DiBella mas pinaboran si Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Sa pagitan ng kanyang dalawang paboritong fighters sa kasalukuyan, si Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao ang pinili ni American boxing promoter Lou DiBella kaysa kay Briton world light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton.

Sa panayam ni Dennis Principe sa kanyang “Sports Chat” sa DZSR Sports Radio kahapon mula sa United States, sinabi ni DiBella na mas mabilis at mas malakas si “Pacman” kumpara kay “Hitman”.

“I think Manny is a little too fast and Manny is a little too good for Ricky,” wika ng pangulo ng DiBella Entertainment. “I expect to see the best pound-for-pound king (Pacquiao) slay the pound-for-pound fighter (Hatton).”

Si DiBella ang tumulong kay Pacquiao para makasagupa nito si Lehlo Ledwaba kung saan tinalo ng tubong General Santos ang South African via sixth-round TKO para agawin ang suot nitong International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight crown noong Hunyo 23 ng 2001 sa MGM Grand Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Ang naturang undercard sa laban ni Oscar Dela Hoya ang kauna-unahang US exposure ni Pacquiao. 

Kontra sa 30-anyos na si Hatton, ang kasalukuyang International Boxing Organization (IBO) light welterweight titlist, sinabi ni DiBella na si Pacquiao ang mananalo sa pamamagitan ng knockout o unanimous decision.

 “I love Ricky Hatton but I just think that Manny is too much for him. It will be a strong and more competitive fight and I expect Manny Pacquiao to clearly win either by late stoppage or a clear decision,” ani DiBella. 

Inaasahan naman ni American trainer Freddie Roach na gagamitin ni Hatton ang kanyang ‘dirty tactics’ laban kay Pacquiao sa kanilang mega-fight sa Mayo 2 sa MGM Grand. 

“Hatton is much younger, a more vibrant guy, and will give us more difficulties,” ani Roach. “He will come and truly believe in himself. And he is kind of a rough fighter who will come in with shoulders and elbows, and try to mug us a little bit. It’s a different style to Oscar but we will train for it and get in the right sparring partners.” (Russell Cadayona)