Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton will step into boxing ring on Saturday night for a long hoopla-ed bout which could turn out to be more hype than substance when it comes to in the ring action.
Friday afternoon at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada — site for the bout — the weigh-in took place free for the public and a massive outpouring of support from Brits for their “Hitman” Hatton proved one thing, the Hattonites got the best of the Pac-Maniacs when it comes to backing your boxer.
The moment the bout between Hatton and Pacquiao was announced, fans and experts alike conceded that two of boxing’s biggest fan bases would be mobilized.
At the weigh-in Hatton’s followers were loud, with drums, and noise makes, and chanting words that have become part of the boxing lexicon, “There is only ONE Ricky Hatton,” with their U.K. twang.
John Chavez, fellow boxing writer, was at the event and estimated Hatton’s noisy brood out-maned Pacquiao’s supporters by 400 to 1, in a very unscientific calculation.
If you need empirical, visible proof of the Hattonites domination, watch this video of Ricky speaking to the fans at the weigh-in (courtesy of YouTube boxing video provider WOODDDDDDDYA) and listen in at around 17 seconds where he acknowledges Filipino fight fans.
Not a peep, or a cheer, nothing, when Pacquiao’s homeland was mentioned.
Compare the silence of the Filipinos to the ruckus of the Brits through out the video.
Sorry Pac-maniacs, the Hattonites have KO’ed you, cold.
As for tomorrow night Manny is too fast and too athletic for Ricky, but count on the Hattonites to chant his name, even in defeat.
