By Ronnie Nathanielsz

ALEX Ariza, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao?s conditioning guru, predicted that the world?s top pound-for-pound boxer will face a more physical fight with Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton than he did with Oscar de la Hoya at the MGM Grand last Dec. 6.

Ariza told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Hatton was a little like Pacquiao with a ?high pace and lots of volume? in terms of punches.

?But in the end, it?s going to come down to the same thing because Manny is getting better and better,? said Ariza.

The conditioning expert, who began working alongside trainer Freddie Roach before the World Boxing Council lightweight title fight against David Diaz, has been credited with helping make Pacquiao a faster, more explosive fighter.

He is also credited giving Pacquiao additional power, which was evident in both the Diaz fight, where he pulverized the champion in nine rounds and then mauled De la Hoya to win by an eighth-round TKO.

?Pacquiao is now more well-rounded as a boxer. He?s not just a left hand puncher. He?s got that jab and he?s obviously been more effective with it in his last few

fights and he?s more confident,? said Ariza.

?I see the same outcome against Hatton,? added Ariza, also referring to Pacquiao?s last fight in which De la Hoya quit at the end of the eighth round.

While conceding that Hatton will be more aggressive, Ariza said: ?You?ve got to look at the positives. Hatton was shorter, he has got a shorter reach and Manny doesn?t have to be defensive. He?ll be easier to hit than De la Hoya

was for sure, although it?s going to be a little bit rougher, more physical fight.?

At the same time, Ariza said he was not sure whether Pacquiao has to train for two months for the Hatton fight just like he did for De la Hoya.

?May train for seven weeks because there?s not been a lot of rest-time or downtime between now and then, when he starts camp again,? said Ariza.

Hatton?s farther, Ray Hatton, told Standard Today on New Year?s Eve that his son would train for 12 weeks in Manchester, Florida and Las Vegas.

But Ariza noted: ?They have to train 12 weeks because of the weight problem since Hatton has a tendency to bloat in-between fights.?

Ariza was confident Pacquiao could make the 140-pound limit easily, and that by fight night, the Filipino southpaw and world?s no. 1 pound-for-pound champion will go up to 147.

?Manny is getting stronger and is obviously a better fighter as he goes up in weight, unless Hatton changes his style,? Ariza emphasized. ?Hatton is there to be hit. The only problem is that he?s a lot more physical, throws more punches. It?s going to be a more physical fight for sure.?

Ariza, who was in Chicago training a mixed martial arts heavyweight contender, said he?ll be back in Los Angeles this weekend.

He said he saw Pacquiao a week ago. ?He looks good and now he stays in shape pretty much all

year round.?