Career futures diverge for Pacquiao and Hatton

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Less than 24 hours after Manny Pacquiao's stunning demolition of IBO light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, the two fighters looked ahead towards vastly different futures on Sunday.

While Pacquiao can probably size up a lucrative bout with American Floyd Mayweather Jr. after cementing his status as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, Briton Hatton is likely to be considering his retirement.

Pacquiao had been a clear favourite going into the hotly anticipated fight between two 30-year-olds, a 12-round contest that promised an intriguing match-up between the Filipino's lightning speed and the Englishman's raw power.

Most pundits predicted a Pacquiao victory but the Asian southpaw's trainer Freddie Roach proved to be much more accurate with his forecast for a decision inside three rounds.

'Pac-man' Pacquiao duly delivered, twice flooring Hatton in the opening round before silencing the Briton's army of supporters with a devastating left hook and a knockout with one second left in round two.

"Manny's unbelievable," Roach told reporters after Pacquiao improved his career record to 49-3-2 with 37 knockouts. "He makes me look good.

"He's the best fighter in the world. He's in his prime and he's on top of his game. Anyone in the world, he can beat."

The undefeated Mayweather Jr., who announced on Saturday he would come out of retirement, will meet Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez in a non-title welterweight fight on July 18.