HOLLYWOOD – Isa lamang ang dahilan upang matalo si Manny Pacquiao sa laban niya kay Ricky Hatton. At ito ay alam ng kanyang promoter na si Bob Arum.
“I’m not saying he would lose but he could lose,” anang chief ng Top Rank Promotions, na nagsabi kung papaano tatapusin ni Pacquiao, ang pound-for-pound champion ang dating pound-for-pound champion.
“What is Manny’s strength? Speed. So if he fights the fight capitalizing on his strength there’s no way that Hatton can beat him,” ani Arum.
“However, if he does what the other elite fighters do, like Sugar Ray Leonard when he fought (Roberto) Duran,” pag-alala ni Arum sa 1980 showdown sa pagitan ng dalawang alamat sa Olympic Stadium sa Quebec, Canada.
Si Leonard, ang mas mabilis ay nilabanan si Duran at natalo sa 15-round unanimous decision. At natuto sa kanyang kamalian, tinalo ni Leonard si Duran ng dalawang beses sa mga sunod na taon.
“It’s like if Pacquiao says that Ricky Hatton is stronger than him so he’ll show him that he’s stronger. And he gets into that kind of a fight then that’s a fight he could lose,” wika ni Arum.
Ngunit sinabi ni Arum na hindi dapat mahulog sa bitag sina Pacquiao at ang kanyang trainer na si Freddie Roach.
“I think Manny is very very clever in the ring,” aniya pa.
“Freddie is clever. I think they will keep Manny on script. He’s got to use his speed and if he does that there’s one winner.” (Abac Cordero)