BOXING: Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach predicts Ricky Hatton's aggression will send him crashing to a knockout defeat in Las Vegas on May 2nd. The Hall of Famer called the Filipino's sensational eighth-round stoppage of Oscar De La Hoya last December with uncanny precision and having poured over tapes of Hatton ahead of the bout at the MGM Grand, he is confident the 30-year-old Mancunian will endure a similar fate.
Hatton claims to have become a more rounded fighter under the guidance of Floyd Mayweather Sr but Roach insists his gameplan will fall apart once pound-for-pound king Pacquiao starts landing.
"It will be a great fight in the first half but Manny will get to him in the later rounds and will knock him out at some point," Roach, who also trains Amir Khan, said. "Ricky is very resilient but his come-forward nature will walk him into some shots and that will get him out of there. He's tailor made for us.
"Mayweather Sr is trying to improve that but I don't think you can change Ricky Hatton at this point in his career.
"Once he gets hit, he'll lose composure and revert to what he does best and that's fight.
"Ricky talks about having worked on his defence and head movement but he is what he is. He's been doing this for a long time.
"They'll have a gameplan coming into the fight but after the first round he'll go back to his natural style.
"That's good for him in some ways because that's the best shot he's got at beating Manny.
"If he tries to outbox Manny and fights like Floyd teaches then he'll lose.
"Floyd teaches one way and one way only and that's not suited for Ricky in my opinion. He'd be foolish to try and outbox Manny."
Hatton and Pacquiao came face to face at London's Imperial War Museum today as they continued their promotional tour of the UK which also included a darts match in Manchester.
For the first time in his 46-fight career Hatton is facing a more popular adversary with Pacquiao revered as a national hero in the Philippines.
The 30-year-old has been mobbed by British-based Filipinos and the presence of the Republic's ambassador to the UK, Edgardo Espiritu, at the press conference highlighted his celebrity.
He has the telephone number of Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on speed dial and is courted by the country's top politicians.
But Roach, who was also in his corner for victories over Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, insists Pacquiao shuns the trappings of success when training begins.
"Manny's dedication and work ethic set him apart. He does 40 rounds a day and it's unbelievable how early in the camp he starts sparring," said the 48-year-old. "He's just finished filming his seventh movie but once he goes through the Wild Card doors that goes away.
"His dedication is unbelievable. We works very hard and that's why he's so great."
Pacquiao begins his eight-week training camp at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on Wednesday.