If Manny Pacquiao decides to **** at close range, the fight is going to be over in 30 seconds, boasted British bomber Ricky Hatton.
Hatton reacted to Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach that the Filipino will make short work of him on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, telling the UK press as he prepares to leave for the US that the Hollywood-based cornerman could only be playing mind games.
"When Freddie Roach says Manny will beat me in three rounds – naiad! That ain’t going to happen because he ain’t going to come looking for me," said Hatton as quoted by Niall Hickman of the Daily Express.
Hickman co-wrote Hatton’s autobiography that was published in Sept. 2006 and he shared to the Bulletin some of the peppery quotes that he got during an interview with Hatton on Wednesday in Manchester.
"Freddie could be playing early mind games but I’m not arsed–and I say that sincerely. I am not bothered at all. I wish Manny would come looking for me but if he does the fight will only last 30 seconds. Please God he does come looking for me."
Hatton also took time out to defend his choice of Floyd Mayweather Sr. as his new trainer and at the same time rekindled the bitter rivalry between his outspoken trainer and Roach.
"These are two of the very top coaches. Freddie Roach has said a few things that have upset Floyd–like Manny Pacquiao is going to knock me out in three rounds. He was nothing short of disgusted by that. It got his back up a bit. This fight is about getting the tactics right and who is the better trainer," said Hatton.
"I don’t want to be disrespectful to Freddie Roach but it is clear from my fight against (Paul) Malignaggi (last year) when I was moving my head, jabbing better and making better angles without losing any of my ferocity, that I made the right choice. I have got a nice balance between combinations, power punching, slipping and dipping and moving my head. Then I go onto the big bag for power shots and more explosive stuff."
The word war steps up another notch next week when the two fighters–and of course their respective trainers–face off during a press conference in Los Angeles.
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