Roach's personal choice: Pacman-Hatton better deal

Freddie Roach, who trained and guided Manny Pacquiao to become the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer, wants Britain’s top fighter Ricky Hatton as the Filipino champion’s next opponent.

In a statement to PhilBoxing, the future hall of famer said he believes the Pacquiao-Hatton duel will make for a better match up than Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“Regardless of money, I want Hatton to be the next fight for Manny,” said Roach. “I don’t want a boring fight. Look at what happened when (Oscar) Dela Hoya fought Mayweather. I’d rather let Manny fight Hatton.”

Pacquiao’s promoter Top Rank is also eyeing a showdown with the British Hitman.

“It’s such a big fight and it would be such a landmark for the sport, a guy from a third-world island in Asia fighting a hero from the UK,” said Todd DuBoef, president of Top Rank, in an interview with The Sun.

Pacquiao, who worked Roach’s strategy to perfection, overcame all odds and brought down the taller, heftier Dela Hoya with his speed and power, scoring a sensational eighth-round TKO of the 10-time champion last Saturday in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila).

The victory validated Pacquiao’s claim as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter and prompted the unbeaten Mayweather to announce that he’s willing to come out of retirement to face the Filipino southpaw in a mega-buck fight.

Janelle Mayweather, cousin of the former pound-for-pound king, said Floyd Jr. wanted to fight Pacquiao next. Mayweather beat De la Hoya and Hatton before announcing his retirement last year.

But Roach thinks Hatton is a better draw.

“As long as it is a guaranteed good fight, it may be held in England or in the US,” said Roach.

The noted trainer had been widely criticized for letting Pacquiao fight Dela Hoya as many “experts” perceived the fight to be a mismatch in favor of the bigger Dela Hoya. It did turn out a one-sided affair but the other way around as the smaller Pacquiao totally dominated Dela Hoya.

That proved Roach was right all along.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao said he will take a five-month rest and will only be fighting again in May after going through three fights this year, all in different weight categories. He beat Juan Manuel Marquez in their WBC super featherweight title clash in March, stopped David Diaz in their lightweight duel in June before demolishing Dela Hoya in the welterweight division. – Dante Navarro