Hatton is a great option for Pac to take, he has lots to gain from Hatton and if he did get the win it would go down very well on his resume. Beating a fighter who is undefeated at 140 and the Lineal champ of his division, as well as doing it in front of a huge crowd is definatley a huge gain for Pac.
Being a Brit i love Ricky, but i completely agree with what you say. People go on about Hatton being the "linear champion". Well that doesnt mean much when the division is pretty **** to start with and Hattons not faced its top guys like Bradley and yes Witter. It might be another W that would look good in the history books, but the reality is it would just be another pretty empty win for Pacquiao.
Bradley has just made his name and couldn't draw flies to ****. Witter has never been on ricky's radar, and his loss, just makes him look less likely.
I would have said it means plenty personally, specifically that anyone hoping to be the man at that weight class has to go through him. Plus the division is not ****, Ring placed it as 7th best in a recent feature on their website so while it's not the hottest it's not bad either. Hatton has beaten Tszyu (#1 at the time and #3 p4p), Castillo (#2 and #7 p4p), Malignaggi (#2 at the time) plus Urango (current #8) and Lazcano (current #10). That's enough top guys for me. You are never going to get a fighter who has beaten EVERY top guy in the division because as soon as you beat a couple, some more "top" guys come along. However, Hatton clearly has the most impressive resume in the division. Witter was only a "champ for a day" sort like Malignaggi and whilst Bradley looked good in that fight it is the ONLY good win on his resume. A linear title in another weight class against a borderline top 10 p4p fighter with a 45-1 record and who is unbeaten at that weight? How could it not be a good win for Pac? If he was to win the fight convincingly, it would arguably be his third best win behind Barrera 1 and Morales 2.
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Very true. I think Pacquiao would come out looking better with a clear win over Marquez, rather than Hatton. Or he can go for Mayweather, team Mayweather seem interested. Or a few welterweights, where Hatton showed himself as inept. Plenty of options that are just as desireable aside from the money. Again I ask...where else can Hatton fight the best around and get 40%? :good
Hatton has massive leverage in negotiations, he started with 30% but got the UK PPV which is generally considered to have ended up a 50/50 split. I'd ask what has Pac done to show that he should be mixing with the top men at 147? His matchmaker would have to be a miracle worker. I suppose he could hang around for a year or so and see if Maywether unretires. Its not often a fighters turns down a fight because he's not getting enough money and then takes another fight for less money....
Well he sure as hell ain't gonna get 50/50 the second time! I think Pacquiao would get a better deal out of Mayweather, not forgetting the fact Mayweather might want to fight somebody he didn't completely school already. Pacquiao hasn't done anything at welterweight, but shown he looks comfortable at the weight. He isn't proven as a failure at welter unlike Ricky. So he has options if he so wishes. Roach has talked a lot about Cotto, a smaller WW. Hatton ain't gonna touch it with a barge pole, he's been talking about Pac and Marquez, smaller men. And ultimately, Pacquiao is only ever defending his status. He's already at the top. Hatton ain't and won't ever get there without Manny. Hatton has FAR more to gain from this fight. Just to show this, Pacquiao has already beaten Marquez, whereas this is one of Hatton's great options. :fire
So Pacs welterweight career is based on the fact you think he looks comfortable at the weight and hopefully a little guy like Cotto will fight him. Nice to see you laid out a thoughtful, long term plan for Pacs move to 147..atsch
Manny is not one step ahead of that, whatever that is, or PBF's so he would at least have to replicate PBF's steps towards this point and that is take Hatton after Hoya... Floyd took Castillo twice before he ever took aim at Gatti at 140, Zab and his conqueror Baldomir at 147 and that was before he went for Hoya at 154 ( and Hatton back again at 147) so how come Pac steps above PBF ( not even above Hatton really since he only lost to PBF)? Just cause he took huge risks when having one fight experience above 130 and made it at 147 by winning inside against Hoya? It doesn't work that way... I doubt Manny destroys Ricky but that's just what I think.