Pacquiao, Hatton to fire "big guns" - Donaire

The Philippines' Nonito Donaire, who himself is seeing action on April 19 at the Araneta Coliseum when he defends his crown against unbeaten Raul “Cobra” Martinez, said the MGM Grand crowd in Las Vegas can expect an action-packed bout as he expects both heavy hitters to unload their “big guns” on fight night.

“They both have machine guns, I mean big guns, and for sure they will use them on fight night,” said the 26-year-old Filipino champ.

However, in terms of speed and skill the odds are stacked against the Hitman from Manchester, England, Donaire said.

Donaire noted that Hatton has a mannerism that might work in Pacquiao’s favor.

“He (Hatton) tends to throw combinations and then bob to the left,” observed Donaire.

That practice, according to him, will move the Briton away from Pacquiao’s pet left straight and force the Filipino to use his now-polished right hook.

“Hatton is also tall, Manny can very easily use his speed against him,” said Donaire.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said he plans to use the Filipino’s speed and quick footwork to stay out of Hatton’s range.

“Manny’s style doesn’t change a lot, but both opponents from these two last fights he is about to be or has been involved in—(Oscar) De La Hoya and Hatton—are both stronger, bigger guys, and we can’t stand in front of them,” Roach said.

Roach has packed his personal stuff and moved out of the Wild Card gym to give Pacquiao an exclusive training area. (Inquirer Sports)

Manny Pacquiao is best pound-for-pound fighter

The country’s pride, Manny Pacquiao has indeed reached the status that any Filipino boxer could only dream off, that of being one of the greatest boxers in the planet today.

As if holding four belts from different weight divisions at the same time, and with numerous sport committees and organizations granting awards and commendations left and right, the title best pound-for-pound fighter given to him by boxing experts has just become official.

That is because Sports Illustrated magazine has granted that honor to the Philippine hero, Pacquiao. The widely-read sports magazine came up with its latest pound-for-pound ranking, and at the top of list is our very own Pacquiao.

“Dazzling at whatever weight class he chooses to fight,” is how Sports Illustrated describes the Pacman.

Last year, Pacquiao fought in three different weight classes, and won all of them. From Juan Manuel Marquez (130 lbs), David Diaz (135 lbs) and Oscar dela Hoya (147 lbs). And on May 2, Pacman, who started at 106 lbs, will be facing off with British superstar Ricky Hatton (140 lbs) for the IBO light-welterweight crown.

Pacquiao’s victory over Hatton at the MGM Grand will give his fifth world title in different weight classes, including flyweight, super-bantam, super-feather and lightweight, and as Sports Illustrated wrote, “a win over Hatton all but guarantees a shot at a former pound-for-pound champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., who many feel is lurking in anticipation of a Pacquiao victory.”

Following Pacquiao on the list of pound-for-pound kings is one of his nemesis Mexican counter-puncher Manuel Marquez, the reigning lightweight champion and would definitely love to have a third chance on the Pinoy champ.

Experts say, a third fight is necessary to put the issue between Pacquiao and Marquez to rest. Their first match in 2004 ended in a controversial draw, and their March 2008 bout ended with a close decision.

Mosley eyes fight with Pacquiao

Shane Mosley is keen on fighting the winner of the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton showdown for the International Boxing Organization welterweight crown on May 2 in Las Vegas.

Especially if the victor turns out to be the Filipino ring icon.

“I’m very interested in that fight,” Mosley, the WBA welterweight champion, told Ricardo Lois of Examiner.com. “I really want that fight. Very good for the boxing world and the public, Manny Pacquiao being No. 1 in the pound for pound list.”

But the 37-year-old Mosley doesn’t want to go down to junior welterweight anymore, saying it would be very difficult for him to fight at 140 lb having fought at 154 in the past.

Mosley noted that Pacquiao and Hatton fought at 147 lb with contrasting results. Hatton absorbed his lone defeat from the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007 while Pacquiao stopped boxing’s poster boy Oscar De La Hoya in eight rounds last December.

If the fight with either Pacquiao or Hatton doesn’t work out, Mosley, a three-division world champion with a record of 46 wins, five losses and one no contest, spiked by 39 knockouts, said he is interested in having a rematch with Miguel Cotto.

Two years ago, Cotto beat Mosley by a close but unanimous decision.

The 5-foot-9 Mosley owns the distinction of besting De La Hoya, the world’s only six-division champion, twice.

After Hatton, Pacquiao is looking at two more fights before hanging up his gloves.

Among those prominently mentioned as possible opponents are Cotto, Mayweather Jr. WBO super featherweight champion Joan Guzman and Juan Manuel Marquez, who is raring for a third fight with Pacquiao after his ninth round stoppage of World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organization and International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Juan Diaz last month.

In their first meeting on May 8, 2004, Marquez battled back from three first round knockdowns to forge a controversial draw.

In their return bout last March 15, Pacquiao squeezed out a split decision victory over the 35-year-old Mexican to win the WBC super featherweight crown.(Roy Luarca)

Pacquiao: "I’ll take Hatton’s crown"

Manny Pacquiao has realized one of his long-cherished dreams: To breathe the moist air in faraway England.

Exactly two months from now, he will try to accomplish another. That is, to add the light welterweight crown—at the expense of British superstar Ricky Hatton—to his four previous world championship belts.

“My dream was to come here to England and it has come true,” Pacquiao told the British newspaper The Sunday Telegraph. “I also have the desire to take the light welterweight title, and it’s a big honor to be in another fight which the fans want to see.”

Pacquiao arrived in London on Saturday morning after a 16-hour flight and later faced Hatton for the first time at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

The event was a kickoff press conference-cum-fan rally for their “The East vs the West” title clash slated at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao will be after Hatton’s International Boxing Organization crown in that May 2 slugfest. The Ring Magazine has also announced that the winner of that bout will be the revered boxing magazine’s light welterweight kingpin.

Accompanied by lawyer Jeng Gacal and trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao took the 8:40 a.m. schedule on a first-class cabin where he talked to his family over the phone and had a calf massage, according to Internet reports.

Four cars were waiting for the Filipino’s entourage when they arrived in Manchester.

Pacquiao did not directly predict he will take out Hatton, who is also 30 years old like the Gen. Santos City southpaw, but admitted that winning is a must.

“Every time I fight, I have to win because millions of Filipinos are hoping for victory,” said Pacquiao, who wore a suit. “Millions of people look to me to win. I have to go out and give everything.”

Hatton was more optimistic in front of his countrymen who naturally made up majority of the estimated 6,000 fans.

“On May 2, I’ll be the new pound-for-pound king,” Hatton vowed. “I’ve never been beaten at 10 stone (140 lb). This is my weight. This is where I do best. I promise all my fans I’ll win for Manchester!”

To which Pacquiao retorted: “Good luck but I’m going to win it for the Philippines.” (By Romina Austria)

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)