Ray Hatton, a father who lives off the earnings of his boxing son, is making ugly noises.
?We won?t be messed about,? Ricky Hatton?s daddy told The Guardian?s boxing scribe John Rawling.
The paternal figure said that Team Hatton can eschew a May 2 fight against Manny Pacquiao easily because they have a mystery opponent on speed dial who will draw 80,000 fans to a summer bout in the United Kingdom.
Papa Hatton is clearly bluffing for his only boxing credentials are that he fathered his son.
I say that Pacman needs to call that bluff immediately.
A thorough look through the rankings of the four major boxing world bodies shows a list of 140-pounders whose names read like those assumed at a hot sheet hotel. You know, the bring your own sheets, no tell motel type place where furtive lovers check in and check out while looking over their shoulders.
The arrogance of the Hatton camp is that maybe they believe they can attract 80,000 patrons to watch Ricky shadowbox.
Perhaps they will bring Juan Lazcano back for another go-round.
Papa Hatton is full of beans because no other opponent will put the same type of money in Ricky?s kick, attracting so much international TV revenue.
Look at it another way, are the hillbilly Hattons going to spurn what would be Ricky?s second shot at fighting a guy universally recognized as boxing?s best, pound for pound?
I might remind the Hattonites that, with all due respect to their man?s fighting spirit, he failed miserably except at the pay window against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Unless I miss my guess, all the blather coming out of England, is a smoke screen.
The Hattons can move on if they wish. They can look behinds Doors Number Two and Three like one of those game shows on the telly.
But they will find, sans Pacquiao, only emptiness behind those doors.
If Pacman is willing to bend on 60-40, then the Hattons must bend on their 50-50 position.
Reasonable parties would find a place to meet somewhere near the middle of those respective percentages.
Is Ray Hatton reasonable? Is he really the shotcaller for his adult son?
It?s become increasingly clear that Pacman is his own baller and shotcaller.
Just a reminder, the Only One Ricky Hatton.
Father does not always know best.
Let Ray Ray keep huffing and puffing.
If Pacquiao, the man who sits on Mayweather?s former throne, calls your bluff again, are you going to man up or let Daddy call the play.
Pacquiao is his own man. Are you, Ricky?
