Pacquiao
and Hatton Set a Date! Junior Welterweight Championship Fight -
May 2nd
January 28, 2009
Photo: Mary Ann Owen
LAS VEGAS, (January 28, 2009) - Two of
boxing's biggest stars will meet in the ring in what could be the year's
biggest pay-per-view event. Five-division world champion MANNY "Pac Man"
PACQUIAO and Ring Magazine and IBO World Junior Welterweight champion
RICKY "The Hitman" HATTON will rumble for Hatton's World Junior
Welterweight Championships Saturday, May 2 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
These two boxing artists will have a 20 x 20 foot canvas to paint a
black and blue masterpiece that the world has been waiting to see.
Pacquiao and Hatton boast a combined record of 93-4-2 (68 KOs), a
winning percentage of 94% and a victory by knockout ratio of 73%.
Pacquiao vs. Hatton, a 12-round bout for Hatton's Ring Magazine and IBO
World Junior Welterweight titles, is promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy
Promotions in association with MP Promotions and Hatton Promotions.
Tickets priced at $1000, $750, $500, $300 and $150, not including
applicable service charges, go on sale Friday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. at all
Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers
and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call
Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase
at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.
"When Manny Pacquiao goes into the ring he fights for his country, the
Philippines, and tens of thousands of Filipinos worldwide. He is a
tremendous athlete and unlike any other champion we have ever promoted.
When Manny walks to the ring he carries the weight of his country on his
shoulders and he fights with all of his heart, every second of every
round."
"We are very excited that this fight has been made, as it is the fight
fans wanted and the one I look forward to seeing myself," said Oscar de
la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. "This fight has all the
makings of a "Fight of the Year" candidate and I think Hatton will
de-throne Pacquiao and become boxing's pound-for-pound king."
"MGM Grand is thrilled to be hosting what we anticipate will be one of
the biggest fights of 2009," said Richard Sturm, president of Sports and
Entertainment for MGM MIRAGE. "As we continue our tradition of hosting
the top names in sports and entertainment, this spectacular boxing match
will not only be a battle between two great champions but will offeran
electric and international atmosphere for the fans."
Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs) secured his claim as the 2008 Fighter of the
Year, a year reminiscent of what Hall of Fame fighter Henry Armstrong
did in 1937-1938, winning three fights in three different weight
divisions, two of which were world titles. Armstrong is the only man to
hold three world championships simultaneously, capturing world titles at
featherweight, welterweight and lightweight (in that order) during a
nine-month span between November 1937 and August 1938. Pacquiao,
officially proclaimed a National Treasure by the Philippines, captured
the WBC World Super Featherweight title last March by defeating Juan
Manuel Marquez and the WBC World Lightweight title in June by knocking
out defending champion David Diaz. He completed his personal trifecta by
stopping Oscar de la Hoya in a welterweight battle on December 6.
Pacquiao's last two victories were in his debut fight in each weight
division with the latter fight being two full divisions above his
previous fight. Pacquiao, 30, has won 24 of his last 25 bouts, blitzing
through boxing's best fighters since 2003 including Erik Morales (TKO
10, KO 3,), Marco Antonio Barrera (TKO 11, W 12), Marquez (D 12, W 12,),
Diaz (TKO 9) and De La Hoya (KO 8). Pacquiao was previously named the
2006 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America
and Ring Magazine.
"I always like new challenges which is the reason I am anxious to fight
Ricky Hatton. My trainer Freddie Roach will put together a new game plan
which will be much different than the one we used against Oscar (de la
Hoya). There are concerns because Hatton is a very strong puncher so I
must deal with that in the ring. I promise I will be completely prepared
and will do my best for all of my fans in The Philippines."
The storied career of Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs), an international superstar
hailing from Manchester, England, began in 1997 and for the last 12
years he has been thrilling fight fans around the world with his
aggressive style in the ring and down to earth attitude outside of the
ring. Owner of victories over world champions Kostya Tszyu, Vince
Phillips, Paulie Malignaggi, Luis Collazo, Jose Luis Castillo, Juan
Urango and Carlos Maussa, Hatton is a two division world champion. He
fell short of the pound-for-pound best fighter title and world
welterweight championships in his 2007 super-fight against Floyd
Mayweather. However, the 30-year-old bounced back impressively at his
natural weight of 140 pounds last May when he scored a near shutout
12-round unanimous decision over Juan Lazcano. His most recent fight was
a scintillating shutout performance against world champion Malignaggi
last November, ending with an 11th round TKO for "The Hitman". Hatton
was honored as the 2005 Fighter of the Year by Ring Magazine and the
Boxing Writers Association of America.
"I'm really excited to get back in the ring in Vegas after beating
Malignaggi in November," said Hatton. "I am confident that I am the
fighter to take down the pound-for-pound champion and I believe I will
be victorious on May 2." Source/PR
