Pacquiao seeks place in world boxing history

Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao is on the brink of achieving a “sixth” world title, this time in the 140-pound division, as he challenges International Boxing Organization (IBO) and the Ring Magazine junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton.

The pride of General Santos City and of the whole Philippines as well has already won the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight, the WBC super featherweight, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight, and the WBC flyweight world titles.

He also won an “extra” world title when he copped the lineal featherweight championship by beating Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, though he never held a sanctioning belt in that division.

According to Wikipedia, the lineal championship is an abstract world championship title held at some moment in time by a boxer universally acclaimed as “the best in the class”.

If Pacquiao beats Hatton, he gets another lineal title in a fourth division.

“In other words, he'll be considered the ‘real’ champion in a fourth division, not just a mere titleholder, the way he was when he claimed his junior featherweight belt and lightweight title,” explained analyst Dan Rafael in his article posted on ESPN.com.

Boxing historian Bert Sugar said Pacquiao will become one of the boxing greats if he wins a junior welterweight title.

“Even with all the belts, he's still the lineal champion in so many weight classes. I make him out to be the greatest Asian fighter of all time, and conceivably, one of the greatest fighters of all time if he can carry this off,” said Sugar.

Pacquiao said a win over Hatton is very important to him.

"It is very important for me to win [titles] in six different divisions for the people of my country," said Pacquiao. "Being a six-division champion, if that happens, people will want to put my name in boxing history, and that will be my legacy."

Even Oscar de la Hoya, who was considered the lineal champion in three weight divisions, is aware of what Pacquiao is trying to accomplish.

"He's in a position now where he can make history," said de la Hoya, whom Pacquiao beat last December. "It's not easy to jump six weight classes. It's not easy at all. It's probably the most difficult task that any fighter can have. I've always said it was more difficult than just being world champion for 10 years at one weight class."

Mayweather Jr. set to return?

As tension for the Pacquiao-Hatton fight continues to escalate, rumors of the "unretirement" of former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather began to swirl.

Dan Rafael cited sources as saying that Mayweather is close to sealing a fight deal with Pacquiao's nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico. as his return match after springing back from retirement.

"The deal was finalized Friday afternoon following a flurry of conversations over a six-hour period, a source said," said Rafael.

Mayweather is reportedly set to announce his return to the ring the same day Pacquiao and Hatton will be fighting.

The former pound-for-pound king, who remains undefeated in 39 fights, has been away from boxing action for more than 17 months.

Mayweather might face Pacquiao should the Filipino win over Hatton.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/05/02/09/pacquiao-seeks-place-world-boxing-history

Agence France-Presse | 05/02/2009 8:31 AM

LAS VEGAS - Thousands of screaming British boxing supporters cheered on Ricky Hatton at Friday's weigh-in for Saturday's junior welterweight bout with Filipino Manny Pacquiao, who also had strong support.

Chanting "There's only one Ricky Hatton" over and over with some renditions of "God Save the Queen" and "Rule Britannia" thrown in as well, flag-waving backers of the English fighter drowned out their Asian rivals.

"It makes me feel really proud," Hatton told the crowd. "It's going to be an honor to fight for you Saturday night and you will not go home disappointed."

About 4,500 people, 90 percent of them cheering and chanting for Hatton, watched as the International Boxing Organization champion tipped the scales at the 140-pound limit, two pounds heavier than pound-for-pound king Pacquiao.

"I want to make you guys happy," Pacquiao told the crowd. "We're going to have a great fight."

The rowdy, English Premiership football-style atmosphere peaked when Hatton and Pacquiao traded glares, "Pacman" breaking the tension with a smile while "The Hitman" remained stonefaced as the crowd roared.

"When you have the Brits come over for Hatton, this is by far the biggest and best crowd I've ever seen," promoter Oscar de la Hoya said of the turnout. "I'm glad I retired so I can go have a pint."

Hatton said 25,000 British supporters have made the trip to Las Vegas for the fight at 15,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the weigh-in was conducted with only about one-third of the capacity open to the public.

For many, it represented their only hope of seeing either fighter in person as the fight has been sold out for weeks. Hundreds of people stood on line for hours for the chance to see the weigh-in, practicing vocals during the wait.

Pacquiao, trying to become a champion in his record-tying sixth different weight division by lifting Hatton's crown, weighed-in at his second-heaviest size for a bout but was still fit enough to flex his ripped chest muscles.

The only time Pacquiao has weighed more for a fight was last December, when he was 145 pounds for an eighth-round stoppage of de la Hoya.

Hatton, undefeated at junior welterweight as he tries to take Pacquiao's pound-for-pound title, was at the 147-pound welterweight limit for his 2006 victory over Luis Collazo and his 2007 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

Other than those two fights, Hatton has been at 140 or less in every fight since January of 2000.

In the only other world title bout on the card, World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Humberto Soto of Mexico weighed 130 pounds, one pound heavier than Canadian challenger Benoit Gaudet.

source : http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/05/02/09/weigh-whips-fans-pacquiao-hatton-showdown