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Philippines, 23 Nov 2024 |
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A MOMENT OF PREDICTION, A DAWN OF REFLECTION By Granville Ampong PhilBoxing.com Sat, 02 May 2009 LAS VEGAS, California, May 2, 2009 ? It's 2 o' clock in the morning. And, soon enough, Ricky ?Hitman? Hatton will reassert his supremacy at 140 pounds against Ring Magazine Champion and Pound-for-Pound King Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao, for the former?s IBO Light Welterweight Championship belt in the forefront of the world stage at this luxurious MGM Grand Garden Arena. While each spectator anticipates to join the roaring crowd at the beginning of the night, this date, and just a few hours from now and to try to inspire with madness and chanting for their respective favored fighter just when that illusive time comes, Pacquiao and Hatton rather have found their respective solitude for better composure, if not contemplation. As these two great men prepare for the ?Battle of the East and West? and cool off their minds, boxing prophets are still delving into heated debates, if not exchanging friendly notes of predictions, at the hottest boxing forums and corners of the earth. And, it seems like the pundits and fans have crossed their paths and have exhausted all arguments as of this writing. The momentum has shifted to some sort of ?wait-and-see? introspection. Nevertheless, nobody has really given a clear-cut reading of the crystal ball. Even this writer would surely fail to give a near perfect clue despite his boldness in many instances. But, forget about predictions for now. It?s amazing to note what many see from both fighters this moment. It is an intriguing aura from each of these humble icons. It is the sense of serenity that they both embrace before they will enter into that potentially stormy 20 x 20 foot canvas set on stage which has been painted with black and blue masterpiece that the world is anxious to see. The anticipation of this fight is probably a record breaking one that may surpass the Mayweather-Hatton fight and possibly the Pacquiao-De la Hoya fight as well, all because of the prospect of excellent marketing mix by the promoters and the support this event gets from the wide range of audience across the continents, nonetheless. In fact, tickets for the boxing arena are sold out. And, tickets for close circuit viewing are fast selling to almost sold out, too, according to the Top Rank officials. And, the Pay-Per-View sales volume is likely to yield record high. Despite the fact that I am rooting for Pacquiao, I am not discounting the possibility of an upset. Hatton does have plenty of fire to nullify the odds-makers. He already has tasted the bitterness of his first defeat in the hands of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on December 8, 2007 at 147-pound division. Such defeat rather has been his lesson-book and springboard of motivation as a matter avoidance of pain. Hatton is a pragmatic optimist in his own right. And he is motivated more than ever, probably more than Pacquiao?s content. Hatton?s lone mission: To default the tectonic shift in boxing that the Pacman has bolted across the Pacific to this land of milk and honey, and to the European continents in the process. Now it?s our turn to enter into the apparent twilight zone ? a moment of prediction, a dawn of reflection ? in fact. But, will the Pacman Era be cut-short? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Granville Ampong.  |
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