Pound-for-pound showdown

Manny Pacquiao puts his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound king on the line tonight against Ricky Hatton at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden in a battle of the sport’s top junior welterweights.

"You can’t get any bigger than pound-for-pound champion," said Hatton, whose trivial IBO and Ring Magazine titles also will be at stake. "You are the champion of champions."

If Pacquiao can stay on top, potential megafights await, perhaps against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

"I’ve sacrificed for myself and for my country," Pacquiao said. "It’s very important for me to stay the pound-for-pound champion. It means a lot to me and to my people (in the Philippines)."

Both fighters made the 140-pound limit at Friday’s raucous weigh-in at the Grand Garden. With 6,000 fans watching, Pacquiao weighed 138 pounds and Hatton 140.

"I’m thinking it will be a hard fight," said Pacquiao (48-3-2, 35 knockouts), competing in his fourth weight class in as many bouts. "We watch tape of Ricky Hatton every night. Everyone knows his style is to come forward and throw a lot of punches. I will be ready for that and anything else he does."

Pacquiao’s longtime trainer, Freddie Roach, said he never has seen his fighter look sharper for a bout.

"I think I’ve got the stronger fighter," Roach said. "We’ll have no problem with (Hatton’s) strength. We’re ready to go."

Hatton said he is a more polished boxer since teaming with trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.

"I’m sure Manny thinks I’ll do what I always do," said Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs), who is with Floyd Sr. for the second time after working with Billy Graham his entire career. "But he’s going to be in for a surprise.

"My jab is better. I’m faster. My footwork and head movement is improved. My defense is much better. Technically, I’m a much improved fighter. He’s going to see a different Ricky Hatton."

There was some interesting news out of the Hatton camp as Mayweather claimed friction surfaced between himself and assistant Lee Beard.

"It doesn’t mean that the camp wasn’t a good camp because people had their problems," Mayweather said. "I think we had a good camp. Was there a problem there? Yes. But I will say right there that the camp was good."

Roach claims there might be more than just a disagreement between trainers. Mayweather reportedly was late to Hatton’s final sparring session at the IBA Gym on April 22. To Roach, that’s a red flag.

"I think it’s a slap in the face for a trainer to show up late for a training session with a world champion," Roach said.

Whether or not dissension lingers in Hatton’s camp, Pacquiao said the one thing he won’t do is look past Hatton.

"I have to stay focused and not be overconfident," said Pacquiao, whose purse tonight is $12 million (Hatton will earn $8 million). "Nobody knows what’s going to happen."

But the biggest key for Pacquiao will be his ability to dictate the tempo of the fight and prevent Hatton from bullying him around the ring.

Pacquiao moved up in weight for his last two fights, against David Diaz and Oscar De La Hoya. But he did not sacrifice quickness for strength and dominated from the outset. He handled Diaz with ease at 135 pounds and was equally dominant at 147 in sending De La Hoya into retirement.

Now, in his first fight at 140, Pacquiao faces an opponent who has never lost at that weight or been knocked down.

"This (weight) is where I’m most comfortable," Hatton said. "This is where I want to be."

While history shows Hatton to be invincible at junior welterweight, there’s another lesson from the past that should not be forgotten.

The last time Hatton fought the reigning pound-for-pound champion, he got knocked out. That was on Dec. 8, 2007, when Mayweather Jr. handed Hatton his only loss, at 147 pounds.

Hatton might be back in his comfort zone, but he has to try to alter history in his attempt to rule the boxing world.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.