They can bill it as “Ricky’s Revenge.”
I’m trying to think out of the box today and I’m thinking, as crazy as it sounds, that the most commercial rematch available for Manny Pacquiao would be go to Manchester, UK, to face Ricky Flatten, I mean Hatton.
In a Gareth to Gareth chitchat, Hatton sidekick Gareth Williams told British fight scribe Gareth Davies (Daily Telegraph) that he thinks the most popular boxer in Old Blighty wants to shake off the booze and food binges and to return to the ring likely for a One Night Only arrangement.
Williams informed Davies that he sees Hatton as being haunted by “demons” as a result of the two round battering he suffered two years ago at the blazing hands of Manny Pacquiao. According to Williams, only having one more go in the ring may shake those mental devils.
Here’s the lawyer speaking to the boxing-MMA journalist:
“There are plenty of demons left there after the Manny Pacquiao fight, and in Ricky?s mind, there is unfinished business. He was definitely not prepared correctly for the Pacquiao fight.
?Michael Katsidis would be a perfect fight for him. He?s a big name and it would be a good fight for Ricky, and it would be a good fight in England that would work on Sky Box Office.?
I say, meaning no disrespect to fierce warrior Katsidis, why think so small?
Say what you want about how Pacman ran over Hatton in less than six minutes when they fought in Las Vegas, this rematch would be an instant sellout in the Manchester Evening News Arena or even in an outdoor venue.
While Hatton has been out of action, no British fighter has eclipsed him in terms of fan following or media interest. When he was fighting, Super Joe Calzaghe always took a back seat to Hatton except in Wales.
Getty Images Photo – Why not, says Michael Marley, let Ricky Hatton take advantage of his massive popularity with one final bout, a retry against Manny Pacquiao in Manchester?
Carl Froch is a nonstarter, a sort of regional star in and around Nottingham but he can’t even land a major national TV slot when he fights.
And another chatterbox, the heavyweight David Haye, shows charismatic flashes but needs to whip a Klitschko, either one, to burnish his national star.
I see, via Sky Sports, that Hayemaker has been called a “pussycat” minus the lasthree letters by Wladiimir. WKlit even added a gustatory note, saying he wants to turn David’s handsome face into a “pepperoni pizza.”
I hope a real fight does not break out between these fiesty lads.
Hatton remains the cat’s pajamas in the UK boxing circles.
I also think it would be neat for Megamanny to have a bout somewhere other than his homeland, the United States and Thailand, the three nations he has fought in.
Easy promotional angle? Blame Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his bickering with the rest of Team Hatton, cite that as causing inadequate prefight prep by Hatton.
Trashing a Mayweather always goes over in Pacland, eh, wot?
There’s Only One Ricky Hatton and his loyal legions would flock to see him to see in a retry against Pacquiao. Pacfans across Europe and some from the Middle East wold hie themselves to Great Britain for a rare chance to watch the Pinoy Idol.
As for the ring outcome, let me put it this way, could Ricky do any worse?
One final fight and Hatton milks his wondrous popularity for all it’s worth.
I’m thinking outside the box today and I know this is brilliant…
He said so modestly…
