INTERVIEW - Early win for Pacquiao over Hatton, says Roach

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has predicted an early knockout by the Filipino southpaw when he takes on Briton Ricky Hatton in their hotly anticipated light-welterweight title bout next month.

Hatton is the undisputed king of the 140 pounds division but Roach believes four-weight world champion Pacquiao will need only three rounds to win on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"It's going to be a short fight but it's going to be all action," Roach told Reuters of the contest dubbed 'The Battle of East and West'. "I think it's going to be the best three rounds you've ever seen.

"Ricky is going to force the action and Manny is going to respond to it. Manny is going to get to him early and I believe Manny will knock him out in the early rounds."

In his most recent bout, Pacquiao outclassed 10-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas in December to confirm his reputation as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

The 5 foot 6.5 Filipino boasts an impressive record of 48-3-2 with 36 knockouts and, according to Roach, he has never been in better shape.

"He is the complete pound-for-pound fighter," said Roach, who owns the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles where Pacquiao has been preparing for his clash with Hatton.

"Everything we have ever worked on has really come in to play. He has fought two perfect fights in a row. He's a much more intelligent, smarter fighter. He's using his head a lot more.