Ricky Hatton does not take on Manny Pacquiao until 2 May but, somewhat ominously for the Mancunian, round one in the build-up to what could be the defining fight of his career has gone to his opponent. The pair faced the public at the Trafford Centre in Manchester yesterday in an event designed to give Hatton momentum ahead of the Las Vegas showdown, but instead it was Pacquiao who arrived and departed to the more thunderous roars of approval.

There are some 200,000 Filipinos living in the United Kingdom and it felt as if the majority of them were in attendance to see the first appearance on these shores of the man widely regarded as being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. They sung Pacquiao’s name, cheered whenever a clip appeared on the large-screen television showing the 30-year-old pounding one of the 53 opponents he has faced in his career and held aloft banners proclaiming their love for the man who, in December, brutally ended the career of Oscar De La Hoya. Never have Hatton’s band of supporters been so overwhelmed.

“I am amazed by the support I have been shown,” a beaming Pacquiao said. “I did not expect it because this is Ricky’s home town, where I know he is loved. I appreciate my supporters coming to see me.”
There were cheers for Hatton, too, but he was the first to admit that the afternoon belonged to Pacquiao, who last year named his daughter Queen Elizabeth in tribute to the monarch. The two fighters met later in the day at the New Inn pub in Hyde for a game of darts (both are apparently mean competitors at the oche) and will do so again in London tomorrow for a press conference, as the build-up for what could well be the most eye-catching bout of 2009 grows.

Hatton has got to this stage courtesy of his impressive 11th-round stoppage of Paulie Malignaggi in November, a performance that enabled him to speak confidently yesterday of overcoming Pacquiao on his return to the MGM Grand. “Manny will cause me problems with his speed, but I was pretty fast myself in my last fight [against Malignaggi] and with another training camp under my belt I’ll be even quicker,” he said. “I truly feel I’ve got an answer for everything and that the Ricky Hatton in this fight will prove to be better than the Ricky Hatton that beat Kostya Tszyu four years ago.” Such confidence could be deemed naive were it not for Hatton’s early preparation for what will be his second and probably last chance to be hailed the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, having failed the first time around against Floyd Mayweather Jr 15 months ago. He is already three weeks into training with his coaches, Floyd Mayweather Sr and Lee Baird, and will depart for Las Vegas five weeks before facing Pacquiao, giving him an extra fortnight of preparation.
“I’m in fantastic condition already,” said Hatton, noticeably slimmer than he normally is at this stage. “That just shows how much I’m up for this fight. ”

Hatton pointed out that, the last time Pacquiao faced the type of front-foot pressure he plans to exert, against Erik Morales in March 2005, he lost. What is undeniable is that the “Pacman” has improved since then, culminating in his trio of wins across three different weight divisions last year, the last of which saw De La Hoya demoralised across eight rounds. Nigel Collins, the editor of Ring magazine, later described the man from General Santos City as a “package of mayhem that guarantees violence every time he fights”, and it is why he and many other observers expect him to overcome Hatton.

“I know what Ricky’s weaknesses are and I have trained for them,” said Pacquiao. “His strength is his left uppercut, but I can handle that, too.” The world and fervent supporters wait to see if that is the case.