Manny Pacquiao - the new king of Boxing

Floyd Mayweather Jr. took his daughter bowling Saturday night after announcing his return to the ring. Good thing, because if he had seen Manny Pacquiao fight he might have figured out what boxing fans now know _ that the future of boxing lies in the furious fists of a most unlikely new superstar.
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Had he been watching, Mayweather might have been as stunned at what he saw as his estranged father seemed to be in Ricky Hatton's corner. Fighters just aren't supposed to do the kind of things Pacquiao did to Hatton in 5 minutes and 59 seconds of utter domination before a thrilled crowd at the MGM Grand hotel.

All Mayweather can do now is get in line. The road to greatness now runs through a fighter who truly does let his fists do the talking.

"If Mayweather wants a piece of the little Filipino, just be my guest," promoter Bob Arum crowed when it was all over.

That's not likely to happen right away, but the odds are good it will happen eventually. There's too much money involved for it not to.

But give Pacquiao Round 1 already. On a day when Mayweather tried to steal his thunder by unretiring, Pacquiao went into the ring and showed why he is the most exciting thing to happen to boxing in a long, long time.

He didn't just beat Hatton. Didn't just knock him out.

He demolished a world class fighter who had never lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds, and he did it with such precision and ease that the talk afterward wasn't whether Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but whether he might be one of the best ever.

A right hook _ a punch most southpaws don't even have _ started it all, dropping Hatton midway through the first round. A left cross that may be one of the greatest single punches ever thrown in a big fight ended it with a dramatic flourish.

When it was over, Hatton was sprawled motionless on his back in the center of the ring. Pacquiao and his corner were celebrating and the sellout crowd was trying to digest what they had just seen.

And Mayweather was at a bowling alley somewhere trying to pick up a spare.

A few hours earlier, Mayweather had declared that "The king is back" and said he was ready to reclaim his title as the best pound-for-pound fighter. But boxing has a new king in an unassuming fighter so good that he won his last four fights in four different weight classes.

It's a remarkable story even in a sport where tales of rags-to-riches are commonplace. There was a time when Pacquiao lived in a cardboard shack in his native Philippines, and there didn't seem anything special about him when he fought his first fight there at 106 pounds in 1995.

But he began growing and started knocking people out. He hooked up with trainer Freddie Roach and learned how to use his right hand as well as his left.

He sent Oscar De La Hoya into retirement, and may have done the same to Hatton.

And he's such a hero at home that there's talk of him running for president.

Boxing fans have responded by embracing Pacquiao, filling every seat at the MGM Grand and spending $49.95 for the pay-per-view to watch him fight from home. With good reason, because he gives fight fans what they want to see.

While Mayweather plays the villain with great success, Pacquiao comes across as a humble fighter who cares about nothing except doing his job, then getting together with his band as he did after stopping Hatton to make some music. He's fairly fluent in English and makes a point of speaking it instead of relying on a translator, and he acts like a professional in everything he does in boxing.

Most importantly, though, he comes to fight. Oh, does he come to fight.

"He has the opportunity to become the best I've ever promoted," said Arum, who promoted Muhammad Ali and Marvelous Marvin Hagler among others. "Other fights reach a certain level and they think they know everything and never get better. Not Manny. He's always learning."

Pacquiao brought his mother over from the Philippines for her first trip to the United States, but she couldn't bear to watch her son fight. Instead, she stayed in a hotel suite praying for his success and health.

Pacquiao vs Hatton Predictions

Manny Pacquiao's performance against Oscar De La Hoya was magnificent but De La Hoya was as shot as Freddie Roach, Pacquaio's trainer and De La Hoya's ex-trainer, predicted that he would be. In his most recent meaningful fights against top-notch opponents, I thought he lost in a very close fight against Juan Manuel Marquez and he wasn't at his best in a rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera. If Ricky Hatton can get to him like Marquez did, he could make it difficult for Pacquiao but I see Pacquiao's footwork and hand speed being too much for Hatton. As much as beating that version of De La Hoya was not an accurate barometer of Pacquiao, Hatton's victory over Paulie Malignaggi in his last fight was also illusory, his struggle against Juan Lazcano more indicative of Hatton's inevitable decline because of bad living. His bravery will not be enough in the face of so much precise punching and Pacquiao will win inside eight rounds.

I think Pacquiao is at his peak coming in to the fight this weekend. His speed and accuracy will put him over the top and he'll cement his spot as the sports pound-for-pound king. Prediction: Pacquiao over Hatton by KO in the 8th.

Pacquiao vs Hatton Simulation

The hotly anticipated title bout between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao on Sunday has captured the imagination of the boxing public for its intriguing uncertainties as much its high quality.

Connoisseurs of the sport cannot wait to find out whether Hatton's raw power can overcome Pacquiao's lightning speed when the Briton defends his IBO light-welterweight belt.

While Filipino southpaw Pacquiao is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, he has never competed in the 140-pound division where Hatton is the undisputed king.

"I respect Manny for his skills and power but I think he should be a bit more worried about my power," Hatton said in the build-up to the showdown at the MGM Grand Hotel.

"He's had one fight about 135 pounds and that was against Oscar (De La Hoya). He's a southpaw, he's got his hand speed and his footwork so I'm aware of the dangers.

"But he should certainly be worried about my power. Manny has won world titles in different weight divisions but down there."

Hatton, 45-1 (32 KOs), has relished his billing as the underdog, with Las Vegas bookmakers and most boxing pundits having long installed Pacquiao as favourite to win the 12-round contest.

"I think you have all made your mind up already," the 30-year-old told reporters.

"I have been reading what you have been saying and what everyone has been saying. That doesn't scare me. I have been the underdog before.

"I hear what you say: 'He is an over-hyped, over-protected, fat beer-drinking Englishman'. Guess what..... that 'he' is going to shock the world again."

Pacquiao, who outclassed 10 times world champion De La Hoya in December to confirm his reputation as the sport's best pound-for-pound fighter, has mutual respect for Hatton.

"He's a strong fighter, a good fighter and he's quick," said Pacquiao, who is also 30 and has the nickname 'Pac-man'.