A WEEK ago, you could get odds of just 25/1 on Ricky Hatton, Carl Froch, David Haye and Amir Khan all winning this summer. Froch fulfilled his part of the deal, but tonight Manny Pacquiao may well put a premature end to that British quadruple.

Hatton is the darling of the nation, in a way that Joe Calzaghe could never quite be.

Calzaghe achieved more, but lacked much of the cheeky charisma that Hatton exudes.

Indeed, nothing sums up Hatton more than the way he promoted this super fight against Pacquiao - arguably the biggest bout of the year.

When the Pacman - the world’s finest pound for pound boxer - flew in to Manchester a couple of months ago, there was a notable absence of posturing. Instead, a darts match at Hatton’s local near Hyde.

Even in the varied career of Sky darts commentator John Gwynne, who was on hand to call the action, this must have seemed an ever so slightly surreal experience.

Pacquiao’s more reserved and respectful personality may suit Hatton better than Floyd Mayweather Jnr’s brash and confrontational approach before their duel in 2007.

When Hatton started to be drawn into a vitriolic war of words, there was a sense that he had already lost the battle of minds that would do much to decide the fight of fists.

Hatton had made his name with a gutsy victory over Kostya Tsyzu, but the classy Mayweather proved to be a step too far.

Hatton’s whole-hearted approach was too imprecise and Mayweather picked him off.

The convincing nature of the 10th-round stoppage made all talk of a rematch absurd.

Hatton has since brought in Mayweather’s father as trainer and believes he is in better shape to become the best boxer on the planet.

But his two interim victories have come against Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi.

Neither fighter merited being rated tremendously highly, and Lazcano’s nickname – the Hispanic Causing Panic – was a work of genius but laughably inaccurate.

The merciless way in which Pacquiao, who started his career at 106lbs, ended the great career of Oscar de la Hoya at 147lbs in December was to be admired.

One of the most impressive performances for some years, it bore resemblance to a wasp buzzing around an elephant.

So when Hatton talks about beating the Pacman before taking out Juan Manuel Marquez and ending his career with a revenge victory against Mayweather at Wembley, one fears he might be getting a little ahead of himself.

This fight will be difficult enough, Ricky.

Indeed, it is hard to see how the Manchester Mexican will have enough guile to beat the man known as the Mexicutioner for the way he has worked his way through Central America’s great fighters.

Like Mayweather, Pacquiao has the craft to cut through Hatton’s kinetic energy and the power to engineer a finish.

Beating the Pacman at Las Vegas’ famous MGM Grand tonight would top any single achievement of Calzaghe’s lengthy career, but it is unlikely to happen.

The prediction: Pacquiao in the ninth round.