MANNY PACQUIAO VS RICKY HATTON – THE DEFINITION OF PAY PER VIEW
Posted: May 2, 2009
by Terrell James

Today will mark the first time in years when there should be no reluctance to shell out hard earned money for a pay per view. In case you have been under a rock, Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton will go mano a mano, in one of the most anticipated match-ups of the year. This is must see TV. This is when you call your friend who is always complaining that boxing has “fallen off” and will never be what it was back in the day.

PPV is not Winky Wright vs. Bernard Hopkins, Carlos Baldomir vs. Floyd Mayweather or Roy Jones vs. Felix Trinidad. Now don’t get me wrong, anyone who makes a living in the ring should be applauded. Furthermore, the aforementioned are world class fighters who have been in exciting fights at one point or another. Also, it is understood there are only so many network TV dates to go around but from a quality standpoint, PPVs were getting ridiculous. Of course in order to know how listless or one-sided these fights were, one would have to watch; but enough is enough. Boxing fans shouldn’t be taken for a ride. PPV fights shouldn’t be predictable mismatches, they shouldn’t showcase “defensive wizards” and they definitely shouldn’t be a stage for the biggest names that have seen better days.

In Pacquiao vs. Hatton, it can be expected that all the necessary components of a PPV worthy fight are there: star power, talent, excitement and suspense. This is a pay per view that wasn’t forced onto fight fans. Pacquiao, heralded as one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world, has vastly improved his boxing skills and is always in search of the spectacular knockout. On the other hand, Hatton electrifies the atmosphere by drawing legions of salivating fans, applies constant pressure and reigned supreme at jr. welterweight before running into pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather. The fight not only showcases the most popular active fighters in boxing, but this is simply without a doubt the biggest and best fight that could be made in boxing. Now ask yourself one question; when was the last time you could say that?

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