Kabiguan kay Pacquiao, masakit pa rin kay Hatton

MANILA, Philippines – Matapos ang halos isang linggo, patuloy pa rin ang ‘pagluha’ ni Briton Ricky Hatton ukol sa kanyang second-round TKO loss kay Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

Inamin ng dating International Boxing Organization (IBO) light welterweight at Ring Magazine champion sa Daily Star na nararamdaman pa rin niya ang sakit ng kanyang kabiguan kay Pacquiao noong Mayo 3 sa MGM Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada. 

“I am absolutely devastated. My head is in bits,” sabi ng 30-anyos na si Hatton. “I didn’t think I could cry ­any more than after the Floyd Mayweather Jr. loss but I ­certainly have.”

Kung bumagsak si Hatton kay Pacquiao sa second round, umabot naman siya sa tenth round sa kani-lang World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight fight nila ni Mayweather kung saan siya humiga noong Disyembre ng 2007.

Aminado ang tubong Manchester, England na alam na niyang matatalo siya matapos humalik sa lona sa una sa tatlo niyang knockdowns sa first round.

“He knocked me down from practically the first punch he threw and I never ­recovered. Maybe if I had gone a few rounds I could have won but there was nothing I could do about it,” ani Hatton.

Mas pinili ni Hatton na pansamantalang mamalagi sa Las Vegas para pag-isipan ang kanyang kinabukasan sa ibabaw ng boxing ring.

“Whatever I decide to do I am sorry but I won’t be making any rash decisions,” sabi ni Hatton, sinasabing maaaring maging isang boxing promoter katulad ng retirado nang si Oscar Dela Hoya. “I have worked with a lot of promoters and I can ­become the best promoter in the world because I’ll do right by the fighters and that doesn’t ­always happen.”

Kung may isang farewell fight na iniisip si Hatton bago matapos ang 2009, ito ay ang laban niya kay dating World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight ­champion Michael Katsidis. (Russell Cadayona)