INQUIRER Sports

LAS VEGAS—How much bigger can a challenge get for Manny Pacquiao? Well, think a football stadium, 100,000 chanting fans and a beer-guzzling bloke who loves brawling as much as the Pacman does.

After possibly sending Oscar De La Hoya to retirement, Team Pacquiao is now training its sights on British sensation Ricky Hatton, the Hitman from Manchester City who is currently the top junior welterweight—the division the 29-year-old southpaw wants his fifth title to come from.

And it is that fight, plus one against Floyd Mayweather Jr., that trainer Freddie Roach hopes will seal the Pacman’s boxing legacy.

“That’s an interesting fight because you’ve got action fighters,” Roach said. “Hatton is the best fight out there for us right now, money-wise, style-wise. He's a hard guy. He likes to fight. It would be a very interesting fight. I think the world would love to see that and Manny has been always wants to give the world what they want.”

During Friday’s weigh-in, Haton spoke to the audience and said he would be very interested in fighting the winner at Wembley Stadium, the famous London football field that can seat 100,000 fans.

And Pacquiao said he is willing to head into the heart of Hatton’s homeland for the fight.

“I’m willing to accept his invitation,” said Pacquiao, who added that he doesn’t mind Hatton’s major edge in fan support because it will only encourage him to fight harder.

After Saturday’s fight, though, Pacquiao became non-committal.

“My job is to prepare as hard as I can for a fight,” said the Gen. Santos City native. “It’s the job of my promoter to negotiate my next opponent.”

Despite that statement, though, it is clear that Hatton is next in line for Pacquiao, unless Mayweather steps in and demands a battle for the mythical pound-for-pound crown.