The answer to these nagging questions is negative. Manny Pacquiao himself when asked by reporters the same question said. ‘I don’t think Mayweather can change Hatton’s style. He may be able to make Hatton better conditioned, but he can’t change his style. The Hatton I will fight is the Hatton we all know’, he added.
Pacquiao’s statement was in reference to the statement made by Floyd Mayweather, Sr, trainer of Hatton for the EW match that Pacquiao will be facing an opponent with a new fighting style.
Mayweather hinted in interviews that were posted in the internet that Hatton will be a different animal during the My 2 fight in Las Vegas. But Pacquiao, who used to be a pure brawler, knows that one training camp cannot reshape a boxer.
According to Mayweather, Sr., Hatton has started preparing for the fight right after the signing of the fight contract with Pacquiao. He said he will introduce new techniques to address Pacquiao’s fighting style. But the Pacquiao camp belittles Mayweather’s plan saying; ‘you cannot change Hatton’s style instantly, he will always revert to his original style where he is comfortable. Changes, they said cannot be done in two months, it takes years of constant and continous training and practice to develop and make it effective.
For his part, Freddie Roach said that Hatton is much more difficult to beat than Oscar de la Hoya. Hatton is a great body puncher, younger and best of all, he is a brawler. But he said that Manny will win over Hatton via a knock out and even predicted that it will happen on the ninth round or earlier.
Manny is a quick learner, Roach said. He noted that Manny did everything he asked him to do when he fought Oscar de la Hoya. When we return to Los Angeles on Tuesday, I will present the ‘how-to-beat Hatton’ game plan to him, Roach added.
Roach thinks that Hatton’s style as a brawler is predictable and Manny knows how to deal with him. He must have devised some strategies on the Hatton brand of boxing and they could be part of his ‘how to beat Hatton’ game plan.
In recent interviews with sportswriters, Mayweather had repeatedly said that boxing fans will see a new Hatton when he faces Pacquiao for the EW match. If indeed Hatton can make the necessary changes to address Pacquiao’s vaunted power and speed then he might just win the fight and may even win via knock out in the early rounds. But many boxing fans believe that changes cannot be made overnight and in this particular fight, time is not on Hatton’s side.