By Mark Vester
At a recent media gathering in Hollywood, California, Ricky Hatton downplayed the biggest win of Manny Pacquiao's career. Hatton said that he was not that impressed with Pacquiao's win over Oscar De La Hoya. He believes that De La Hoya killed his body while trying to make weight and it wasn't that hard to get a win over him that night. Hatton faces Pacquiao on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"Any win against Oscar is a magnificent one. Is that the Oscar De La Hoya we have come to love? I don't think so," Hatton was quoted as saying by the AP. "And only Oscar can say what happened on the scales. He looked a shell of the Oscar we know. I don't think it was hard to beat Oscar that night."
Pacquiao shot back and said the people who make that excuse were probably rooting for De La Hoya to win.
"That's what people believe. Maybe they were rooting for Oscar and maybe they were fans of Oscar," Pacquiao said. "It's hard to make reasons or alibis after the fight. It's not good."
Hatton still believes that he can match speed with Pacquiao. It may be a big mistake when the two men step in the ring.
"A lot of people are seeing it as size versus speed and a lot of people thought Paulie Malignaggi would outspeed me and that wasn't the case and that was only after seven weeks with my new training team," Hatton said.
"We're even quicker again. If you could see how fast I'm performing, there's not that big a gap there. Ultimately I think size will play a big factor. He has dangers in other areas, like his speed and footwork but I'm boxing a lot cuter than I was a few years ago."
Pacquiao said that he currently weighs 148-pounds, and Hatton said he tipping at around 150.
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