By Mark Vester

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer has revealed that a mega-clash between Manny Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs) and Ricky Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) is close to a done deal for May 2, with Las Vegas being the frontrunner to host the event. The fight will take place at the junior welterweight limit of 140-pounds.

"I'm encouraged by the way it's going, and I'm talking to the Hattons (on Friday) again," Schaefer said to the AP. "You really have two of the most popular fighters of their generation fighting each other, and that's the kind of fight we want to make."

After Pacquiao knocked out Oscar De La Hoya on December 6 and Hatton was able to stop Paulie Malignaggi in November - both fighters focused on each other. Schaefer says the rabid fans of Pacquiao and the wild Manchester crowd that follows Hatton by the thousands will make the fight a global event. Golden Boy, along with Pacquiao's promoter Top Rank, are pushing for the fight to land in Las Vegas.

"This is a fight with tremendous global appeal, and both of them have built up a very strong following here," Schaefer said. "With Manny's following in Asia and Ricky's support in Europe, you could say Las Vegas is the center of everything."

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