Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Boxing:

Hatton-Paqcuiao set for May 2 at MGM

Pound-for-pound king could hold three titles at the same time

De La Hoya-Pacquiao

Associated Press

WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao celebrates his victory over Oscar De La Hoya shortly after their welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008. Pacquiao won by TKO after the end of the eighth round.

Hatton defeats Malignaggi

Ricky Hatton kept his Ring Magazine junior welterweight title by defeating Paulie Malignaggi with an 11th round TKO Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

De La Hoya-Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao celebrates his victory over Oscar De La Hoya after their welterweight Launch slideshow »

The month-long drama surrounding the potential boxing megabout between junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquaio is over.

Promoters for the two boxers announced their official agreement Wednesday, setting the match for May 2 at the MGM Grand.

“I always like new challenges which is the reason I am anxious to fight Ricky Hatton. My trainer Freddie Roach will put together a new game plan, which will be much different than the one we used against Oscar (De La Hoya),” said Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs), who secured his claim as the 2008 Fighter of the Year after his dominating victory over De La Hoya on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) was ready to move on to a new opponent late last week when Pacquiao wouldn’t sign a contract that offered a 50-50 split of revenue. The Filipino boxer wanted a higher share of the profit despite his native Philippines, poor compared to Hatton’s home country of England, being unable to match the pay-per-view buys that “The Hitman’s” fan base could.

But Hatton said he isn’t concerned about the negotiation process (Top Rank boss Bob Arum told ESPN the fighters agreed to a 52-percent, 48-percent split in favor of Pacquaio, who will earn a minimum of $12 million) and proclaimed he can defeat the man called the sport’s best.

“I’m really excited to get back in the ring in Vegas after beating (Paulie) Malignaggi in November,” said Hatton, whose lone career loss came at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr., in December 2007.

“I am confident that I am the fighter to take down the pound-for-pound champion and I believe I will be victorious on May 2.”

Tickets for the fight go on sale Friday via Ticketmaster outlets or at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com with prices at $1,000, $750, $500, $350 and $150. Golden Boy and Top Rank have not come to an agreement with either HBO or Showtime for the pay-per-view rights.

MGM Mirage Sports and Entertainment president Richard Sturm said the MGM was elated when the two fighters where able to come to an agreement to make the megafight happen in the resort casino, which was the home of both fighters’ last victories.

“This spectacular boxing match will not only be a battle between two great champions, but will offer an electric and international atmosphere for the fans,” Sturm said.

But the face of Golden Boy Promotions, De La Hoya, said he believes Hatton can do something he, and many others, couldn’t — dethrone the sport’s pound-for-pound king.

“We are very excited that this fight has been made, as it is the fight fans wanted and the one I look forward to seeing myself,” De La Hoya said. “He is a tremendous athlete and unlike any other champion we have ever promoted. When Manny walks to the ring he carries the weight of his country on his shoulders and he fights with all of his heart, every second of every round."

“This fight has all the makings of a 'Fight of the Year' candidate and I think Hatton will dethrone Pacquiao and become boxing’s pound-for-pound king.”

If the recent past is any indication, Pacquiao — who is fighting in his fourth different weight class in as many fights as he drops down to Hatton’s natural weight of 140 — will be a tough task to stop.

The 30-year-old, who opened as a minus 220 favorite at the MGM sports book, has won 24 of his last 25 bouts and hasn’t lost in four years. Pacquiao has the opportunity to become just the second boxer to hold three titles in three different weight division at the same time, matching the feat Hall of Famer Henry Armstrong pulled off between 1937 and 1938 when he held the featherweight, welterweight and lightweight titles.

Pacquiao claimed the WBC World Super Featherweight title last March with a win over Juan Manuel Marquez, and then took the WBC World Lightweight title in June by knocking out David Diaz.

Pacquiao said obtaining Hatton’s Ring Magazine and IBO World Junior Welterweight titles would be a difficult challenge. But no matter the outcome and true to his mantra, “Pac Man” promised his fans that he would leave it all in the ring.

“There are concerns because Hatton is a very strong puncher so I must deal with that in the ring,” he said. “I promise I will be completely prepared and will do my best for all of my fans in The Philippines."

Andy Samuelson can be reached at [email protected] or 702-948-7837.

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