Manny Pacquiao Fight News: Ricky Hatton Downplays Pacquiao's 2009 Win over Him, Says He 'Wasn't at His Best' During Fight
Former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton does not think much of Manny Pacquiao's knockout victory over him seven years ago.
The first and only eight-division world champion stopped "The Hitman" during their fight in May 2009, via an emphatic second-round highlight reel knockout. Pacquiao saw the perfect opening and landed a flush overhand left on Hatton's right jaw, sending the latter down to the ring canvas.
Unable to answer the referee's count, Hatton was waved off, and Pacquiao was subsequently awarded with the Ring and lineal light-welterweight titles.
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The British fighter did take one more fight after his devastating loss to Pacquiao in 2012, only to lose by ninth round knockout. He finally retired from professional boxing after the fight, and has shifted to boxing promotions instead.
Last April 9th, Manny Pacquiao ended his 20-year boxing career by outclassing former WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley. "Pacman" ended the fight with a unanimous decision verdict, and once again announced his retirement right after.
During the post-fight broadcast, HBO veteran analyst Max Kellerman said Pacquiao walks away from the sport as the "best of our era". Hatton, however, disagreed.
"I think it's Floyd at the top," Hatton said in a Boxingscene report. "My training camp didn't go great for Manny, and to be honest with you, by the time I fought Manny, I had been through a lot of wards and a lot of miles on the clock."
Hatton also fought Mayweather Jr. in December 2007, where he tasted his first professional defeat via tenth round TKO. He then fought Pacquiao two years later, but faced and won against both Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi first.
The 37-year old former fighter says he was more at his best when he faced Mayweather, and was not in tip-top shape when he fought Pacquiao. But at the end of it all, Hatton says he is merely proud to have faced both men in his career.
