Today you wonder what Ricky Hatton thinks of Floyd Mayweather Sr. Is Hatton glad his trainer taught him those nifty hand-pad tricks? What does he opine of the new jab Mayweather gave him? How about that campaign for ?greatest trainer of all time?? And the free-verse poetry?
Fact is, Hatton?s unconsciousness was far too much to pay for what it brought us, but as the tax is already levied, we might as well enjoy the insight: Floyd Mayweather Sr. is the most overrated trainer in boxing.
Or maybe he isn?t. His son threw him out of the house years ago. Oscar De La Hoya broke up with him over pocket change. And it looks like Hatton almost fired him during fight week itself. In fact, Mayweather might be the only guy left in boxing who still thinks Mayweather is even a good trainer.
A lot of good that does Hatton. He followed Mayweather?s plan best he could Saturday night at MGM Grand and didn?t survive six minutes with Manny Pacquiao ? who stopped Hatton at 2:59 of the second round. The stoppage ? and the five minutes that preceded it, really ? was brutal to behold.
What Pacquiao did to Hatton was many things. Last and least among them was a gift of cautionary guidance: Beware Mayweathers professing greatness. We?ll be back to that.
For now, there?s much homage to pay Pacquiao. Has any fighter ever shown such a juxtaposition of pre-fight humility and ringside savagery? Who has ever made ringwalks so euphorically and then attacked opponents so ferociously? There is, as the song goes, only one Manny Pacquiao.
Saturday brought alternating sentiments. There was the initial feeling of relief: I really don?t care who wins. Even if you?d picked Pacquiao, as most writers had, there was no need to suspend partiality in the name of objectivity because there was, and is, no cheering against Ricky Hatton. How pleasant to enjoy a fight that held no possibility of damaging our sport?s credibility.
Both guys were well-liked. Both guys fought honestly. Either guy could be counted on to show grace in victory, or class in defeat.
There was the surprise that came when Hatton bulled Pacquiao to the ropes in the opening minute. Pacquiao, guard high, didn?t look quite flustered ? but he didn?t look quite comfortable either. Referee Kenny Bayless broke the fighters correctly. Hatton took a few steps backwards. Then he charged again.
Pacquiao caught him with a short right hook. It buckled Hatton, reddened his face, and made him clinch defensively ? both hands wrapped round Pacquiao?s torso. Then Pacquiao caught Hatton with a no-look right hand that sent the Brit screaming over Pacquiao?s lowered head and onto the blue mat, face first. Reminiscent of his trip to the turnbuckle in 2007.
That brought a thrill tempered by disappointment. You were thrilled to see someone was great as you thought he was. But you were disappointed the fight would end in less than a round. Mixed martial arts, after all, is about the simplicity of adrenaline and suspense. But boxing is built on drama. Had there been even 20 seconds left in the round when Hatton went down the second time ? off a left cross he actually blocked ? the fight would have ended in fewer than three minutes and carried an air of luck.
That would have been unfortunate, because there is no luck in championship boxing.
Instead, Hatton got out of the round and returned to his stool. What sagacity did the greatest trainer of all time offer? ?Keep your hands up, Ricky.?
In any gym in the country tomorrow afternoon you can hear kids shout similar things at their friends. On the wisdom meter, Mayweather?s advice was somewhere between ?punch him? and ?move your head.?
Pacquiao, told to stay patient by Freddie Roach, went out and carried Hatton for a while. But the Pac-monster?s patience has dwindled. Compare how long Pacquiao let David Diaz stick around in Pacquiao?s lightweight debut. Or the three or four rounds of clemency he granted De La Hoya in December. Not anymore.
With 10 seconds left in round 2, Pacquiao lowered his head and shot an overhand left hook. It pinned Hatton?s left cheek to his collarbone. He was unconscious before his body dropped on the canvas. Even if rules had allowed Hatton to be saved by the bell ? even if he?d had a minute to get up, in other words ? Hatton wouldn?t have beaten the count.
Afterwards Roach, a genuinely great trainer, said he and Pacquiao had spent camp working on a timing shot to catch Hatton in mid-charge, a way to take advantage of Hatton?s high chin and questionable footwork. ?And it just worked beautiful,? Roach said.
Let?s hope Floyd Mayweather Sr. huddled in the opposite corner with a pen and a pad. Rather than trying to beat another poem out his spent muse, Mayweather ought to take note of Roach?s dignity and the-fighter-comes-first approach. Then he should work harder at his own craft ? a word he can someday rhyme with ?daft.?
A word good as any to describe the spectacle his son made a few hours before Pacquiao?s victory, when ?Money May? announced he?s on the comeback trail, planning a July 18 fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. On its face, Mayweather?s return bout appears a courageous undertaking ? like all Mayweather gambits appear on their faces. Then you learn the fight will be conducted 10 pounds above the weight of Marquez?s last fight and 20 above where Marquez has made 90 percent of his career?s matches.
Wait, it gets better. As part of the kick-off, Money May, who currently owes the IRS millions of dollars, explained his return thusly: ?I am back because the sport of boxing needs me.?
Hey Money, the sport of boxing needs you like Ricky Hatton needs your dad.
Bart Barry can be reached at [email protected]
