According to http://www.mirror.co.uk Ricky Hatton had a grand plan to help his fans survive the financial hard times. “Bet your house on me beating Manny Pacquiao,” roared Hatton, in a move that gave goose bumps to bookies around the world.
Hatton added, “It’s not going to be an old-fashioned boxing match and that suits me. I’ve never felt more certain of victory than I do right now. I’m in the greatest shape of my life and I will not let anybody down. If people want to remortgage and put a few quid on me then they should. Pacquiao has never been in the ring with a 100-milean-hour idiot like me.?
But just like a sports car speeding at 100 miles per hour on rush hour, Hatton?s joyride came to an abrupt and ugly crash. In front of his throngs of loyal fans and supporters, Hatton would go down to a spine-busting left cross from Manny Pacquiao in the second round of their much publicized fight held last May 2 at the MGM in Las Vegas. It was similar to the horror of watching a car wreck- a really bad one at that. It was hard to look at, but at the same time, you just can?t take your eyes off it because of either shock or awe or both. Together with it were hopes of Hatton fans who followed their man?s advised and bet their houses, livestock and everything they could muster on a Hatton victory. Hopefully, nobody really followed suit, but I wouldn?t put it past any of Ricky Hatton?s fans to do so after seeing how devoted and loyal they are to their most beloved prize fighter.
All jokes aside, Ricky Hatton deserves a lot of respect and credit for the way he conducted himself throughout the build-up of the fight, even all the way after the fight itself. I?ve read reports saying Hatton has been licking his wounds and have not stopped crying since his defeat, but on the contrary, there is no shame in losing to one of the greatest fighters ever, who coincidentally is at the top of his game right now. It?s just like being Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing or Craig Ehlo during the Michael Jordan era. Sometimes, no matter what you do or how hard you try, somebody better than you who works as hard and tries equally the same or perhaps more, will just beat you.
Hatton made a great account of himself and his people. One example was the humility he showed opting to come out first during the ring entrances to recognize Pacquiao?s status coming into the fight and knowing he was the challenger against the sport?s best pound for pound fighter despite having the junior welterweight belts and being undefeated in that division. Another is that he didn?t fall into the trap of his trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. when it came to all the trash talking and disrespecting the other camp. Hatton showed he had true class and is indeed a gentleman who prefers to let his fists do the talking rather than belittling his opponents.
The outcome may not have gone as Hatton would?ve hoped and he may very well have left some of his fans? pockets hurting a lickle? bit, but if you look at it this way, Hatton made more than $15 million dollars for 2 rounds of boxing. I?m sure he can find 15 million reasons to soothe his pain and even help out some of his mates find a place to stay.
