It'll be a closer fight than people think. Pacquaio is no Floyd Mayweather Jr. He's not as smart, he's not as quick and his defences are nowhere near as good. Hatton did OK for 6 rounds against Floyd Jr, but lost it after the points deduction.

I believe Hatton is slightly more refined now under Floyd sr's wing, using the jab alot more effectively. He looked more of a boxer in his last fight, which was ironic considering the stick Malignaggi and the press gave him about 'slugging and hugging' when in reality, it was Malignaggi who made the fight scrappy, not Hatton.

Hopefully another training camp will help refine his boxing skills more (an under-rated feature of Hatton's).

Pacquaio is more technical and is faster, but he's a natural come forward pressure fighter. I'm not sure that style will help Pacman against Hatton. Hatton is bigger and as one of the best pressure fighters in the world. He's relentless and will come at Pac man and close the ring down all night. Pac man won't be fighting an unarmed opponent like De La Hoya. He'll be fighting the very best at 140lbs.

Great fight to look forward to.

I think it will be a very tough fight. Real blood and guts stuff. I think Manny will win (in perhaps the hardest fight of his life because of the weight differential) by TKO (probably through a cut) because he's faster, more accurate and Ricky has a tendency to take more punishment than he needs to.

Ricky will certainly put up more of a fight than Del a Hoya who had no business being in the ring with Pac that night (the Del a Hoya who beat Chavez twice would have knocked Pac into a coma).

Pac will then go on to fight Mayweather and lose.

I'm not so sure that Hatton would get stopped because of cuts. He tends to cut easily, but do you remember his fight against Thaxton? He had a shocking cut that night, but was allowed to carry on. I think we'll see a late KO one way or the other.

I think Ricky will throw more punches, but Pacquaio will be more accurate. That could be the difference if it does go to the scorecards.

It'll be up there with the Cotto-Margarito fight from last year, a real warriors fight.

Hatton has to be very careful about not throwing more punches than he needs to. He can't afford to tire down the stretch like he has in a number of recent fights because Pac will be on him like a Bengal tiger.

As mentioned earlier, he *must* get out of the way of Manny's straight right. If he continues to take that shot he'll be stopped. I've no doubts about this. Keep circling out of its effective range and leverage.

Double up the jab. Hunt the body - relentlessly.

I watched the Margarito-Cotto fight. Against someone with lesser punch resistance and stamina Cotto would have won. He boxed quite beautifully at times. The problem was the obvious size differential. At fight time Cotto looked a full weight division under Margo.

Which makes Shane Mosely's [idestruction[/i of Margarito (with his cheating plaster cast wrapped around his hands) all the more noteworthy. Sugar Shane gave him a boxing lesson.

Hatton didn't seem to tire against Malignaggi. He threw plenty of punches but he seemed a little bit more tactical and subtle in his approach. I think he'll be fine in terms of stamina. Floyd snr will push him very hard in training.

As for Mosley, great fighter. Technically he's up there with the likes of Hopkins and Mayweather jr. Alot of people have said Floyd ducked Mosley in the past, and if true, I'm not surprised. That would be a technical masterclass of boxing.

Hatton wasn't likely to tire against Malignaggi, whose shot hands leave him only with a jab.



Nobody beats Mayweather.

I agree, he's a freak of nature.

But, Cotto and Mosley have the game to at least give him a challenge.

Yeah, together

cotto and mosely wouldnt get near mayweather either cotto is on the slide mosely hasnnt been good for a while hatton is the best to challenge him but shouldnt be so stupid after he got battered last time mayweather is unbeatable

Provided he beats Hatton, Pac has to be the best challenge to Mayweather. But it's a hopeless cause. Marquez is an excellent counter-puncher and he had Manny in all kinds of trouble (indeed, I thought he won their last fight). Floyd is arguably the best counter-puncher for decades. He knows he can rely on Manny to leave himself open with some of the wild stuff he throws. And Manny will pay dearly each time.

Are you serious? Take Margarito out of the equation and he's been devastating against the majority of his opponents particularly at 147lbs. He even boxed well against Margarito but didn't have the power to take him out. Cotto is a classy boxer.



Did you watch Mosley's last fight? Boxing masterclass against Margarito, who everybody expected to win.

I'm not saying either would beat Mayweather, but I think it'd be a decent fight.

As for Pacquaio-Mayweather, only one winner for me. Floyd is bigger, quicker and smarter. He'd win comfortably, probably on points.

At what weight?

Audley Harrison wants Haye this summer

I really hope this doesn't happen, there is no need for Haye to fight him, IMO Harrison is just after a big pay day.

dont really foolw boxing.

when is ricky hatton next fighting.

Have you not read the last few pages?

May 2nd.

not really i havent. i glance through but didnt notice

Harrison makes me laugh doesnt he not know the embarrasment ha has become haye would destroy him

haye v wlad is back on... www.ringtv.com/blog/396/klitschkohaye_back_on/

haye v wlad is back on... www.ringtv.com/blog/396/klitschkohaye_back_on/

Great start from Jamie Moore in the opening rounds of his european title fight

Superb 3rd round KO from Moore

any word on who's showing Froch-Taylor over here?

hopefully ITV

Anyone think Khan has the skills and class to beat Barrera on Saturday night ?

Yes, but only if Barrera isn't up to the mark. If MAB has come over here serious about getting back to the top of the tree rather than just for a late career payday then he'll have too much nouse and experience for Khan just as he did for Hamed.

If Barrera has lost a step in movement or motivation though, Khan certainly got enough skills to give him something to think about.

Most of the guys on Bunce's Boxing Hour were tipping Khan last night, including Lou De Bella (?), the American promotor.

Bunce was saying it's exactly the right time for him to be fighing Barrera, who has gone slightly over the top, and is also fighting a man quite a bit naturally heavier than him.

As Andy says, if the "real" MAB turns up, he'll take Khan to school, but an older, slower, lighter MAB wont have the sharpness to live with him, and could easily end up getting stopped.