Proclaiming Saturday night’s mega-showdown between Pacquiao and Hatton to something “more than a prize fight,” Top Rank boss Bob Arum read from Rudyard Kipling’s “The Ballad of East and West”—the source of inspiration for Saturday night’s entitled showdown, “The Battle of East and West.”
Ricky Hattonwas on his serious side. Though he did not predict a knockout over Pacquiao, he did predict a win.
“I think you have all made your mind up already,” said Hatton. “I have been reading what you have been saying and what everyone has been saying. That doesn't scare me. I have been here before. I have been the underdog before.
"I hear what you say. 'He is an over-hyped, over-protected, fat beer drinking Englishman.
“But guess what? That ‘he’ is going to shock the world again.”
Manny Pacquiao’s words were few. Stating his readiness, he promised that he would do his best to honor his country.
“I respect Ricky Hatton,” said Pacquiao. “He is a good person. He is a nice guy and I would like to remind everyone that there is nothing personal for this fight and we are just doing our job to give a good fight to the people and make them happy.”
Following suit, Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, was just as pithy in his choice of words, saying only that he had the best fighter who was in the greatest shape of his life.
"I've been telling Manny all along that I will be disappointed if the fight goes longer than three rounds." Roach said.
“People want to watch this fight not because of the fighters' abilities, not because they can fight and have come to give fans an exciting fight, but because of respect. People respect what Pacquiao and Hatton can do in the ring.
"That's why people are going to watch this fight, because they respect both of these fighters and they know they are going to see a great great match.”
Pacquiao vs. Hatton "The Battle of East and West," presented by Rockstar Energy Drink and promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, in association with MP Promotions and Hatton Promotions, is a 12-round bout for Hatton's IBO and Ring Magazine World Junior Welterweight titles. The fight is also sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines.
