Matapos maitakda ang petsa, pumayag na kahapon si Briton world light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton na gawin sa Las Vegas, Nevada ang kanilang upakan ni Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao.
Ito ang inihayag kahapon ni Richard Schaefer, ang Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ng Golden Boy Promotions, hinggil sa napagkasunduan nila ni Hatton.
“Ricky’s preference was the U.K., but he’s realized that was not the best place for this fight, just like the Philippines wasn’t,” wika ni Schaefer sa tubong Manchester, England na si Hatton. “This is right in the middle.”
Nauna rito, naitakda na nina Schaefer at Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions sa Mayo 2 ang salpukan ng parehong 30-anyos na sina Pacquiao at Hatton.
“Being at 147 was clearly not Hatton’s best weight; Ricky’s unbeaten at 140,” sabi ni Schaefer sa angkop na weight division ni Hatton, ang kasalukuyang International Boxing Organization (IBO) light welterweight champion.
Nanggaling si Hatton sa isang 11th-round TKO kay challenger Paulie Malignaggi noong Nobyembre 22 para sa matagumpay niyang title defense, habang umiskor naman si Pacquiao ng isang eight-round stoppage kay Oscar Dela Hoya sa kanilang non-title welterweight fight noong Disyembre 6.
Samantala, posibleng hindi na sa HBO isaere ang Pacquiao-Hatton megafight, ayon kay Arum.
Gusto ni Arum na ibigay sa Showtime ang pay-per-view ng banggaan nina Pacquiao at Hatton kaagapay ang CBS sa pagpopromote ng nasabing laban kagaya ng ginawang pre-fight show na “24/7” ng HBO kina Pacquiao at Dela Hoya.
“Legally, we’re free to negotiate with Showtime for this fight, and we will next week in New York,” ani Arum. “This is being talked about seriously. In order for boxing to prosper, it has to be on free network TV. CBS, because of its relationship with Showtime, is best positioned to be the network that does this. CBS president Les Moonves is a huge fight fan.”
Kabilang sa mga isinaere ng HBO ay ang labanang Pacquiao-Dela Hoya, Hatton-Floyd Mayweather, Jr. at ang record-setting na De La Hoya-Mayweather bout noong Mayo ng 2007. (Russell Cadayona)