Undisputed junior welterweight boxing world champion Ricky Hatton is looking forward to his super-fight with Manny Pacquiao on May 2 in the USA so much that he can hardly put it into words.
?I don?t think I can quite express how much I?m looking forward to this fight,? said Hatton. ?I think everyone?s dream as a boxer is to become the world champion. And in doing so four times and in three weight divisions, I think I?ve had a fantastic career so far, but I?m nowhere near finished with what I want to do. I think that with the title that is on the line, Manny Pacquiao, you can?t get any higher accolades in boxing really. To be the best in the world is a fantastic achievement. The number one pound for pound fighter in all weight divisions, I don?t think there?s any higher. So I?m absolutely, absolutely, really looking forward to the fight.?
30 year-old Hatton 45-1 (32) has been training in the UK with trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr and believes that his own speed will be an important weapon against 30 year-old Pacquiao 48-3-2 (36) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, USA.
?Me and Floyd (Senior) have been working together now the last couple of weeks,? explained Hatton. ?We?re a little ahead of schedule in our training. I feel really sharp. I?m starting to really work five and six-mile runs and sprints. We have been doing the hard work and I?ve gone as fast as ever as straightaway in the early stages of my training. So obviously the speed factor is going to be a big thing, with Manny?s probably main attribute being his speed. But I challenged for the pound for pound title once before. That was at 147, and I lost that fight. And that was the only fight I?ve lost out of forty-six fights. And everybody at junior welterweight, big strong fighters like (Jose Luis) Castillo, Kostya Tszyu, were probably the two strongest fighters, I?ve stopped them.?
?So I?ve always said at 140 pounds, I believe that I?m too strong, I?m too big. But I feel with the technical stuff that me and Floyd have been working on, the hand speed, the combination punches and all around defense and boxing ability, I think Manny has got something else, Manny has got something else other than just the sheer size. I think there?s a lot of technical ability that he should be a little bit worried about as well come fight night.
?But saying is one thing and doing is another. It?s a very, very tough fight. I thank Manny for giving me the opportunity to challenge for the pound for pound title, but I think to say I?m confident would be an understatement. But I thank him for the chance to fight this title. He?s a gentleman.. He?s a great fighter. He?s a nice man of boxing, and our fight can?t be anything but a great fight, and the fans are in for an absolute treat. But I?m working out, training?s going well, and it can?t come sooner. Thank you very much.?
