BY: Rota Em

The weigh-in debacle, where Floyd Mayweather Jr. blatantly overshot the agreed upon poundage, was what sealed the deal for me. It was, shall we say, the curtain call for any shot of an upset win for the Mexican warrior. I felt that Juan Manuel Marquez had a puncher’s chance, albeit, a minimal risk overall but he still did have the opportunity to catch the not-so-flashy Money Man with some sort of winging punch. But it never came. It never came because that is not how Dynamita fights. He is a tactician who tries to adapt to the habits and tendencies of his opponent. He did so to Manny Pacquiao a couple times in their two bouts but that was because the Pacman was willing to take risks. I guess that’s why one is considered the people’s champion while the other is nothing more than a recent retiree making a return with an expected points victory over a much smaller opponent.

So what does it mean to be the people’s champ?

I’m a firm believer that being a fan of the sport supersedes being a scribe to the sport.

It’s been ongoing for years and years now where the Mayweather family have been running their mouths with talk of being ‘the best’. In their journey towards attaining the legendary status that Jr. wants so badly they must, however, take risks. The same goes for a Vegas bet, you lay down $100 dollars and your winnings/losses reflect the initial bet meaning that you won’t strike it rich really. But if you put it all on the line, imagine the rewards. Instead, Floyd speaks of masses and masses of return while he only wagers chump change.

This will not fly if you want to be renowned as the people’s champion. Even with his win over the forcefully bloated Marquez, his rank in the pound for pound ladder will not jump back to the top. Besides prior to his retirement, Pacquiao was already making moves and knocking on his door as the sport’s best p4p.

Here are a couple paths the Mayweather camp can take to try and salvage their tainted status:

1.        He must fight a legit, primed welterweight. Not just ANY welterweight, a true champion-caliber 147 too. He is at a point in his career where every fight should be a big fight. Even Shane Mosley is stirring up talks about a showdown with Andre Berto while the Mayweather camp, once again, are prepping the public for another trickery in Saul Alvarez. Yes he is undefeated, but so is Arthur Abraham. Why not pick a fight with him instead? Yet they’d rather drop a measly risk on the table and expect people to pay for their next mansion, or tax bill in certain cases.

2.        He must try to take over the welterweight division; there’s no one straight shot to the top of the hill anymore. This is asking a lot from a character that is habitually prone to giving much less than he takes. If Mayweather can take on the division’s top rated players and win, he will start to cement his own legacy. And right now, a start in doing such is where he is at. He is far from being the legend that his father and uncle have been whispering in his ear about being.

3.        Immediately dismiss talks of a Saul Alvarez fight altogether. C’mon, let’s be real. No one wants to see this fight come to fruition. I introduced my younger brother to the sweet science and even he, while in grade school, is ashamed of taking any part of a Mayweather-Alvarez bout. His responses were, “Why not Mosley? Why not wait for Pacquiao-Cotto? Why not Margarito? How about Paul Williams? Can it be someone I’ve heard of at least?”

4.        Lay down the guns and give some sort of window for financial talks. Mayweather must not indirectly avoid a fight by pricing himself too high. Matter-of-fact if Floyd Mayweather Jr. was an automobile and not a fighter, I wouldn’t pay more than he’s worth—so why should we, the fans and boxing’s most important role-makers, pay for a Mercedez when he is nothing more than a top of the line Kia at the moment? Let’s be honest a 50-50 split is his best shot with Pacquiao because personally I think the risk-taking, smaller man should get a bigger piece of the pie if they shall ever meet.

Boxing has already been going through its own ups and downs; it doesn’t need its key players to help sink the ship even more. With figures like Miguel Cotto, Israel Vazquez, and Paul Williams just to name a few, we are consistently reminded by how a real champion looks and acts. In an interview with  boxingScene.com earlier this month Williams officially called out Mayweather Jr., Mosley, Hopkins, and even Arthur Abraham—while already on task to face Pavlik before the injury. Now that’s brash and brauns at it’s finest. And Kelly Pavlik is no Saul Alvarez mind you.

A week before that interview, Williams told FanHouse the following:”I am a throw-back fighter. We’re in the years of 2000, but I’m a throw-back fighter because I’ll fight anybody. It doesn’t matter who it is… Guys talk all of this stuff that they’re the best and this and that, but they won’t fight certain guys. They’ll stay and fight littler guys.”

Once again, that is brash and brauns at its finest.

I admit that Floyd Mayweather does not have that far to climb in terms of being a true great idol in the sport of boxing. But the next step can only come from him and the choices he makes in the coming years.

In my eyes I see at least three consecutive mistakes made by the Mayweather camp prior to and after the retirement that immensely hurt their reputation and overall worth. The first was their choice to NOT rematch Oscar De la Hoya after the split decision victory. I believe that the slimliness of the decision made little Floyd get on his bicycle although I felt he would’ve beat Oscar via UD, instead of SD, the second time around. The second mistake was to make Ricky Hatton jump to 147 pounds in their fight, a weight in which Luis Collazo gave Hatton big, big fits in. He should’ve proved his worth by fighting the Hitman in his home turf of 140, where he’d never been defeated, instead. This took much luster off their stoppage win. Lastly is the aforementioned Marquez weight catastrophe. That is the equivalent of Pacquiao fighting featherweight titlist Chris John, who beat Marquez in 2006, at 140 pounds and then claiming greatness from it. It just wouldn’t work for Pacquiao’s value as a fighter, much like how it doesn’t work for Mayweather now.

Looks like Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a lot of work ahead of him. The good news is that Paul Williams’ December 5th showdown with Kelly Pavlik is destined to never happen so there’s a start. Another start would be to get in line for the Pacquiao-Cotto winner. Heck, he can even strike a deal with Shane Mosley right now. I doubt Sugar Shane would turn down a fight with little Floyd at 140, 147, or even 154 I’d be willing to bet that he’d even fight Floyd at full-fledge middleweight.

The real question is: Does Floyd Mayweather Jr. have what it takes to be the people’s champion?

Latest Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com

Build A Website (Free)
Get A Website In Minutes-Free. From the Makers of Quickbooks.

Free Money Available
Are you in need of money that you dont have to pay back? Dont Not Miss

Tattoo Me Now!
Tattoo my social profile, desktop, blog, email … 7000 tattoos

University of Phoenix
Life-Long Learning Or Learning For Right Now: Chat Live For Info Now!

Local Job Search
Job Openings in Your City Register & Start Your Job Search.

BY: Vitaliy Shaposhnikov

A cascade of emotions raced through me as I witnessed the fall of one of the greatest pound for pound fighters to Floyd Mayweather Jr. There were of course expectations from Marquez, and even certain degree of hope. Unfortunately once the fight started, I realized that the tale of David and Goliath would not be replayed tonight.

Donald Trump once said: “Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.” While I would not believe this before, thinking that Money Mayweather was in this sport only for the cash flow, I now do. Floyd Jr. came in prepared both mentally and physically, and looked superb. Not only was he bigger and faster than Marquez in this fight, he was also the aggressor, which is a rare way to fight for him. The first round of the fight was a déjà vu in a way, because he knocked Juan down with a left hook, almost a check hook some may say. It was both a Déjà Vu of the way he ended Ricky Hatton as well as the way Pacquiao disposed of Ricky: fast! He was toying with Juan throughout the whole fight. Someone in the audience kept yelling: “Mayweather, don’t play with your food,” which struck me hard. That’s exactly what it looked like. Mayweather was playing with Marquez like cats like to play with a mouse before the devour it. He smiled at Juan, threw wild lighting quick jabs, and moved around the ring with such ease and grace that it made it seem as though he was having genuine fun. Overall, Mayweather was able to land the whole spectrum of punches, catching Juan with hooks and straight rights.

Marquez on the other hand, had absolutely nothing to offer to the fans. He landed a nice left while Mayweather was on the ropes in the third round, and that was just about it. Floyd was too fast and too slick for Juan. Landing a head shot was something that Marquez just could not do, no matter how hard he attempted. At the end of every round, Juan flurried, which proved fruitless.

Nevertheless, Marquez went the whole twelve rounds, showing determination and heart. He knew that he was losing the fight, and there was very little chance for anything to change.

 

Now we all know the only person that comes between what would be the greatest boxing event of all time Pacquiao vs Mayweather is Miguel Cotto. Boxing fans will  hold their breath until Novemebr 14th, knowing the dream match for the p4p championship  can come true.

Mayweather vs Marquez Super Fight Photos

 

 

 

Latest Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com

 

Get the latest Boxing Gear and More  http://astore.amazon.com/diamboxi-20

 

Tattoo Me Now!
Tattoo my social profile, desktop, blog, email … 7000 tattoos

BY: Albert Alvarez

The Grand Arrival of Timothy Bradley? For the quick glance that I saw on Saturday night of Bradley, he sure looked real quick and very well rounded. If Pacquiao fights at 140 I would say that Pacquiao is the best at 140 then Bradley #2, but seeing that Pacquiao fights at whatever weight he negotiates, then I will go on record now to state that Bradley is the best at 140. However, the fight was still too green, anything could have happened in the later rounds. Which leads me to number 2
Nate Campbell- The word that I have been hearing from fans is that they feel that Campbell pulled a Robert Guerrero. My feel is that from what I saw, it sure seemed to me that Bradley was having his way with Nate. The thing is that Nate could have adjusted and might have given the younger Bradley some trouble. Keep in mind that we still had 9 more rounds to go. I believe that Campbell in the second half was going to get gritty with it and make a real dog fight out of it. Bradley might have still been too quick for Campbell. Campbell might have caught Bradley with something crazy. We will never truly know, which is why I love this sport.
Junior ”the Quitter” Witter- How are you gonna travel all the way from the UK to come get your title back, only to quit? Witter, say hello to gatekeeper.
Future of Devon Alexander- The 140 WBC belt holder has alot to choose from. The 140 division is wide open. We have Bradley, Campbell, Holt, Bailey, Urango, Malignaggi, Khan, Ortiz, Maidana, take your pick. For sure if I were Don King I would do a double header at St. Lou with Devon and Cory.
Manny Pacquiao’s Future opponents- Ok, so first of all I love the article in the newest Ring Magazine where the writer takes a stab at who the Pac-Man should face next. Only fighter that had no business being on the list was Kelly Pavlik, Pavlik!! Kelly Pavlik? Are you kidding me? Knowing Roach, Roach would try to drain the 6′1” Pavlik to 147 to even come to mind. After Cotto, My top 10 would be as follows.
#1- Floyd Mayweather Jr.
#2- Shane Mosley
#3- Juan Manuel Marquez
#4- Timothy Bradley
#5- Andre Berto
#6- Edwin Valero
#7- Juan Diaz
#8- Victor Ortiz
#9- Amir Khan
#10- Juan Manuel Lopez
Shane Mosley- I haven’t heard on who Mosley will face next, But I will say that I heard Bradley say that he wants only the big names now. I feel that with Bradley being from Cali and with Mosley being the King of Cali, this fight would do very well at the Staples Center. Since both Timothy Bradley and Shane Mosley are such nice guys, the fight should be billed, No More Mr. Nice Guy!!

Latest Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com

Money Making Secrets!
Discover This Crazy Multi-Millionaire Secret To Internet Wealth. Free!

Probiotics for Longevity
Look and feel younger — learn how from this video.

Prank Dialer dot com
Your friend has a phone. Have fun with them

#1 “Trick” To Lose Weight
Read How I Lost 47lbs In 2 Months! You Can Do It Too!

Free Music Downloads
Your Favorite Songs. 100% Legal. No Fees, Just Free Song Downloads.

By: Albert Alvarez

January 2009 - Andre Berto defeats Luis Collazo- The fight was and still is the toughest test in Berto’s young career. Going into the fight, I remember thinking that this fight could be a walk in the park for Berto since Mosley in my opinion handled Louie quite easily, so logically the younger fresher Berto would have a field day right? I couldn’t have been more wrong. Early on, Berto seemed very troubled by the style belonging to lefty Louie, it was clear that for the first 6 or 7 rounds that Louie’s experience and ring generalship was the difference. The second half found Berto digging deep to land the harder shots on Louie. The fight was classic and deserves an encore. Will the encore happen during the second half of 09? Let’s hope so.

Shane Mosley KO’S Antonio Margarito- When the fight was announced, the boxing media and I included thought that the 37 year old Mosley had no business at all trading leather with this Terminator. The drama began before the fight even took place, when just minutes before the fight it had been reported that Tony’s trainer was trying to plaster the wraps. The plaster was removed and the beating began. Mosley not only beat The Terminator, but Mosley simply dominated the younger lion with ease. Mosley shocks the world, Mosley terminates The Terminator. After the fight, Tony was suspended up to a year for the attempted foul play, as for Mosley, well Mosley looked so sharp that he may have shelved himself after such a brilliant performance. Sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.

February 2009

Vic Darchinyan KO’S Jorge Arce- I remember this slugfest for 2 reasons. One being that I missed this fight because the fight took place on my birthday and my wife and brother had surprised me with a night out to celebrate. The other reason being that intense hangover that followed, but lucky for me that I was able to catch the replay of this fun fight. The fight to me was all Darchinyan with Arce providing a shoot out in the middle rounds, but in the end the heavier shots of Vic were just too much for Arce to handle. What does the 2nd half of 09 hold for Vic? Well next week Vic will take on tough man Joseph Agbeko, no easy task. If Vic defeats Agbeko, what then? How about the long anticipated rematch with the only man to blast The Raging Bull, Nonito Donaire Jr.?

Sergio Martinez and Kermit Cintron fight to a Draw- Sergio the Magnifico just couldn’t catch a break in this one. Not only was a knock out taken away from Sergio after Cintron was blitzed with a clean shot, but even after putting up a clinic the judges scored it a draw. Are you kidding me? In the second half of 09, I would love to see Sergio Martinez vs. Paul Williams or even against Vernon Forrest.

Tomasz Adamek Blasts Johnathon Banks- Adamek is truly a joy to watch isn’t he? I must admit that early on it looked like Banks would win behind that jab of his, Banks early on made Adamek look uncomfortable. Once Adamek landed a clean shot, it was then a matter of time until Banks would blink the Adamek would unload. Later this year I would love to see Adamek/Cunningham 2, now even more so now that Cunningham has seeked the services of master teacher, Nazim Richardson.

Juan Manuel Marquez Disects Juan Diaz- What a fight!! Early on the rush of the Baby Bull was just too much for the older Marquez to handle. When the fight would meet center ring it was all Marquez, but Diaz would let it be known that the corners is where he wanted to take Marquez. The fight went on like this back and forth, by round 6 however, Marquez the mad scientist began to dissect. Marquez then began to pick his spots and was able to land flush shots from all sorts of angles. Was the blood too much for Diaz? Or was the Master just too much for Diaz? In late August, Diaz will return against the speedy crafty Paulie Malignaggi. In September, Marquez will lay it all on the line and face another scientist like himself in Floyd Mayweather Jr.

March 2009

In March, in my opinion it was pretty much a hit and miss month, but mostly misses. The best fight may have been Amir Khan defeating the great Marco Antonio Barrera. If that doesn’t say it all what will?

April 2009

Timothy Bradley defeats Kendall Holt- Early in this fight, I was shook when I saw Holt land that bomb on Bradley. Had the lightning bolt Holt landed that shot on anybody else, well it would have been scary. The fact that Bradley took the shot so well simply amazed me. After that bomb, Bradley fought smart and applied the Desert Storm Swarm. In the center ring just seconds before the fight, Holt asked Bradley if he was ready to see that heart, well on this night it was Bradley’s heart that would shine like a diamond. In August, Bradley will face another tough test in Nate Campbell. As for Holt? I would love to see a Holt/ Randall Bailey clash.

Paul Williams Punishes Winky Wright- The Punisher is ready! The Punisher is ready!! Never in a million years would I ever think that I would ever see a fighter like Winky get dominated. No doubt that the very long layoff for Winky made matters worse for the Winkster, but still it looked like Winky was fighting a machine in there. What’s next for Williams? I would love to see him in against Sergio Martinez at 154, Kelly Pavlik at 160, or Allan Green at 168. For Wright, I hear that they are trying to land him on the Mayweather/Marquez card but sources tell me that Golden Boy may pin Andrade/Bute instead. For Winky, the biggest fight for him out there right now may be a rematch with the very vulnerable Jermain Taylor.

Carl Froch upsets Jermain Taylor- This fight had a Shane Mosley/Ricardo Mayorga ending to it. Early on, the fight was all Taylor. Even with Taylor winning the fight, Froch never looked discouraged or beaten. The tide changed for me around the 8th round, it was clear to see that Froch had landed something and sensed that he now knew when and where to land his heavy shots. Froch was down on the cards by at least 2 points, Froch knew this so like a real champion Froch then decided to close the show. Great fight. For Froch, I would love to see him in against a lot of guys. Like Bernard Hopkins, Allan Green, Kessler, Pavlik, or Bute, heck even Paul Williams. For Taylor, the Winky Wright rematch or against Jean Pascal.

May 2009

Manny Pacquiao smashes Ricky Hatton- The fight was supposed to really be the fight to really see how the Pacquiao storm would do when put up against a Bulldog that wants it just as bad as he does. It was the Pac-Man vs. the Hitman, Pac-Monster vs the Brittish Bulldog, the fight was a smashing success and made about 800,000-875,000 ppv buys. The fanatics for both fighters were out to represent to the fullest. The fight was supposed to be smashing, in the end, it would find Hatton smashed on the canvas. In November, the Pacquiao Storm is almost inked to face the Boriqua Bomber, Miguel Cotto. As for Hatton, let’s just say that the search continues.

June 2009

Miguel Cotto slams Joshua Clottey- This fight just like every Cotto fight had drama, drama, and more drama. Early on, Cotto was giving Clottey the biz, then around round 5 or 6 with Cotto looking uncomfortable with the bad cut, Clottey then brought the heat. Clottey to me fought in spurts and didn’t do enough to win the fight. When you got a bloodied up home fighter, you don’t ponder, you must go in and close the show like Froch did to Taylor. All signs point to Cotto facing the Pac-Monster in November, truly a November to Remember. As for Clottey, If he really wants to arrive, Clottey should call out Paul Williams. Call Williams a chicken, call him a bean pole, do what you got to do to make the most feared man fight you, and this time when you get that big fight you best close the show like Kobe. If no Williams, then pursue a date with the Berto/Collazo winner, assuming the rematch happens.

Marcos Maidana stops Victor Ortiz- This fight reminds me so much of the Miguel Cotto/ Ricardo Torres war that also took place at 140 back in the day. Power vs Power, in the end it would be Maidanas power that would rattle Ortiz physically and mentally. For Maidana, let’s hope Khan beats Kotlenik so that we can then see Maidana/Khan. For Ortiz, how about Mike Alvarado?

Final Grade for First half of 2009- B-

With talks circulating that Berto/Collazo 2 is being worked on for sometime before the year, Darchinyan/Agbeko next week then maybe Darchinyan/Donaire 2 being discussed, Juan Diaz/Malignaggi in August, same with Bradley/Campbell in August, Juan Manuel Marquez/Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September, and finally the grand daddy of them all Cotto/Pacquiao to close the year in November. Let’s just fill in October and December and we just may have a great second half of boxing to look forward to.

Manny Pacquiao Photos “The Best of Manny Pacquiao” http://www.diamondboxing.com/pics.php

Latest Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com

Boxing Events www.diamondboxing.com

 

Pacquiao (above) all smiles after his victory over De La Hoya.

 

 

BY:Robert Epstein

Thousands have voted in our poll, the results are in and by a slight margin boxing fans selected Ricky Hatton over Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the opponent they want to see in the ring next with Manny Pacquiao .The margin was very slim as 49 percent of the voters selected Hatton and 44 percent selected Mayweather.

So now the fans have spoken and the promoters Golden Boy and Top Rank are working on the details to put together Pacquiao vs Hatton. I am sure working out the details of the fight is a challenge for them however the fun comes when they select the title for this fight. It goes without saying and at this point in the year it has been written countless times that Pacquiao has achieved greatness in 2008. He is the official pound for pound king of the ring and deserves all the accolades after his victories over Marquez, Diaz and De La Hoya.

On the other hand Hatton did not have the superstar year that Pacquiao had. However, he was able to record two victories in his two fights and regain the momentum he lost after the Mayweather defeat in December 2007. Hatton under the guidance of Floyd Mayweather Sr. was able to put together a dominating performance over Paulie Malignaggi which catapulted him into the Pacquiao sweepstakes. So here we are with the books for 2008 about to close and new chapters about to be opened in 2009, with what maybe the most memorable boxing event in history about to be announced.

Ricky Hatton (above) in the media room at the Pacquiao - De La Hoya “Dream Match”

In years past both Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions have promoted great battles featuring the legends of the sport, each great fight also included a great title. As they think about the title for Pacquiao – Hatton here are some of their greatest event titles and battles from their past promotions to help spark their thought process:

1985 - “The Fight” - Hagler vs Hearns

1986 - “SuperFight” - Hagler vs. Leonard

1990 - “The Puncher and the Preacher” - Foreman vs. Cooney

1990 - “Once Is Not Enough” - Toney vs. McCallum

1991 - “Battle of the Ages” - Foreman vs. Holyfield

1993 - “Heavy Damage” - Foreman vs. Coetzer

1996 - “Ultimate Glory” - De La Hoya vs. Chavez

1997 - “Buster on Broadway” - Douglas vs. Ryan in NYC

1999 - “Fight of the Millenium” - De La Hoya vs. Trinidad

 2002 - “Bad Blood” - De La Hoya vs Vargas

2006 - “Sworn Enemies” - Mayweather vs. Judah

2007 - “War For Four” - Morales vs. Diaz

2007- “Fast and Furious” Cotto vs Mosley

2008 - “The Battle” - Cotto vs. Margarito

2008 - “Unstoppable” - Pavlik vs. Hopkins

2008 – “Dream Match” – Pacquiao vs De La Hoya

For Pacquiao first it was the epic rematch battle with Juan Manuel Marquez which was labeled as “Unfinished Business “sandwiched in between the De La Hoya “Dream Match” we had Pacquiao Diaz “Lethal Combination”. As for Hatton his fight with Malignaggi was called “Power vs Precision”. So what will the marketing geniuses at Top Rank and Golden Boy come up with for their megasode of Pacman vs Hitman?

 We have asked around and here are some of the suggestions we got         

“Battle of the Generation”

“Battle of the Planets”

” Total Collision”

” Clash of the Storms”

“Collision Course”

“Thunder vs Lightening”

“New Horizons”

My personal favorite title is Pacman vs Hitman “A Battle for the Fans” both fighters have huge fan bases in their own countries and beyond. When Pacquiao fights the Philippines is at a standstill so that they can watch their hero. Hatton fans travel by the tens of thousands to see him fight, which make him the leading box office draw. The fans provide the energy, support and desire they need to reach beyond expectations.  Pacman and Hitman inside the ring always demonstrate their loyalty to their fans with their attacking and never give up styles. So why not title this one Pacman vs Hitman “A Battle for the Fans      

 

Please email me your title suggestions to rob@diamondboxing.com

Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com 

Pacquiao’s supporters (above) cheer him on against De La Hoya.

BY: Robert Epstein www.diamondboxing.com

With victories over Marquez, Diaz and De La Hoya and the title of current pound for pound champion all accomplished in the twenty ninth stanza of his life. Pacquiao now looks ahead to his thirties and the final stages of his boxing career. Not to leave doubt in any ones mind that Pacquiao deserves to be listed as one of The Greatest Boxers of all Time he will now take on Ricky Hatton.  Forget about any rumors of bouts with Kendall Holt or Zab Judah these make no sense or no money and will do Pacquiao no justice. A pound for pound champ wants to fight the best and the best name out there right now is Ricky Hatton. A Hatton – Pacquiao bout if held in the U.K. will break all of the boxing attendance records. However, as negations enter the final stages it appears that the bout will take place in Las Vegas in order to achieve the best economic results.  

While Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton will due their battling inside the ring some time in May 2009, the fans of these two boxing warriors have already begun to square off outside the ring. The message boards the rebuttals, the polls have already started to heat up. The pre fight hype is on and the fan comradery alone will be a battle in it’s self.

Pacquiao with his aggressive boxing style, his offensive approach, always on the attack mentality makes him fan friendly and his recent destruction of De La Hoya has added believers to The Pacman Nation. If you add in Pacquiao’s kind hearted good deeds along with his generosity it becomes very difficult not to be a fan. Pacman has his country of 91 million strong behind him and with the additional support around the globe growing by leaps and bounds Pacman Nation is at its peak stronger than ever. Pacman Nation is ready to take on the Hatton Cult.  

Hatton (above) greets thousands of his fans at the MGM in Vegas before the Malginaggi bout.  

Hatton by far is the leading box office draw, without a doubt if this bout was held at Wembly Stadium 100,000 strong will come and maybe the stadium attendance record of 126,047 could be challenged. When Hatton fights no matter if its home in England or in his second home Vegas the cult comes out. In his last two Vegas bouts against Mayweather and Malignaggi the Hatton following hit the Vegas desert in droves, by the tens of thousands. The pre-fight weigh-in-in is an event in it’s self with over 6,000 Hattonnites strong. Oh yes Hatton has his own Elvis and lets not forget his brass band.

The interest in this bout has already reached a fever pitch, the bout has not been officially announced and the entire boxing world is buzzing with Pacquiao – Hatton thoughts. Pacquiao who has been installed as the 2 to 5 betting favorite to win the bout will also be the global fan favorite. However with his traveling army Hatton for sure will still have the larger on-site fan support.

De La Hoya (above) slumped in the corner at the end of the eighth round

As Pacman journeys to another era in his career one has to reflect back on the amazing past year Pacquiao had, fresh in the minds of all is Pacquiao’s destruction of the Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. Yes it was destruction from the opening bell to the lasting image of De La Hoya slumped on his stool in the corner at the end of the eighth round. That image will play in my mind for a long time as it wasn’t the end of De La Hoya’s career that I am thinking about but the beginning of Manny’s. I know Pacquiao has been boxing for over thirteen years, I know he has 48 victories and only 3 losses, I know he beat the likes of Barrera, Marquez and Morales all who may have been better boxers than De La Hoya. However, it’s the De La Hoya conquering that catapulted Manny as one of The Greatest Boxers of all Time.

Now Hatton must go face to face with the career ending giant Paquiao, if Pacquiao can achieve the same results and crush Hatton in De La Hoya like fashion Hatton’s cult will also be retired.

Forum Contest Win $100 Select the Mosley - Margarito Winner http://www.diamondboxing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=26

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com