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On Saturday evening, two boxing powerhouses meet in the ring. In one corner, you have the fast, skilled, and powerful Filipino, Manny Pacquaio. While on the opposite side of the ring, you have the strong, willful, and brute Englishman, Ricky Hatton. Both carry the hopes and expectations of their respective nations, on their shoulders. Neither fighter will be willing to back down. It promises to be an explosive night.
So, who do I think will win the fight? Let's break it down, shall we?
1) Speed
Speed kills, and neither boxer is in need of it. Both possess quick hands, however Pacquaio is that little bit faster putting in his combo's, and getting in that straight left hand of his. I have to give this round to Pacquaio.
Pacquaio A, Hatton B +
2) Power
Again, both fighters are very evenly matched. Pacquaio has two good fists, and has proved his power at a variety of different weights. Although, whilst he beat Oscar De La Hoya into a bloody pulp, he failed to knock him out. So there is still a question mark over whether he can carry his power up to 140. Hatton is naturally bigger than Pacquaio, has a good KO record, and is a seasoned veteran at Junior Welterweight. He could be given the benefit of the doubt, but I'm going to go for a draw.
Hatton A -, Pacquaio A -
3) Strength
Hatton has the clear edge in this round. He has tied up and bullied opponents throughout his career, and he should be the stronger of the two men. Pacquaio has only recently moved up into the higher weight divisons, and unlike when he faced De La Hoya, he will be the smaller man on the night. Round to Hatton.
Hatton A, Pacquaio B
4) Movement & Footwork
Pacquaio has good movement. He can hit you, and not be hit. He quick feet allow him to get out of range swiftly, but he does have a tendancy to move backwards in straight lines, which could cause him problems. Hatton meanwhile, has very good footwork, but he uses it to very little effect. With great footwork like his, you would imagine he would use it to get in and out of range, and pick his shots more. However, his inclination to fight on the inside, lets his quick feet lay to waste. Add in poor head movement, and Hatton takes far more shots than he should do. Round to Pacquaio.
Pacquaio A, Hatton B
5) Stamina
Both fighters have gone 12 rounds several times, can easily box at 100% for the whole match, and I expect them both to be in tip top shape come fight night. Nevertheless, if there is to be any stamina issues in this fight, it will most certainly be from Pacquaio. Hatton is a renowned body puncher, and if he manages to have much success with his body attack, Pacquaio could find himself struggling in the second half of the fight. But if he can avoid being caught on the ropes, and fighting Hatton's fight on the inside, I envisage no problems for him. By all means, both fighters have the strength, and capacity to go 12 rounds. This round is a draw.
Speed = Pacquaio
Power = Draw
Strength = Hatton
Movement & Footwork = Pacquaio
Stamina = Draw
Fight Outcome
As you can see above, this will be a very close fight, but Pacquaio has a clear edge. I imagine he will try to keep Hatton at range during the fight, and use his better movement and speed to get in and out, and land his punches. He needs to frustrate Hatton, and make him fight his fight. That means in the middle of the ring, and not on the inside or against the ropes. For Hatton to have a chance at Pacquaio, he needs to start quickly and not let Pacquaio get into a rhythm. If he can do this then he has a chance. Hatton is a pressure fighter, and that's a tactic he will have to apply in this fight. However, it can't be sloppy pressure. It must be controlled, and he must use it at the right times. If you remember against Mayweather, Hatton's pressure was allowing himself to walk into punches with no defence. Against Mallignaggi, he was much improved. Don't get me wrong, Hatton needs to be better than he was against Mallignaggi to win on Saturday. But if he can apply his strength, and size advantages over Pacquaio, in addition his new found skills under Mayweather Sr, then he stands a good chance of victory. With that said, Pacquaio is going to have too much class for Hatton. He is a different level of boxer, and that will ultimately show during the fight.
On Saturday evening, two boxing powerhouses meet in the ring. In one corner, you have the fast, skilled, and powerful Filipino, Manny Pacquaio. While on the opposite side of the ring, you have the strong, willful, and brute Englishman, Ricky Hatton. Both carry the hopes and expectations of their respective nations, on their shoulders. Neither fighter will be willing to back down. It promises to be an explosive night.
So, who do I think will win the fight? Let's break it down, shall we?
1) Speed
Speed kills, and neither boxer is in need of it. Both possess quick hands, however Pacquaio is that little bit faster putting in his combo's, and getting in that straight left hand of his. I have to give this round to Pacquaio.
Pacquaio A, Hatton B +
2) Power
Again, both fighters are very evenly matched. Pacquaio has two good fists, and has proved his power at a variety of different weights. Although, whilst he beat Oscar De La Hoya into a bloody pulp, he failed to knock him out. So there is still a question mark over whether he can carry his power up to 140. Hatton is naturally bigger than Pacquaio, has a good KO record, and is a seasoned veteran at Junior Welterweight. He could be given the benefit of the doubt, but I'm going to go for a draw.
Hatton A -, Pacquaio A -
3) Strength
Hatton has the clear edge in this round. He has tied up and bullied opponents throughout his career, and he should be the stronger of the two men. Pacquaio has only recently moved up into the higher weight divisons, and unlike when he faced De La Hoya, he will be the smaller man on the night. Round to Hatton.
Hatton A, Pacquaio B
4) Movement & Footwork
Pacquaio has good movement. He can hit you, and not be hit. He quick feet allow him to get out of range swiftly, but he does have a tendancy to move backwards in straight lines, which could cause him problems. Hatton meanwhile, has very good footwork, but he uses it to very little effect. With great footwork like his, you would imagine he would use it to get in and out of range, and pick his shots more. However, his inclination to fight on the inside, lets his quick feet lay to waste. Add in poor head movement, and Hatton takes far more shots than he should do. Round to Pacquaio.
Pacquaio A, Hatton B
5) Stamina
Both fighters have gone 12 rounds several times, can easily box at 100% for the whole match, and I expect them both to be in tip top shape come fight night. Nevertheless, if there is to be any stamina issues in this fight, it will most certainly be from Pacquaio. Hatton is a renowned body puncher, and if he manages to have much success with his body attack, Pacquaio could find himself struggling in the second half of the fight. But if he can avoid being caught on the ropes, and fighting Hatton's fight on the inside, I envisage no problems for him. By all means, both fighters have the strength, and capacity to go 12 rounds. This round is a draw.
Speed = Pacquaio
Power = Draw
Strength = Hatton
Movement & Footwork = Pacquaio
Stamina = Draw
Fight Outcome
As you can see above, this will be a very close fight, but Pacquaio has a clear edge. I imagine he will try to keep Hatton at range during the fight, and use his better movement and speed to get in and out, and land his punches. He needs to frustrate Hatton, and make him fight his fight. That means in the middle of the ring, and not on the inside or against the ropes. For Hatton to have a chance at Pacquaio, he needs to start quickly and not let Pacquaio get into a rhythm. If he can do this then he has a chance. Hatton is a pressure fighter, and that's a tactic he will have to apply in this fight. However, it can't be sloppy pressure. It must be controlled, and he must use it at the right times. If you remember against Mayweather, Hatton's pressure was allowing himself to walk into punches with no defence. Against Mallignaggi, he was much improved. Don't get me wrong, Hatton needs to be better than he was against Mallignaggi to win on Saturday. But if he can apply his strength, and size advantages over Pacquaio, in addition his new found skills under Mayweather Sr, then he stands a good chance of victory. With that said, Pacquaio is going to have too much class for Hatton. He is a different level of boxer, and that will ultimately show during the fight.
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