British superstar Ricky Hatton told BBC Sport the other day that if a fight against Manny Pacquiao is ever held, it?s going to be next year ? in front of 100,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
The pride of Manchester, also known as ?The Hitman,? is one of the fighters being considered as Pacquiao?s next opponent, the others being Edwin Valero, Nate Campbell or Humberto Soto.
Reports said a Pacquiao fight with Valero, the Venezuelan who has knocked out all his 24 opponents, is already a done deal and that Top Rank?s Bob Arum is working on its realization.
A Pacquiao fight with Hatton, who has lost only once in 45 fights, the only blemish inflicted by Floyd Mayweather Jr., should be a certified blockbuster and potential fight of the year.
Pacquiao?s trainer, Freddie Roach, said Pacquiao can earn as much as $20 million if he fights Hatton. The two-time Trainer of the Year is confident his ward can beat the British star.
Pacquiao, the new WBC lightweight (135 lbs) champion, has often said he is willing to move up in weight once more to challenge Hatton at light-welterweight (140 lbs).
The other day, upon his return from a sensational ninth round knockout of David Diaz in Las Vegas, Pacquiao said he?s willing to go to London to face Hatton who can pack any venue, any time.
Hatton told BBC Sport that he?s locked in for a fight against Paul Malignaggi sometime in November in Las Vegas for the IBO and IBF light-welterweight titles.
And Hatton?s next fight after that, probably his last, could be against Pacquiao or Oscar dela Hoya, the reigning pay-per-view king who?s also on his way to retirement.
?I don?t want to go on forever and would have done everything I dreamed of, so two more fights and then I think I?m done,? said Hatton, who could pose some serious problems for Pacquiao.
?In the New Year (2009) I?m hoping to fight either Manny Pacquiao or Oscar de la Hoya at Wembley Stadium in front of 100,000 people and after that I?ll probably retire,? he said.
Meanwhile, Mayweather Jr., in his first post-retirement interview, threw punches at HBO and its commentators for being biased against black fighters like him, even dragging Pacquiao in.
?Even a guy like Jim Lampley, he praises Kelly Pavlik, who has won some good fights ? he beat Jermain Taylor twice, we have to give him credit for that ? but they talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he?s the Second Coming.
?Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I?m a black fighter. Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters; they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise,? said Mayweather.
The American champion, who retired undefeated in 39 pro fights, said no one comes close to him as the pound-for-pound champion, a label that presently and arguably belongs to Pacquiao.
?I?m so far ahead of those other bums, I couldn?t even tell you,? said Mayweather.
He was lined up for a huge rematch with De la Hoya on Sept. 20 when he suddenly announced his retirement a couple of months ago, saying nothing, not even money, could make him change his mind.
?And if I did want to come back, I was going to make, what, $50 million (for the De la Hoya rematch)? You know what, don?t call my phone unless you?ve got $100 million,? he said.
Mayo wrote that Mayweather Jr. has earned about $100 million in gross purses and in retirement is just about to enjoy its perks ? a new $26 million jet, a new $18.5 million home in Las Vegas, another one worth $11 million in Miami, and a $20 million yacht.
