

MANILA, Philippines - Walang hinahangad si Briton Ricky Hatton kundi ang pabagsakin si Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

 Sa kanyang pagrerebisa sa mga nakaraang laban ng world four-division champion, sinabi ni Hatton na kaya rin niyang yanigin at patulugin si Pacquiao kagaya ng mga naranasan nito kina Mexicans Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Russian Serikzhan Yeshmagambetov, Thai Medgoen Singsurat at Filipino Rustico Torrecampo.

 “He’s been shaken up several times. He’s been stopped twice by body shots,” ani Hatton kay Pacquiao sa panayam ng BoxingScene.com. “You can improve and he’s improved technically. I hope that he’s improved on that body and on that chin because he’s going to get hit by the biggest man that hes ever fought.”

 Bumagsak ang dating bagitong si Pacquiao kina Torrecampo at Singsurat via third-round KO noong Pebrero 9, 1996 at Setyembre 17, 1999, ayon sa pagkakasunod.

 Inaasahan ng 30-anyos na si Hatton na hindi magtatapos sa isang desisyon ang kanilang world light welterweight championship ni Pacquiao sa Mayo 2 sa MGM Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada kundi sa pamamagitan ng isang knockout.

 “I don’t think that its going to go to a decision. Manny goes for the knockout and I go for the knockout,” sambit ng 30-anyos na tubong Manchester, England. “He will be in for one hell of a shock with my boxing ability and my hand speed.”

 Bago sagupain si Hatton sa light welterweight, isang eight-round TKO muna ang iniskor ni Pacquiao kay world six-division titlist Oscar Dela Hoya sa kanilang non-title welterweight fight noong Disyembre 6.

 “He’s generally fought at 130, he fought once at 135 and fought Oscar. I think Freddie (Roach) and his camp are going off  the Oscar performance,” wika ni Hatton. (Russell Cadayona)