Manny Pacquiao Watched Ricky Hatton, Says 'I'm Just Focused on Oscar De La Hoya'

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After Ricky Hatton defeated Paulie Malignaggi on Saturday night, attention immediately turned to a possible 2009 superfight between Hatton and the winner of the December 6 Manny Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya fight.

But for Pacquiao's part, he's not thinking about Hatton just yet.

"I watched the fight between Hatton and Malignaggi," Pacquiao told me today. "I'm ready to fight Hatton but right now I'm just focused on my next fight and I don't want to do something that would affect my training for my next fight."

Still, Pacquiao, who is widely regarded as the world's top pound-for-pound boxer, said he expects that his first fight of 2009 will be at junior welterweight, which just happens to be Hatton's weight class.

"My plan right now is to go to 140," Pacquiao said.

There's talk that a fight between Hatton and the De La Hoya-Pacquiao winner would take place at Wembley Stadium, where 100,000 people would be in attendance. That would make it one of the greatest spectacles in the history of boxing, a sport that once routinely sold out venues like Yankee Stadium and Soldier Field but is now usually confined to smaller arenas and casinos.

Pacquiao, however, says all his energy is focused on getting ready for the De La Hoya fight.

"I've had a great training camp," Pacquiao said. "I'm very happy. This is the hardest I've trained in my boxing career and it's the biggest fight of my boxing career. ... Pressure is there but it gives me more motivation to train hard for this fight."

Pacquiao needs to train hard because he's fighting a much larger man in De La Hoya. But Pacquiao said he hasn't made any drastic changes in his diet or workout regimen to get himself prepared to move up from lightweight to welterweight.

"We haven't changed our training," Pacquiao said. "There's no changes for this camp."

Pacquiao took time out from his training camp yesterday and gave away 500 Thanksgiving turkeys to fans at the Lake Street Park in Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles. Asked why that was important enough to him to take time out of his busy training schedule, Pacquiao said, "I believe if you get the blessing of God, you have to give to others."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-24-2008 @ 5:16PM

L.A. Martinez` said...

Pacquiao is going to squash Delahoya

11-25-2008 @ 8:29PM

roland said...

Ambot lng..........maau unta kaloy an siya sa ni Lord............

11-24-2008 @ 10:02PM

frank said...

De la Hoya is too big for Manny ;
Remember, Manny is going up 4 weights instead
De la Hoya is coming DOWN 2 ;
Too much weight difference and De la Hoya
knows that, so he is a fake ;
Manny is for real but he will loose because
of the astronomical difference in weight;

11-25-2008 @ 2:51AM

punol said...

Here is a better logic, correct me if I'm wrong, "in gaining weight you gain power, but in losing weight you lose power,.. if you increase your hp, result is more power and if reducing your hp, results is reduce your power. AGREE?

11-25-2008 @ 2:11AM

adsfafaf said...

manny will eat the golden girl alive!

11-25-2008 @ 3:32AM

Jonn said...

I pray Manny will win so that he will clash with Hatton who I think would kiss to canvass if he'll face the Pacman. But, though I am doubtful that he will win against dela hoya given the height disadvantage, I still believe that Manny could shock the world again like he did in the past. That is actually the biggest talent of Manny-the ability to do the impossible.

11-25-2008 @ 3:39AM

I just hope ODLH will fight as a Mixican warrior as he claimed being a Mixican, so my prediction will be TKO in the med-later round by Manny, due to either cut stoppage of referee decision no mas. but if ODLH adopt the PBF Jr. style with a running shoes, capitalizing his reach advantage not to get hit,and just to gain points,then MP will have a hard time chasing his foe, and if ODHL will last to survive the rest of 12 rounds, maybe then he'll get a SD. yet my money is on MP, I believe in you MANNY BOY to end OSKIE MANS PRIDE.

11-25-2008 @ 3:55AM

snoopdog26 said...

frank, Manny going up in 4 weights? lol lightweight to welterweight bro just 2 weights. Same as Oscar. But Oscar is too big for Manny. I'll give Manny 50% chance of winning.

11-25-2008 @ 4:16AM

egdo said...

De La Hoya is too much 4 pacquiao

11-25-2008 @ 3:54PM

xMe said...

Pacquiao is too much for De La Hoya

ODLH had a hard time fighting south paw, and those with styles like Mayweather. Manny is far better than Mayweather when is comes to defense. In addition, Manny’s punching power & quickness. ODLH might absolved lots of Manny’s punches, but can only stand so much. ODLH is always standing in front of his opponent. Big mistake!

11-25-2008 @ 1:00PM

123mrd said...

powerwise, pretty even. sizewise, odlh has the advantage but pm makes up for his speed. strategy, stamina and heart will mainly play in either boxers' win. but public is sure winner as this fight, being a fight of intelligence, will go down in history as boxing textbook.

11-26-2008 @ 9:05PM

MexicanHater said...

I just think that this ODLH will bend his knees and beg to stop the fight.. in my prediction, manny has the most advantages, speed heart, power to knock ODLH on the canvass. The only difference is that ODLH has the height and reach advantage. but for some reason, i think he cant use that advantage on manny coz manny is versatile.. he knows what to do.. go manny! lets beat the odds. :)