WORLD Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman says the showdown between the world?s no. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2 would practically be a super lightweight/junior welterweight elimination bout.

?I can tell you right now that Pacquiao is going to be ranked no. 2 super lightweight after he stepped down from the lightweight division [as champion]. I believe that Hatton is no. 1,? Sulaiman told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports from his home in Mexico.

But Sulaiman said the only problem is Bob Arum, the Top Rank promoter of Pacquiao.

Without elaborating, Sulaiman said he has helped Arum many times. ?But he doesn?t know how to reciprocate.? This indicated that should Pacquiao win, he won?t fight for the title to avoid paying the required sanction fees.

The current WBC super lightweight champion is undefeated American Timothy Bradley (23-0, 11 KOs) who battles Kendall Holt (25-2, 13 KOs) at the Bell Center on April 4 in Canada.

Sulaiman said he was very happy at the excellent reception Pacquiao received during his promotional tour stops in Hatton?s hometown of Manchester as well as in London where thousands of flag-waving Filipinos carrying banners and placards gave their hero a rousing welcome. Ronnie Nathanielsz