One of Manny Pacquiao’s opponents revealed that he was hit so hard by the Filipino’s knockout punch that he couldn’t recognize Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Pacquiao is one of the best featherweight boxers of all time and the only boxer in history to win twelve major world titles across eight weight divisions.
His promoter believes that Pacquiao could fight into his 50s given his skill and throughout the years has faced many great opponents.
One of those was UK fighter Ricky Hatton. The two went to war in Las Vegas in 2009, with Pacquiao the victor.
Although Hatton has stated he’s faced harder punches than Pacquiao’s, the after-effects of his defeat sounds like someone who seeing stars.
Ricky Hatton couldn’t recognize Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt after Manny Pacquiao KO
Defeat at the MGM Arena was one that Hatton still remembers vividly, but the aftermath of it all on the night required rejogging of the brain.
Despite hailing from the UK, Ricky ‘Hitman’ Hatton was always popular in LA and the US and revealed he was often left starstruck by the number of A-list celebs who wanted to interact,
Two of those who wanted to meet him after his knockout loss were then-couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Jolie and Pitt wanted to check up on Hatton, however, he was in a world of his own.
Speaking to ESPN in 2015, he said: “Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie wanted to come and meet me after the Pacquiao fight. They wanted to come in the changing room just to make sure I was ok.
“I was walking towards my changing room but it was an horrendously bad knock-out I suffered against Manny Pacquiao, so obviously my head was in other places. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were outside the changing room door and they said: ‘Hey Ricky, how are you?’
“I went: ‘Yeah not bad’ and just walked past them. I didn’t even notice them. How hard must I have been hit to ignore Angelina Jolie!”
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Ricky Hatton almost refused Denzel Washington meeting opportunity
It seems that Hatton hasn’t always had the best luck with celebrities after he almost passed up the chance to meet Denzel Washington.
Ahead of one of his fights, the former welterweight was warming up in his dressing room when Washington wanted to come and pay him a visit.
Hatton’s entourage had other ideas though and almost refused Washington entry into the room because he hadn’t been given official permission.
“Speakie [Paul Speak, Hatton’s agent] wouldn’t let Denzel in at one point though. He’d come down but he didn’t get permission – normally you have to get permission to come down, ” he recalled.
“Denzel didn’t get it and then I don’t think Speakie recognised him. He said: ‘Excuse me, where’s your pass?’ And Denzel went: ‘What pass?’ Then Paul said: ‘Come on, get out, you need a pass to get in here.
“I thought: ‘Paul, it’s Denzel Washington! Leave him alone will you, for goodness’ sake!”