For Manny Pacquiao, Something Wicked this way Comes!

For Manny Pacquiao, Something Wicked this way Comes!

By John Benz (Feb 28, 2009) Doghouse Boxing

On May 2nd, Manny Pacquiao will be in the fight of his life against Ricky Hatton. If Pacquiao starts believing some of the press out there, then he might foolishly mistake Hatton for an easy victory. An injudicious mistake as nothing could be further from the truth. My friends, kid not yourselves. Do not indulge in any illusions created by yourself or those who surround you. Be wise and weary of those in mystical trances around you who see nothing but a guaranteed wave of victorious cheers for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is amazing, and if ever there was a pupil who received lessons well, it would be him. He has come a tremendous way under the guidance of Freddie Roach. Pacquiao has needed and used to his advantage Roach's wisdom. To defeat Hatton, Pacquiao will need everything he has learned, but more importantly he will need Roach more than ever.

To defeat Hatton will not be impossible, but Pacquiao will need to devoted and focused on the task at hand. He will need to eat, breathe and sleep what Roach is feeding him. There can be no distractions.

Pacquiao needs to get inside a locked vault with Roach and absorb everything needed to defeat Hatton. Whatever Roach tells Pacquiao... Pacquiao needs to do it. The last person Pacquiao sees at night and the first person he sees in the morning... it has to be Roach! There can be no compromise here.

Pacquiao can win, but he MUST devote himself to Roach in order for that to happen.

Hatton is rugged, and by his own accounts fights a little dirty. Hatton makes no apologies, his exciting style often runs opponents down like a lawnmower guillotines its way through grass. He is in your face, doesn't back down, stealing your air like a gifted pickpocket. Even when he is frustrated, he is still throwing dangerous bombs. Hatton will fight until there is no fight left in him and that's why Pacquiao will desperately need Roach. Hatton can absorb a lot of punishment to the body and his big head seems to have a thick skull. To wear down the beast that resides inside of Hatton, Pacquiao needs the kind of training and guidance that he can only get from Roach. Pacquiao can not expect to go into the ring and beat Hatton on his talent alone. He'll need the conditioning and the keys to victory that only Roach can prepare him for.

The last thing Pacquiao needs is to be unprepared, to have in front of him the Hatton we saw when he fought against Kostya Tszyu. A Hatton who is on his game is a magnificent nightmare for any fighter... including Pacquiao. And why on earth should Pacquiao even for a minute think he won't be getting the same (if not better) Hatton that shined against Tszyu?

Pacquiao needs to understand that Hatton is no punk. He's not an easy walk in the Park. He's the kind of Dog you beat with a stick over and over to no avail. He punches like Satan on Sunday, and knows how to kill the choir. He is pure unadulterated evil dancing under the banner of the Sweet Science.

In terms of difficulty, if Oscar De La Hoya was Heaven for Pacquiao... then Hatton will be Hell.

My advice for Pacquiao... Get Your Roach On! For if the Devil owns a Pitbull, surely he has named it "Ricky".