Valero kukunin ni Hatton na ka-ispar

MANILA, Philippines - Kung kukuha ang kampo ni Briton world light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton ng sparring partner, sisiguraduhin na nilang kaestilo ito ni Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

At sino pa nga ba ang nasa isipan nina trainers Floyd Mayweather, Sr. at Lee Beard kundi si Venezuelan knockout artist Edwin Valero, ang World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight titlist. 

“I think the only one that’s near to Pacquiao in terms of style is Edwin Valero and thats who I’d like to see us get in,” wika ni Beard sa sariling boxing website ni Hatton na rickyhatton.com. “I think that if you can adjust to him then its the closest thing you can get to Pacquiao and his record would suggest he hits as hard if not harder than Manny.”

Ang 27-anyos na si Valero ay kinuha ng 36-anyos na si Oscar Dela Hoya bilang sparring partner sa kanyang paghahanda sa kanilang non-title welterweight fight ng 30-anyos na si Pacquiao noong Disyembre 6.  

Ngunit isang sesyon lamang ang itinagal ni Valero, may malinis na 24-0-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 24 KOs, matapos mapuruhan si Dela Hoya na natalo kay Pacquiao via eight-round TKO.

Nakatakdang harapin ni Valero, katulad ni Pacquiao ay nasa bakuran rin ng Top Rank Promotions ni Bob Arum, si Colombian fighter Antonio Pitalua para sa World Boxing Council (WBC) interim lightweight title sa Abril 4 sa San Antonio, Texas.

Para sa preparasyon ni Hatton, sinabi ni Beard na sapat na ang halos dalawang buwan na pagsasanay para sa mega-fight nito kay Pacquiao sa MGM Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Around five weeks or so is an ideal amount of time as it gives you time to adjust and get into Vegas time as well as having plenty of time for hard training. Any longer and it starts to grate on you a little,” sabi ni Beard kay Hatton.

 Kumpara sa pagsasara ni American trainer Freddie Roach sa kanyang Wild Card Boxing Gym sa Los Angeles, California para sa pagtutok sa training ni Pacquiao, iba naman ang istilo ng kampo ni Hatton.

“For Ricky I don’t think it benefits him mentally, some people like to be away from everything and some don’t,” ani Beard. “If Ricky was locked up for a long time it would drive him crazy and he wouldn’t be in the right place mentally if he was there any longer than say six weeks but that’s just my opinion.” (Russell Cadayona)