INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—For Manny Pacquiao, there’s one more significant event in the week leading to his May 2 fight with British brawler Ricky Hatton.

For Hatton, that event could serve as a reminder of what Pacquiao is capable of.

Pundits have tipped Pacquiao and Freddie Roach to lock up the Fighter and Trainer of the Year honors, respectively, when the Boxing Writers Association of America hands out its annual awards on Apr. 27, just five days before the Gen. Santos City southpaw fights Hatton in Las Vegas.

In an article posted on the website www.mannypacquiao.com.ph, the Boston Herald’s George Kimball said that, although the votes have yet to be cast, the choice of Pacquiao and Roach appear to be a “foregone conclusion.”

“It would be a travesty of the highest caliber if Pacquiao is not named unanimous fighter of the year,” the cleveland.com sports staff said.

Pacquiao was also adjudged Fighter of the Year in 2006, succeeding Hatton, who won the award in 2005. Floyd Mayweather Jr., who looms as the next opponent of the winner of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight, was adjudged BWAA Fighter of the Year last year.

Under Roach, who has won two BWAA Trainer of the Year awards, Pacquiao produced three scintillating wins in three different divisions last year.

Pacquiao left no doubt as to his status as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter by moving up two weight classes to conquer Oscar De La Hoya in a one-sided welterweight “Dream Match.”

That victory over De La Hoya, George Willis of the New York Post wrote, made Pacquiao the obvious choice for the award.

Pacquiao also beat Juan Manuel Marquez by split decision in March for the Mexican’s WBC super featherweight crown and followed it up with a swashbuckling ninth-round knockout of WBC lightweight champion David Diaz in June.

For fighting Hatton, Pacquiao is expected to earn more than the reported $15 million he received from the De La Hoya bout.