MANILA, Philippines – Ricky Hatton will make sure that he?d be the bigger, heavier fighter in the ring against Manny Pacquiao.
The pride of Manchester is also hoping to be the better one.
?I will weigh over 150 pounds on the night of the fight, possibly as much as 154,? Hatton, in the thick of preparations for his May 2 fight with Pacquiao, told fightnews.com recently.
?I will be a lot bigger than Oscar (Dela Hoya) when Manny fought him,? added Hatton, at ringside when the reigning pound-for-pound king knocked out Dela Hoya last December.
Pacquiao fought Dela Hoya at 147 pounds, the heaviest fighting weight ever for the Filipino, and will have to go down to 140 to challenge Hatton for his IBO light-welterweight title.
The fight is set at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao weighed in at 142 pounds for Dela Hoya and climbed the ring at 148 1/2, so much faster, so much stronger than the 1992 Olympic champion.
Dela Hoya, on the other hand, raised some eyebrows when he weighed in at 145 pounds and climbed the ring a little lighter than Pacquiao at 147 pounds.
Hatton wants it the other way.
?I make the weight, 140 easily. I have always been a natural light-welterweight. A natural. I put on a bit of timber when I am not in full training but it comes off straight away,? he told fightnews.com.
In their promo tour in the UK two weeks ago, Hatton looked the heavier one, and some people thought he might have to spend a greater deal coming down to 140 than Pacquiao.
?I have never worried about my weight because it has never been a worry to me. It is something which I was born with. I have no trouble taking it off and I have never had any weight issues. Obviously my best fighting weight is 140. I can?t change that,? he said.
A month ago, Pacquiao walked around at 155 tops, and word coming out of his La Palazzo apartment in Los Angeles, which is 15 minutes away from the Wild Card Gym, is he?s down to 150.
Hatton, at 5?7? 1/2, is a shade taller than Pacquiao.
