Sports Blog Philippines

It only took 5 minutes and 53 seconds (almost 2 rounds) for Manny Pacquiao to knock the now former IBO and Ring Magazine’s Junior Welterweight Champion Ricky Hatton in their showdown last May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The victory was a real surprise to everybody even for Manny’s fans.

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The Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton after fight full video coverage.

It has been tradition that “appetizers” are served before the main course or meal. In boxing, same principle is applied and under card fights are prepared before unveiling the main event to give the people a good show.

In the upcoming Light Welter Weight title match of the reigning pound-for-pound king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and the Light Welter Weight Champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton on May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, a total of 10 under card matches will be ventured before the main event will commence. Under card matches are the following:

Note: The arrangement is not certain.

1. England’s Joe Murray (1-0) versus Missael Nunez (4-7-2) of Los Angeles will be facing in a four-round featherweight fight.

2. Omar Chavez (14-0-1, 10 KOs) will be matched against Tyler Ziolowski (11-6, 6 KOs) in a four-round junior welterweight bout.

3. Bernabe Concepcion (28-1-1, 17 KOs) will be facing Columbia’s Yogli Herrera (21-8, 15 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight tussle.

4. Rising star Abner Mares (17-0, 10 KOs) of Montebello, California, will figure in a bantamweight bout with Jonathan Perez (14-5, 11 KOs) of Colombia.

5. Undefeated Mike Alvarado (25-0, 18 KOs) of Denver, Colorado, will fight a 10-round junior welterweight bout versus Joaquin Gallardo (18-7-1, 5 KOs) of Oakland, California.

6. Matthew Hatton (35-4-1, 13 KOs), Ricky’s brother, will face Tijuana, Mexico-based Ernesto Zepeda (39-11-4, 34 KOs) in an eight-round affair.

7. Cuba’s Erislandy Lara (4-0, 3 KOs) will be fighting against Chris Gray (11-7, 1 KO).

8. Matt Korobov (4-0, 4 KOs) of Russia takes it on against Rodrigo Aguiar (5-4, 3 KOs).

9. Brooklyn-based middleweight prospect Daniel Jacobs (15-0, 14 KOs) and Chicago’s Michael Walker (19-1-2, 12 KOs) will slug it out in an eight-round bout.

10. WBC super featherweight champion Humberto Soto (48-3-2, 35 KOs) of Mexico will defend his title against Canada’s Benoit Gaudet (20-1, 7 KOs) in the co-main event.

After these events, finally the main event will commence. It will be sure a long wait but it is all worth it because the fights before the main bout will be showcasing the future of today’s world boxing realm.

After the release of episodes 1 and 2 of the pre-fight presentation of HBO-24/7 Pacquiao-Hatton, the 3^rd episode of the 4-episode presentation of HBO was released last April 25, 2009 (Saturday).

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The tension is getting higher as the historical bout of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Ricky “Hitman” Hatton is fast approaching (May 2, 2009 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas).

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Many things carry the audience impact of a boxing fight: the fighters, the catch phrase/s and even the posters and images pertaining to the fight. With this, your opinion is needed on which poster might be the crowd attracter of the upcoming Pacquiao-Hatton fight on May 2, 2009. The poster alone will have great impact to the heart and mind of the people. Below are some of the possible posters to be used in the fight:

POSTER #1

POSTER #2

POSTER #3

POSTER #4

POSTER #5

POSTER #6

The highly anticipated fight will happen soon, so the poster that should be appropriate to use shall be decided. Pick one from the choices given and feel the drama of the upcoming fight.

Various comments have been made when the 4-episode pre-fight presentation of HBO to the highly anticipated Light Welter Weight showdown against Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton on May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand at Las Vegas was released. The first two of the four episodes have already been out.

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As the historical match of the acclaimed pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton is fast approaching, a word war is going on to the trainers of the both fighters. Fredie Roach said that he is confident that Pacquiao will knock out Hatton in no time inside of three rounds. This time, the trainer of Hatton, Floyd Mayweather Sr. said that he is confident that the chances of Ricky Hatton to win against Manny Pacquiao are very high. He also added the victory will be scored, not by a knock down or knock out but by a stop down (submission).

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As the fight night (The Hatton-Pacquaio Fight scheduled on May 02, 2009) is fast approaching, various predictions are being made by each side of the fighters. Hatton made a very cocky prediction of knocking Pacquaio out inside three rounds.

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Ricky Hatton has Manny Pacquiao all figured out.

The British banger said in a recent teleconference call that while admitting that Manny Pacquiao is tricky ,the Filipino lefty has a number of great flaws that he and trainer Floyd May weather Sr. will exploit come fight night on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I think I’ve got to be careful, because he (Pacquiao) shuffles in and out with his feet and he tries to outbox you on some punches”. Hatton told fight writers from his training camp in Manchester.

“So you’ve got to be clever and not fall for the top, if you like”

Hatton, a 2-1 underdog, noted that Pacquiao’s daredevil attitude on top of the ring, will not wonders this time.

“Because he’s (Pacquiao) saw aggressive, he sometimes gambles with every punch. He puts everything he’s got into that left cross and he drills the whole right back. I think if you can make him miss, I think sometimes he puts that much into his punch. I think if you can make him miss, he’s very open and he’s off balance, and along with my head move and my hand speed my foot work, and everything will work.

And now, if he misses, he’s going to have some big shots waiting for him and also, I’m going to be the biggest man that he’s ever fought. He fought Oscar De La Hoya, but Oscar was 147. I’ll be in the ring at 154. And in the past, he’s been put down several times with body shots; he’s been shaken up to the head. He’s the pound for pound best fighter in the world. If you look at it from that point of view and you’re asking me why I think I will win the fight, obviously those are the reason. “said the Hitman.

This was also the belief of one of former world champion Barry McGuigan, one of the finest fighters to have come out of the United Kingdom, in his column in the Daily Mirror.

“Pacquiao is a force of nature. But he is unproven at this weight,” wrote McGuigan, who held the World Boxing Association feather-weight crown in the mid – 1980’s and who now resides in London.

“Apart from one assignment at light weight against David Diaz and the Oscar De La Hoya bout at welter, he (Pacquiao) has not fought above 130 Lbs.

“Diaz was the weakest of the champion at 135 Lbs and does not cut a patch on Hatton. De La Hoya turned out to be little more than a carcass,” McGuigan said.

But no matter what it’s really true that Pacquiao is the pride of many Filipinos here and abroad.