MANILA, Philippines - Sa pinakabagong isyu ng popular na The Ring magazine, 17 boxing experts ang naniniwalang si Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao ang mananalo sa kanilang world light welterweight championship fight ni Briton Ricky Hatton via knockout.
Sa 20 personalidad na tinanong kung sino sa kanilang palagay ang mananaig sa pagitan nina Pacquiao at Hatton, 17 rito ang pumanig sa tubong General Santos City, samantalang tatlo naman ang kumampi sa pambato ng Manchester, England.
Kabilang sa mga pumili kay Pacquiao ay sina Paulie Malignaggi at Luis Collazo, ang dalawang boksingerong pinakahuling tinalo ng 30-anyos na si Hatton, at si dating world lightweight champion David Diaz.
Kumampi naman kay Hatton sina Steve Bunch (television commentator), Mark Collings (Esquire UK) at Stuart Brennan (Manchester Evening News) sa pamamagitan ng late-round stoppage kay “Pacman”.
Naniniwala naman si American tyrainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr. na kakaibang “Hitman” ang makakasagupa ni Pacquiao sa Mayo 2 sa MGM Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Ricky is a much better fighter than before, you can see a big difference in him,” ani Mayweather sa panayam ng BBC Sport.com. “He is a real fast learner and is one of the best students I ever had. He had quality but no-one brought it out of him.”
Si Mayweather ang gumiya kay Hatton sa panalo kina Malignaggi at Collazo.
“This is just our second camp working together and he does a tremendous job. It has been very nice working with Ricky. He’s a genuine person and we are pretty close but we are totally different and opposites attract,” ani Mayweather kay Hatton.
“We are like night and day but he understands and respects me and I understand and respect him.
“As long as we keep things like that we will have a real nice relationship,” dagdag pa ng ama ni world five-division titlist Floyd “Pretty Boy” May-weather, Jr., ang tanging boksingerong tumalo kay Hatton. (Russell Cadayona)