Too bad they aren't fighting this evening.
If there is one thing I've never liked about boxing it is the day-ahead weigh-in, particularly for a fight like this. Neither fighter will be near the light welterweight limit of 140 come Saturday night. Pacquiao will be closer to 148, which was what he weighed in knocking Oscar De La Hoya into retirement last December.
Hatton, whose one advantage in this fight is he is naturally bigger than Pacquiao, will work between the official weigh-in Friday and the opening bell Saturday night to emphasize he is the bigger man in the ring. He will beef up in the hours in between with plenty of protein and step into the ring Saturday probably weighing more than 150. Rumor was that he had trouble getting down to the max of 140 to begin with. He denied the accusation.
Getting bigger doesn't always work to a fighter's advantage, which was supposedly what did in Roberto Duran in his infamous No Mas bout with Sugar Ray Leonard. He spent the hours between weighing in and the opening bell beefing up on steak and orange juice and suffered diarrhea, along with some well-placed fists.
There isn't any chance, of course, that boxing will ever change this method of weigh-in. Promoters can't afford to have a guy not make weight just before stepping into the ring, which would force a nullification of whatever crown the fight was for or, at worst, force the cancellation of the bout.
But if Hatton has a decided size advantage in this fight and uses it to win this fight, then this fight won't be right. It'll be a super welterweight fight disguised as a light welterweight one, which isn't what we're being sold.
Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, and a former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He lives in Silver Spring, Md.
Pacquiao-Hatton Photos
LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Terry Mirlow, of London, holds a British flag as he cheers on Ricky Hatton of England after the weigh-in for Hatton's junior welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Terry Mirlow
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Host/actor Mario Lopez attends the weigh-in for the junior welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mario Lopez
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Host/actor Mario Lopez attends the weigh-in for the junior welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mario Lopez
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: (L-R) Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England shake hands after both fighters stepped on the scale during the weigh-in for their junior welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Pacquiao;Ricky Hatton
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Retired boxer/promoter Oscar De La Hoya attends the weigh-in for the junior welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Oscar De La Hoya
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: (L-R) Humberto Soto of Mexico and Benoit Gaudet of Canada pose after their weigh-in for their super featherweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Humberto Soto;Benoit Gaudet
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: A fan of boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines holds up a sign before the start of the weigh-in for Pacquiao's junior welterweight title fight against Ricky Hatton of England at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Ricky Hatton of England answers questions from host/actor Mario Lopez after Hatton stepped on the scale at 140 pounds during the weigh-in for his junior welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ricky Hatton;Mario Lopez
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Ricky Hatton of England steps on the scale at 140 pounds during the weigh-in for his junior welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ricky Hatton
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 01: Ricky Hatton of England looks up to the crowd after he weighed-in at 140 pounds during the weigh-in for his junior welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ricky Hatton
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-01-2009 @ 10:10PM
DM said...
Ricky looks so sickly in these pictures while Manny looks fresh as always. I think Ricky is in trouble already.
Reply
5-02-2009 @ 12:52AM
siddharth said...
DM agree with you, totally. Pacman looks a lot fresher and I feel pacman will be so ,much more faster at that weight, it will be hard for hatton to cath him. I don't take anything away from Ricky a well palced body shot could very well end pacmans run. We will have t owait and see what happens.
Reply
5-02-2009 @ 7:59AM
ddkrspence said...
Just like mayweather did to hatton, I think Pacman will do the same. Hatton's skills or lack of them, will be his downfall. He's a brawler, not a boxer, whereas Pacman will use his skill and strenght to KO hatton. Hatton could get a lucky punch in, but it would only be by luck that he wins. Mayweather danced around a lot, but Pacman will stay in and duke it out, which could give an opportunity to hatton for a lucky punch.
Reply
5-02-2009 @ 10:33AM
xparaman said...
I think you might be a bit surprised to see Hatton knock out Packman. He is training with one of the best, Mayweather is the top trainer, and knows the business. He would not waste his time to train a loser. Hatton is a bulldog, and will be in Packmans face the whole fight. This is not an aged and slowed Oscar he will be fighting, this is a man with a mission, and he will give Packman all he wants and more.
Reply
5-02-2009 @ 12:45PM
jazzmom15 said...
nothing "unfair" about this at all. All fighters practice this technique and exploit it to the best of their body`s abilities. Just like all other aspects of training and prepping. The author needs to shut his misguided, whiny mouth.
Reply
5-02-2009 @ 2:02PM
honeyb4ud said...
Although I'm a Pacquiao fan and would want him to win but I have a feeling this fight is on Hatton's side.
Reply
5-02-2009 @ 4:57PM
earsstinks said...
I hope Manny kicks the Brits arse !
Reply