Pacquiao the Destroyer Rules Ring

Posted May 03, 2009 1:56AM By Kevin Blackistone (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Boxing

LAS VEGAS -- At the end of the day, it wasn't that Floyd Mayweather Jr. failed to do what it appeared he'd done earlier Saturday, which was steal the thunder from the first big pay-per-view boxing event of the year by announcing his much-rumored return to the ring from a 17-month respite. Mayweather's Saturday afternoon press conference did, indeed, overshadow the junior-welterweight championship bout scheduled Saturday night between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton.

But something transpired Saturday evening that even Mayweather couldn't have anticipated. Pacquiao snatched back everyone's attention, stealing back his own thunder, with a second-round knockout of Hatton that was so devastating it left some observers temporarily in fear for Hatton's well-being. It was nothing sort of Tyson-esque

VIDEO: Pacquiao Knocks Out Hatton

Pacquiao landed a perfect left hook on Hatton's chin just before the bell sounded. It turned off Hatton's senses and left him lying on his back as if about to be wheeled away on a gurney. It was several minutes before he was revived and brought to his feet. He was later whisked to a hospital for examination.

"I told Ricky don't get discouraged by this because there's nobody out there who can beat this little Filipino," Bob Arum boasted when it was all over. "Oscar De La Hoya on his best night couldn't beat Manny Pacquiao."

It wasn't just Pacquiao's final punch, however, that made everyone take notice. It was his utter domination of Hatton in the five minutes and 59 seconds that Hatton lasted with him between the ropes.

Hatton never had a chance. Hatton didn't even look like he belonged. He looked like the glorified club fighter some boxing lifers suggested he was all along.

Pacquiao-Hatton Photos

Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, right, laughs with trainer Freddie Roach at a news conference after Pacquiao beat British boxer Ricky Hatton by TKO in the second round of their junior welterweight title boxing match Saturday, May 2, 2009, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/ Jae C. Hong)

LAS VEGAS - MAY 02: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines looks down at referee Kenny Bayless counting after Ricky Hatton of England was knocked down in the first round during their junior welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 2, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Pacquiao;Ricky Hatton;Kenny Bayless

Getty Images

Referee Kenny Bayless counts to British boxer Ricky Hatton, center, after he was knocked down by Manny Pacquiao, far left, of the Philippines in the second round of their junior welterweight title boxing match Saturday, May 2, 2009, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won by TKO in the second round. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

British boxer Ricky Hatton hits the mat after he was knocked down by Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, during the first round of their junior welterweight boxing match Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won the fight by TKO in the second round. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, throws a left to British boxer Ricky Hatton, right, during the first round of their junior welterweight boxing match Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won by TKO in the second round. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

British boxer Ricky Hatton is knocked down by Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, during the first round of their junior welterweight boxing match Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won the match by TKO in the second round. (AP Photo/ Isaac Brekken )

Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, follows through with a right hand to British boxer Ricky Hatton during the first round of their junior welterweight boxing match Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao wins by TKO in the second round. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Ricky Hatton's girlfriend Jennifer Dooley attends the Junior Welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2, 2009 in Las Vegas. Pacquiao stopped Hatton in the second round to match a boxing record by taking a title in his sixth different weight class. AFP PHOTO/GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

If it wasn't for the record of 45-1 with 32 KOs that Hatton brought into the ring, Pacquiao would stand to be criticized after this spectacle for having taken on a bum of the month. That is how completely he dismantled Hatton.

"Manny makes me look good," Freddie Roach said. "I'm the best trainer in the world because I have the best fighter in the world. He listens. He's getting better all the time. Anybody in the world, he can beat them all."

Hatton tried to bully the smaller Pacquiao when the fight started, and it didn't work. He tried to trade punches with Pacquiao, and it didn't work. He came forward and got knocked back and got knocked down, twice in the first round. He was out of options by the second round. Pacquiao's KO punch was a humanitarian gesture. It spared Hatton further damage in a third round.

Hatton couldn't throw a punch without being hit, which was something his trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., said he tried to teach Hatton to do. If Pacquiao made Roach look like the best trainer in the world, Hatton did the opposite for Mayweather.

There hasn't been such a lopsided championship fight between two highly regarded champions in many a year.

"I hope you enjoyed the show," Pacquiao told the media and his fans afterward, looking as fresh as when he entered the ring.

"Nothing personal," he said of his vanquished opponent.

The undisputed best pound-for-pound fighter in the world then said he was headed to a club for an evening of singing.

I'm more interested in the song Mayweather will sing now in the wake of the human tsunami's latest leveling of humankind. Anything short of accepting the challenge put down by Pacquiao on Saturday night will be a sour note.

Pacquiao left Mayweather without excuse. Mayweather can't say there is a bigger money fight for him as he said when so many wanted to see him fight Antonio Margarito. There isn't. Oscar De La Hoya reiterated to me on Saturday at Mayweather's press conference that he has no desire to resume his career between the ropes.

Mayweather can't say there is some other title he'd rather pursue because the 140s is where all the credibility is at. De La Hoya compared the 140s now to its last heyday back in the '80s when Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns were all trading leather, wins, losses and knockouts.

The bottom line is that Mayweather, who announced Saturday that he would return to the ring July 18 against Juan Manuel Marquez, needs to make a date with Pacquiao. Before Pacquiao destroyed Hatton, I would have suggested September as a perfect date. With Hatton being examined in a hospital, I'd understand if Mayweather wanted to get another fight under his belt and hold off till November. Any later and I'll start to wonder.

Pacquiao isn't ready to rest.

"If [Miguel] Cotto wants to come down a few pounds, we can make that happen," Roach declared. "If Shane Mosley wants to come down, we can make that happen."

Mosley was seated a few chairs away on the stage in the press room when Roach invited his participation. Mosley didn't flinch but he didn't jump to sign a contract, either.

"I can fight anybody," Pacquiao assured.

He was being modest. Pacquiao can beat anyone. We can only hope Mayweather steps up to prove him wrong or steal back the thunder that was once his.

DYST V3 test

LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Mo Williams #2 takes a shoe to the face by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a steal in the closing seconds of the first half at The Quicken Loans Arena on February 8, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images)

David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images

Brazil's Diogo (L) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Hernan Perez during their U-20 South American Championship football match in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela on February 8, 2009.(Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images )

Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images

A Dalmatian looks at its handler as a judge goes to touch the dog during the first day of the 2009 Westminster Dog Show in New York February 9, 2009.(Lucas Jackson, Reuters)

Lucas Jackson, Reuters

Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson touches his head during a time out in the first half of their NBA basketball game with the New Jersey Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey February 7, 2009. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)

Ray Stubblebine, Reuters

Margarita Marbler, of Austria, skis to a bronze medal finish the ladies moguls freestyle FIS World Cupskiing qualification at Cypress mountain in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. (Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP)

Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP

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Don Wright, AP

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Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT

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Al Bello, Getty Images

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Petr Josek, Reuters

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

5-03-2009 @ 2:59AM

Niv said...

Well I felt Pacquiao was going to outbox Hatton and win a late round TKO, but this KO is unbelievable.

Let there be no doubt Paquiao is the best boxer in the world today.

5-03-2009 @ 3:52PM

dinohealth said...

UNBELIEVABLE IS RIGHT! IF YOU CAN'T "THROW A PUNCH WITHOUT BEING HIT", YOU DO NOT BELONG THERE! HATTON WAS A BUM! I JUST SAW ANOTHER BS FIGHT WITH A LOT OF BUILD-UP AND LITTLE DELIVERY! ANYBODY THAT BELIEVES THIS IS BOXING IS VERY NAIVE! WELL, I GUESS WE ARE MOVING CLOSER TO ANOTHER BIG PAYDAY WITH FLOYD MAYWEATHER COMING BACK! ALREADY THE HYPE IS IN KB'S ARTICLE! WHAT A BUNCH OF CROCK! SHAME ON YOU, KEVIN! I GUESS PAGE'S DEATH WAS NO BIG DEAL WHEN WE WERE BUSY HYPING THE NEXT BIG PAYDAY!

5-03-2009 @ 7:28PM

dockre said...

pacquiao is best fighter ever lived! that's it!

5-03-2009 @ 6:13AM

smarteex1 said...

I got to watch it live on PayPerView, but I had to watch the several times more to see just how fast PacMan was. 2 rounds, 1 big punch, 0 consciousness for Hatton. I knew Pac was going to win, but I didn't expect this kind of win.

Unbelieveable.

5-03-2009 @ 12:56PM

Max said...

"Pacquiao is the best fighter ever lived!" - Bob Arum.

Floyd Gayweather might be scared now. You're next man. And please tell your dad to shut his big mouth! Because he's nothing compare to roach.

Long live PAC-MAN!!!

5-03-2009 @ 9:39AM

bobetj7 said...

That was a knockout befitting of the heavyweight division

5-03-2009 @ 11:57AM

Ed said...

No one can match the ferocious slugger and powerful mighty Pacman. Mosley's division will be the last destiny of the mighty man from Gensan. Cotto, Mosley and greedy Mayweather just prepare yourselves.

5-03-2009 @ 9:32PM

RyRy said...

i really hope you don't think pacman has any chance of dominating fighters like mosley or cotto. if you do, you are no better than all those other blind pacquiao fans who praise him like a god and refuse to accept the fact that there have been better fighters in history.

5-03-2009 @ 2:07PM

mike25558 said...

PACMAN IS MADE FOR MAYWEATHER PACMAN WILL GET
CUT UP MAYWEATHER WILL BEAT THE DOG DOOKIE
OUT OF HIM

5-04-2009 @ 12:03PM

warrior8492 said...

ya rite my dude PACMAN will destroy mayweather. PACMAN is jus too quick for mayweather. mayweather is jus goin to be another hatten that PACMAN has to figh

5-03-2009 @ 2:10PM

PACKMAN FOUGHT A OLD WASHED UP OSCAR AND A PUNCH
DRUNK SLOW ON FEET AND HANDS HATTON.
MAYWEATHER WILL DETROY PACMAN HIS FIGHTING STYLE IS MADE FOR MAYWEATHER

5-03-2009 @ 9:30PM

it's funny that freddie roach is calling people out to COME DOWN in weight, instead of having his fighter, "who can beat anybody in the world", go up in weight. ya, pacquiao can beat anybody in the world.......if they go down to his weight. it's one thing to beat a man who hadn't been down to 147 in years and refused to fight back(de la hoya) and a man who has a knack for getting knocked out when facing elite competition(hatton). its a completely different issue when you fight someone who has made EVERY opponent look bad, if not worse than how they usually perform. if mayweather takes out JMM, something pacquiao is not capable of doing, we'll see if he manny is still "undisputed" pound for pound king.

5-03-2009 @ 10:45PM

sjmarkets said...

Pacman is the champion and big money maker. If you want a piece of him, you should come to his terms, plain and simple or shut the f*****up.

5-03-2009 @ 10:49PM

Manny is the champ and money maker, If you a piece of him? You should come to his terms plain and simple or shut the f******>

5-04-2009 @ 1:16AM

arbreyes said...

another sore loser!! nobody gave pacquiao any chance to beat dela hoya except us and i'm not sure you can say to those hattonites that their idol has a knack for going down when facing elite competition. Yet, pacman demolish them both, annihilated them, whom your idol gayweather wasn't able to do (since you have a knack for comparing fighters they have faced) and one more thing, the fight is still scheduled on july so you cannot be sure of what can happen, jmm is still a very dangerous fighter....one more thing and to tell you frankly, i am sure pacman can dominate mosley and cotto whom your fighter refused to fight, loser!!!

5-04-2009 @ 1:42PM

jgc711 said...

mayweather might not even win against jmm...

5-03-2009 @ 11:32PM

Jun Abines said...

Hatton was KOd in 2 by Pacman while Mayweather needed nearly 12 rounds to do the job.

Delahoya was out TKOd in 8 by Pacman while Mayweather struggled to get a split decision of over Oscar.

Now Mayweather picked on the old and smaller Marquez to prove he's better than Pacman. The styles of Marquez and Mayweather will prove to be the candidate as the "Most Boring Fight of the Century" because booth of them will wait for the other to punch first, so each of them will counter punch. The question is: WHO WILL PUNCH FIRST?

5-04-2009 @ 1:51PM

I cant agree more, You hit it with a left hook. TKO.

5-03-2009 @ 11:31PM

dredz69 said...

Best performance of Manny's career. But you have to wonder if Hatton was damaged goods coming into this fight. Nick Charles on VS called Hatton's fight w/Lazcano and said he looked past his prime then. That was last May. Some people have said that Floyd has been matched very well. The same can be said for Pacquiao.

5-04-2009 @ 12:02AM

sagas9566 said...

This was just a set up fight to get PACMAN in the ring with Mayweather Jr. This was done to set up another big payday for Pay-Per-View, boxers, promoters, etc....see it for what it really is!

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