Pacquiao-Hatton Hollywood premiere highlights
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It was quite a night Monday, as Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton and all of their entourages made for a unique ‘Hollywood Red Carpet’ news conference at the Roosevelt Hotel, attracting hundreds across Hollywood Boulevard who saw not only the boxers but also celebrities such as actors Mickey Rourke and Mark Wahlberg.
Wahlberg, a close friend of Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, discussed the event and the coming May 2 fight in Las Vegas in this video:
Hatton’s entertaining trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., unveiled his latest fight poem to everyone’s delight.
And the media mobbed the Philippines’ national icon Pacquiao as he walked off the red carpet into the Roosevelt.
What emerged beyond the hype orchestrated by publicists Fred Sternburg and Kelly Swanson was the strong sentiment that the bout won’t last 12 rounds because Hatton usually charges forward to bully his opponent and Pacquiao became 2008 fighter of the year by unleashing a barrage of precise blows in three fights.
Roach, who correctly predicted his fighter would stop Oscar De La Hoya by the ninth round, says Hatton’s going down by the end of the third.
Pacquiao admitted, ‘I expect [Hatton] to come forward,’ but added ‘only God knows’ when the fight will end. ‘The styles of both of us look similar. It’s expected to be a lot of action.’
Hatton agreed. ‘Manny doesn’t box to box [for the judges], he goes for the knockout.’
Hatton said his move back down to 140 pounds after a December 2007 knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. is important. He said he’ll enter the ring at around 154 pounds, making him Pacquiao’s largest foe yet. He told The Times earlier Monday that he sized up Pacquiao in their personal meeting and is confident he’ll be able to impose his will on the smaller foe.
‘This is my weight division, that’ll make a tremendous difference,’ Hatton said inside the Roosevelt. ‘I’m stronger [under Mayweather Sr.], attacking and jabbing better. I think that gives me an edge.’
He also irked Pacquiao by saying, ‘Anyone who knows boxing knows that the Oscar Manny beat isn’t the Oscar we’ve known.’
Pacquiao said he’s heard that criticism from others. ‘Part of being a fighter is that they’re not all your fans,’ adding, ‘To fight [De La Hoya] was an honor, to win was a big bonus. I brought honor to my country.’
Keeping with the Hollywood theme, Pacquiao drew laughs when he spoke like Mel Gibson in ‘Braveheart,’ declaring, ‘I’m fighting for freedom against the Englishman.’
And here’s a video of Mayweather Sr. reciting a poem he wrote for the upcoming fight:
Click on the thread for a couple more videos, including one featuring Mark Wahlberg‘s thoughts on the bout.
-- Lance Pugmire
