Pacquiao Cautioned Against Hatton

We all know that Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao takes all his fights seriously and prepares for it like his life depends on it. And anytime now, he will be undergoing a serious and committed training in preparation for his face off with Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas on May 2 this year.

But in spite of Pacman’s dedication, Chris John, the WBA featherweight champion and Indonesian icon, cautioned Pacquiao that he should not take Hatton lightly, adding that “I’m a Pacquiao fan and I want him to win. But I don’t think he’s ever fought anyone like Hatton before.”

John did not make any prediction on the outcome of the game and just safely said that it’s a 50-50 proposition, although if Pacquiao fights like the way he did against Oscar de la Hoya last December, he believes Pacman will beat the Hitman.

John’s manager and trainer, Australian Craig Christian, however predicted in favor of Hatton, saying he will stop Pacquiao.

John’s apprehension and Christian’s prediction are not without basis after all, because Hatton, as they say, is one of the dirtiest fighters.

Christian said “He’ll rough up Pacquiao or try to for sure. He’ll use the same brawling tactics that led to the knockout over Kostya Tzsyu. I think Hatton is too strong for Pacquiao at junior welterweight. It’ll be an action-packed fight because I don’t expect Pacquiao to back off.”

He advised Pacquiao’s handlers to be alert and watch out for Hatton’s dirty tactics. He said that they should expose them before the fight to put whoever referees will be in charge, on alert.

For his part, John who still remains undefeated at this point is set to defend his title on February 28 in the US against Rocky Juarez. A fight which Christian said would define John’s future.

“I’ve told Chris what’s at stake,” Christian said, “If he loses, it’s back to fighting in Indonesia for promoters paying $500 for a 12-rounder. If he wins, its sky’s the limit. We’re not looking past Juarez who’s a quality boxer. But we’re lining up Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez at featherweight next then it’ll be Juan Manuel Marquez in rematch and if he’s interested to fight, Pacquiao.” John is one of only four fighters, which includes Pacquiao, who have defeated Marquez.

Why Federer should worry about Nadal

By Martin Rogers

As he stood with his will broken and psyche cracked, Roger Federer couldn't staunch the flow of tears welling from within him.

Whether it was frustration, confusion or the painful acceptance of his own mortality that drew such emotion from the 13-time Grand Slam winner, Federer's defeat to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final will leave deep scars for which there is no quick fix.

Nadal emerged from another epic having dealt a crushing blow in the greatest rivalry in individual sports.

The 22-year-old defied reason to claim his sixth Slam title, recovering from a grueling semifinal to prevail on a hard-court surface upon which he had never previously reached a major final.

Federer's place in history is secure but right now Nadal is beating him up through force of spirit and clarity of tactical thought.

When the midnight hour came and went at Melbourne Park it was Nadal whose conviction remained intact and whose resolve hardened.

When it mattered most it was Federer's game, that beautifully stylish concoction that is too strong for all but one man on the planet, which fell apart.



Tennis can still talk about the Big Four (with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray) and a Big Two, but it's Nadal who has clamped an iron grip upon the field.

The man from the Spanish island of Mallorca simply doesn't know when to quit and retains ultimate belief that victory is his destiny even when all the evidence is piled up to suggest the contrary.

Nadal looked spent in the critical third set, yet dug from his deepest reserves of energy and belief to stave off six break points and then prevail in a tiebreak.

In the fifth he never wavered, and it was a spate of uncharacteristic unforced errors from Federer that were decisive.

Nadal has looked unbeatable on clay for years but now he seems like an immoveable object on any surface. Just make sure the stakes are high enough and he will find a way to get it done.

Entering the stage of his career that is normally a tennis player's peak, it isn't hard to believe he is likely to overtake the mark Federer is chasing, Pete Sampras' 14 Slams.

Nadal will chase a fifth straight French Open in four months before defending his Wimbledon title. Now that he is flushed with the extra confidence from knowing he can win Slams anywhere, it is hard to see how Nadal can be stopped.

Federer's tears told their own story – this is what happens when you get broken down by tennis' ultimate warrior.

Finals favor Federer

It is the dream matchup, the latest installment of the greatest head-to-head rivalry in individual sports.

Yet thanks to the unfair and boneheaded planning of the Australian Open organizers, the men's final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is in danger of being a bust.

Nadal's five-set marathon against Fernando Verdasco went into the early hours of Saturday morning and finished more than 24 hours after Federer's own semifinal victory over Andy Roddick.
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam to schedule semifinals on different days. In this instance, it has tilted the odds massively in favor of the Swiss maestro for the first Slam final of the year.

Federer has been magnificent ever since he survived a scare against Tomas Berdych in the fourth round, and he would have entered his showdown with Nadal as the favorite in any case. But what the tennis public deserves to see is these two brilliant warriors squaring off on even footing - not with one player receiving a huge advantage.

Federer has had since Thursday evening to rest up and prepare himself for the final, and he will have two days of freshness in his legs when he steps on court at Rod Laver Arena. As he prepares to go head to head with Nadal for the first time since losing that epic Wimbledon final last year, he could not have wished for a bigger edge to take into the match.

"It is an unbelievable opportunity for me, trying to beat the No. 1 player in the world and get my 14th Grand Slam," Federer said.

If Federer wins, he would match Pete Sampras' all-time career Slam record of 14 titles ... at the age of 27.

Nadal is competing for his sixth Slam, having won four straight times at the French Open plus Wimbledon in 2008.

The Spaniard is better equipped than anyone else in the game to recover from a grueling contest and bounce back strongly. His physical reserves are remarkable; while Verdasco looked utterly spent at the end of their semifinal, Nadal still seemed to have something in the tank.

But the farther things go against Federer, the more the odds must tilt away from Nadal. It is hard to imagine that he has another long five-setter in him, especially against a man who has enjoyed an extra day of relaxation.

Expect Federer to continue to ride his wave of momentum and win in four hard-fought sets.(By Martin Rogers)