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The slugger that he is, Ricky Hatton just fell into the trap of engaging Manny Pacquiao toe-to-toe and paid the price for it.
The slugger that he is, Ricky Hatton just fell into the trap of engaging Manny Pacquiao toe-to-toe and paid the price for it. So said ring experts and Pacquiao himself after dissecting the "Battle of East and West" fight which saw the Filipino superstar knocking out a badly-beaten Hatton in two rounds to wrest his IBO light welterweight title. According to sports analysts Ronnie Nathanielsz and Recah Trinidad, Hatton made a mistake by charging in and leaving himself wide open for the speedy Pacquiao's haymakers, especially the right hooks that did most damage before the vicious left finished the job.
"Ang masama nito, nagpakilala na agad si Hatton. Pasok siya nang pasok, eh puwede ka bang pumasok eh wala ka namang panangga? Para ka na ring tumalon sa swimming pool na walang tubig," Trinidad said in an interview on dzBB radio Monday. [Hatton went in too early and too much and this worked to his disadvantage, owing to his lousy defense. It was like he jumped off a waterless swimming pool.] Trinidad likewise described Hatton as the captain of the Titanic, "who trained his ship to hit the iceberg directly." In an interview with GMA News' Arnold Clavio over Unang Hirit Monday, Pacquiao admitted he originally planned to wear out Hatton before finally taking him out but the opportunity to land his stinging shots presented itself with the British fighter's wayward attacks. "Ang strategy ko talaga ay 'di muna maging agresibo sa first two rounds. Susukatin ko sana. Pero sugod siya ng sugod (Hatton), eh kaya bibigyan natin ng magandang laban," Pacquiao said on Monday in an interview with GMA News' Arnold Clavio over Unang Hirit. [I did not want to be too aggressive during the first two rounds because I wanted to test the waters first. But Hatton kept throwing punches, so I gave him a good fight.] Pacquiao commended Hatton "for giving his everything" in their showdown but said that Hatton was unprepared against his right hooks, putting premium on his patented left, and that did him in eventually. "Kung mapapansin sa fight, iniiwasan niya yung kaliwa ko. Sa first round nagulat siya dahil puro kanan ang tumama sa kanya [He kept avoiding my left. In the first round, he was probably surprised because I kept hitting him with my right]," he said. Pacquiao used two stinging hooks, first with a left and then with a right, to floor Hatton twice in the first. After Hatton went down twice, the People's Champ Pacquiao upped the tempo in the second round then ended the match with a left hook that rocked the "Hitman" cold. What's next? Asked what's next, Pacquiao said he would wait for the outcome of the July 18, 2009 match between comebacking pound for pound superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his old nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. Following Pacquiao's stunning victory, trainer Freddie Roach disclosed on Sunday that Mayweather Jr is one of the three possible next opponents for Pacquiao. The two others include Miguel Cotto and Sugar Shane Mosley. But for the meantime, Pacquiao said he would rest and spend time with his family. "We will leave here (United States) on May 6 and we would set foot on Philippine soil on May 8," he said in Filipino. The world's top pound-for-pound fighter is presently on his way back to Los Angeles, California from Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao is presently riding the customized Pacman bus along with Team Pacquiao, his wife, Jinkee, and his mother, Dionisia. "Mag-shopping muna sila (Jinkee and Dionisia) [I will treat them to shopping first]," he said. He said they are making stopovers on the way to Los Angeles to pose for photos and sign autographs for his fans. 'Overjoyed' In separate interviews on Unang Hirit, Jinkee and Dionisia both exclaimed they were happy over Pacquiao's victory. Dionisia said she watched her son's fight at a hotel room in Las Vegas and that she fainted upon learning that his son already knocked Hatton out in the second round. She said she is now in good condition. "Sobrang tuwa ko. Nung bumagsak si Hatton, patuloy ako sa pagdadasal. Salamat Panginoon! [I was too happy. Even when Hatton fell, I still continued praying. Thank You, Lord!]," she said. Dionisia said she is still enjoying her time in the United States, but said she would still prefer living in the Philippines. - GMANews.tv Pag-usapan ang Pacquiao-Hatton fight by logging on to the iGMAForums! Not yet a member? Register here