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Hatton-Pacman moves closer
Golden Boy CEO confident deal can be done
Last updated: 19th December 2008 
Hatton: in talks
I'm encouraged by the way it's going, and I'm talking to the Hattons again.
Richard Schaefer
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Ricky Hatton is closing in on a showdown with Manny Pacquiao, although a mid-summer clash at Wembley is looking increasingly unlikely.
Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer says talks with both parties are going well - despite Floyd Mayweather Jr's attempts to hijack the deal.
Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum says he is hopeful of a deal being made, while Hatton appears happy to take on the Filipino following his stunning win over Oscar De La Hoya earlier this month.
And Schaefer is confident the fight will be finalised sooner rather than later - with May 2, 2009, being touted as the date.
"I'm encouraged by the way it's going, and I'm talking to the Hattons (on Friday) again," he said.
"You really have two of the most popular fighters of their generation fighting each other, and that's the kind of fight we want to make."
Following
Hatton is known to want a rematch Mayweather Jr, the only man to beat him in 46 professional contests.
But with the Pretty Boy retiring after their fight 12 months ago, he is likely to want a tune-up bout before going in with either the Hitman, or Pacquiao.
That would pave the way for the pair to face-off in what could be an unofficial eliminator next summer.
Hatton has promised to stage one more megafight in Britain before hanging up his gloves, but Schaefer wants to see any match with Pacquiao take place in Las Vegas.
"This is a fight with tremendous global appeal, and both of them have built up a very strong following here," he said.
"With Manny's following in Asia and Ricky's support in Europe, you could say Las Vegas is the centre of everything."
And the Hatton team appear to have accepted that a fight with Pacquiao has to happen Stateside to satisfy America's pay-per-view audience.
"It is going to come down to lots of external factors," said Hatton's lawyer Gareth Williams.
"One of the major factors is American television. We're going to have to sit down and talk to them about where they want the fight to be.
"In an ideal world, we would want the fight to be in the UK. But if financially it doesn't make sense, then it won't be."
But Arum was more to the point: "I can assure you it will not be at Wembley."
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Comments (12)
Steven Ohanlon says...
Typical.............. After all the hype on the build up to the Pacquiao - De La Hoya fight and both parties saying they would be more than willing to fight at Wembley now comes the back tracking. I mean, "Come on!" they are talking about it not making sense money wise but if thats the case then they would have known that well before now! Im glad Ricky has chosen to fight Manny and not just because Manny is the pound 4 pound number 1 right now but because i think he needs at least another training camp under the watchful eye of Mayweather Snr before he gets in the ring with Floyd Jnr. I think Rickys story is gonna be a special one, i just have this feeling that after that humiliation to the hands of Floyd Jnr and the change in trainers that he has what it takes now to go on and beat Pacquiao (which will probably be a tougher fight than Floyd) and then to go on and avenge his only loss by taking out Floyd inside the distance.
Posted 15:18 19th December 2008
Zloc Loc says...
this is the fight ppl wana see so they shud do woteva it takes 2 make the fight happen, mayweather dosent deserve a shot at manny, he'l only fight hatton coz he knows he can beat him again wich wud prove nothing.
Posted 15:18 19th December 2008
Dean Mc says...
Would love to see Ricky fight back in the UK but he is the biggest face in boxing and it just doesn't make sense for him to do it - Business is business. I'm a manc an i know hatton fights from his heart for his fans so who cares where he fights. He will Beat Pacquiao easily in my eyes, i don't see him as a threat - he is just a messy spoiling southpaw. Hatton should then fight mayweather and then bow out whatever the result.... Or just fight in britain and make witter retire, just to shut him up and show us all what we new know will happen :)
Posted 14:52 19th December 2008
Andy Moore says...
I hope Hatton doesnt put too much weight on because he'll get hammered otherwise. This is coming from a big fan of ricky hatton.
Posted 14:00 19th December 2008
Rob Everson says...
This will be the fight of the year for sure. With the current state of the heavyweights, this is the kind of fight boxing needs right now - two excellent fighters, both at the top of their game wanting to fight each other. I really hope it happens and that it happens at 140lbs where I think Ricky will win an excellent, close fight - COME ON RICKY!
Posted 13:42 19th December 2008
Laurence Butler says...
Hatton should go for Pac man, If Mayweather still wants him he will be there afterwards, mayweather just looking for some lime light. If fights and loses to floyd the pac man will go for floyd cos its a bigger fight and pay day
Posted 13:19 19th December 2008
Hatton Follower says...
the pac man after his fight with de lo hoya were saying "i'll fight anywhere, if hatton wants me to come to england to fight i will". and now they saying las vegas, and wembley off limits as outside, could rain and america fans have to be up late. wat about us being up late wen they fight in las vegas. just excuses to fight here really.
Posted 13:18 19th December 2008
Ricky Boyle says...
im really looking forward to seeing this mega fight between hatton and the pacman. i believe hatton would prove to powerful for pacquiao, with hatton out muscling him in the inside which would lead to pacquiao tireing. i would love to see the fight at wembley becuase pacquiao said after the de la hoya fight that he wouldnt mind going to England and fighting hatton. And hatton has also said he wants to do it at wembley, so why on earth does this Schaefer guy want to it at las vegas. the only reason i can think of, is that theres more money involved for him. Just let the two fighters fight were they want and just forget about the money
Posted 12:21 19th December 2008
Jack daniel Villanueva says...
Pacman the Destroyer is gonna be too good for the Hitman. I respect what Hatton can do, but i haven't seen anything that shows that he would be able to go toe to toe with an in-form Pacquiao. Either way it's gonna be a great match up!
Posted 11:11 19th December 2008
Robert Harper says...
I feel this has a triangular feel about it. Pac man the pound for pound king, Hatton the ticket selling king, Mayweather the former pound for pound king. I think no matter what happens in the hatton pac man fight there will be a hatton mayweather re-match and a mayweather Pac man fight. There is to much money involved in all 3 fights for the not to happen. I fell the hatton fight is going to be a "1st in line" fight for mayweather. Although it will be a specticle in my eyes too i think this fight is going to be essentailly who gets to fight mayweather first. I hope it takes place in las vegas, so then hatton will have to come home to wemebly to fight mayweather (as he has vowed to do). Petentailly a very exciting year if all 3 fights can take place in the same year. For me i think hattons gonna get picked off by pac man his speed is way to fast and as much as you try to teach hatton to move his head, he is going to resort back to the way he always has fought. and i say good on him for doing so, he has had a sucessfull career up untill now doing so. The one thing that makes me feel that hatton can win is natural strength, pac man will not have fought anyone with such power and natural strength, and will again have to adapt to a new weight (probably 140lbs?) although it may happen at 147 to satisfy the expected fight against mayweather. Bring on superfights in 2009!
Posted 10:38 19th December 2008
Stuart Crumpen says...
hatton should fight the pac man first before mayweather. He should fight pacman in vegas...if he wins then a re-match against mayweather should be his last fight and it should be in the UK.
Posted 10:35 19th December 2008
Robert red Kuppan says...
Go Manny go
Posted 10:32 19th December 2008