By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Floyd Mayweather Jr, the undefeated former world welterweight champion who retired as the world’s No.1 pound-for-pound fighter has had just one comment on the showdown between the Philippines national treasure Manny Pacquiao and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton – “both have been in wars.”
Mayweather’s brief comment was relayed to BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph , Standard Today and Viva Sports by Anthony “Tony” Martin who is currently working with Mark Jason Melligen at the Mayweather gym in Las Vegas, Nevada .
Martin told us that he spoke to Mayweather who visited the gym and watched Melligen spar eight rounds in preparation for his US debut against Ramon Montano on March 7 in Denver, Colorado.
When asked some two weeks ago about the chances of coming out of retirement Mayweather told Martin “its time for me to move on. I really have no interest as my life is good without boxing.”
However, Martin noted that when Mayweather Jr visited the gym and watched Melligen sparring, “he seemed different. He generated excitement in his eyes.” Martin said that in his opinion “there is a good possibility it will happen and for sure if the money is right.”
Pacquiao and his close entourage left for London early Friday morning and are expected to arrive in the British capital at 3:00 p.m. for his first face-to-face meeting with Hatton.
Pacquiao said he was “very excited about seeing London for the first time and facing Hatton and I am prepared for the ribbing I will get from his English fans. I like that and I understand because his countrymen, especially his hometown fans love him. I will just smile it off.”
When informed that trainer Lee Beard had told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Hatton was “in really good shape and his fitness is very, very g ood” and that his six-pack abs showed ripped abdominal muscles, Pacquiao laughed it off saying “that’s what they always say. No matter how good your condition what is necessary is action on top of the ring. Let’s see when the fight takes place.”
Pacquiao was convinced “it will be a great fight. This is a different fight from the one against Oscar De La Hoya. Hatton doesn’t stop punching. I like this fight because there will be a lot of action atop the ring. He will punch and punch so I have to sacrifice in training, remain disciplined and train hard for my countrymen.”
He said eight weeks of training was “enough because my last fight was not so long ago.”
Pacquiao agreed with the observation of trainer Freddie Roach that Hatton was tailor-made for him. “I agree but this is a hard fight, he throws a lot of punches, all-action fight and any fan who loves action will want to watch this fight. This is a great match-up.”
Asked about the one-on-one darts showdown on the set of the popular TV series Coronation Street , Pacquiao said he hasn’t played for some time although when in training at the Wild Card gym he would go home to his Palazzo apartment and play darts with members of Team Pacquiao.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who will join Pacquiao in London said Hatton was a pretty good darts player but that Pacquiao is “a whiz.”
