Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao is all set to leave for England on Friday as the promotional tour of his superfight with UK?s very own Ricky Hatton kicks off in Manchester.
The Filipino boxer, who will challenge the Manchester native for the IBO and the Ring Magazine light welterweight belts, said he is preparing himself for whatever treatment die-hard Hatton fans will give him.
?Grabe daw pala mangantiyaw ang mga Briton (British fans can be pretty rowdy),? said Pacquiao.
Just like the Pacquiao fans, Hatton?s supporters are very loyal. Some of them even heckle their idol?s opponent.
?Pero siguro tatawanan na lang natin, bigyan ng smile (I?d probably laugh at the remarks and give them a smile instead),? said the Filipino.
Pacquiao is scheduled to leave for London on Friday 6 a.m. and will arrive in London around 3 pm. This will be his first venture to England.
Hatton in ?great shape? Meanwhile, British trainer Lee Beard said Hatton is in great shape this early in preparation for his showdown with Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2.
Beard said Hatton?s training was ?coming along very well.?
Asked about Hatton?s weight, Beard admitted they hadn?t actually weighed him as yet. He said that Hatton is relatively fit because ?there?s not been too much time between the last fight (against Paulie Malignaggi last November 22) and this fight (against Manny Pacquiao on May 2.)”
Beard said they plan to check Hatton?s weight on Friday but said ?he took his shirt off and his six-pack abs (ripped abdominal muscles with no fat) are there already and he?s in really good shape and his fitness is very, very good too.?
The trainer said Hatton would probably have a couple of light sparring sessions during training at Ashton which is just outside his hometown of Manchester to get his timing and movement but said ?once we get to Vegas that?s when all his hard sparring will start.?
Beard conceded that ?there?s nobody in England that can get anywhere near what Manny does so it?s a bit of a lost cause.? With a report from Ronnie Nathanielsz and Alex Santos, ABS-CBN News
