I've waited for this for 5 months as these are my 2 favorite fighters! Tomorrow is a big day.
I'm all over Manny and here's why.
Speed kills. Hatton is a tremendous fighter and had a solid showing against Malignaggi, but he fell back into some of his old habits...leading with his chin. Before is fight versus Mayweather, Hatton could get away with because he wasn't fighting top competition for his first 20 fights. Hatton's flaw has always been leaning in with his chin/head when he's moving forward. Mayweather exposed him that in the past 3-4 years Hatton's defense is not what it was from the early 2000's.
Against fighters like Tszyu and even Olivierie he was much quicker to get his hands up and counter. I think slug fests agianst Jose Luis Castillo, Juan Urango, and Luis Collazo and obviously Mayweather took a little out of him. He didn't look good against Lazcano, but got his act together agianst Malignaggi, who IMO is a joke of a fighter. In the fights against Lazcano and Malignaggi the one thing that stood out to me was Hatton has gotten a bit lazy, maybe it was over confidence, but he's leading with his chin/head badly.
I keep waiting for years of fighting to catch up to Manny and it just hasn't happened. I realize ODLH was on the down side of his career, but Manny destroyed him. The one thing you can't prepare for is Manny's angles. His punches are coming from everywhere. Hatton backers will talk about his size advantage, but you can't prepare for Manny's in and out style and hand speed.
Hatton is fighting for pride and another crack at Mayweather. Manny fights for the entire country of the Philippines. IMO Hatton's style is tailor made for Manny. A guy who isn't going to retreat, will try to counter, and has seen a decrease in his defense while leaning in. I'm not sure if Manny will get a TKO in this, but Hatton's swelling issues could come into play. Hatton, as his career has gone longer, has had more and more issues with swelling around the eyes and who better to take head shots with stiff jabs than Manny.
Having Mayweather Sr. in his corner is not going to help Hatton either. I'm always suspicious of a fighter who goes 95% of his career with the same trainer and then in one of the biggest fights of his career switches it up? Floyd Mayweather is a helluva trainer, but he does not have the same vibe as Hatton did with Billy Graham. Manny and Roach are an awesome combination.
Hatton is more on the downside of his career than Manny, and I feel Hatton has gotten sloppy recently. To beat Manny you have to counter and get a little lucky and catch him when he's darting in. Hatton has the ability, but I feel the early rounds will go to Manny as it will take 3, maybe 4 rounds for Hatton adjust to the angles and speed of Manny. With 1/3 of the fight gone before you start feeling comfortable, you need at least 1 knockdown to catch back up and Manny just doesn't go down. If Manny gets up early I think he'll keep the pressure on, but will not be as aggressive in looking for a KO unless he's able to hurt Hatton, which I'm not sure he can.
It's gonna be an awesome fight and I can't wait. I think Manny is the better fighter right now, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Hatton get a win. My money is going on the better fighter, the faster fighter, and the fact Vegas and everyone else does not want to see Hatton/Mayweather II, they want Manny/Mayweather, which could be the fight that saves boxing...at least temporarily.
Good luck whatever side your on!
