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
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