The betting lines are now open for the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight.
And as expected, the early forecast points to the Filipino pound-for-pound champion as the strong favorite in their May 2 showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Sportsbook, the giant on-line betting station, placed the 30-year-old Pacquiao as a minus 225 favorite, meaning you need to shell out $225 to win a hundred bucks.
As of yesterday, Hatton, the pride of Manchester, is a plus 185 underdog in that a wager of $100 wins $185.
Pacquiao will be the challenger against Hatton, the reigning IBO light-welterweight champion, and will be gunning for his fifth world title in five different divisions.
Pacquiao has won world titles in the flyweight, super-bantamweight, super-featherweight and lightweight divisions – a first for any Asian boxer.
Technically he remains the WBC lightweight champ as he has yet to formally relinquish the title he won against David Diaz last June.
Pacquiao has been the favorite in his most recent fights, except for his “Dream Match” with Oscar dela Hoya last December.
For that fight against boxing’s Golden Boy, Pacquiao started out as a plus 175 underdog but as the fight drew closer, he came as close to plus 135. Dela Hoya, from minus 210, went down to minus 165.