Pacquiao-Hatton fight sold out

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Promoters just announced the May 2 junior-welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and England’s Ricky Hatton at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is sold out.

Live gate calculations are being finalized as we write here, but Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, is excited about what this means for pay-per-view revenue.

Arum, in San Francisco today to enjoy tonight’s Pacquiao-starring Filipino Heritage Night at the San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park, said through a spokesman that he anticipates an ‘all-time record’ in pay-per-view buys for Pacquiao-Hatton. That would be quite a feat in today’s economy, considering the May 2007 Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight attracted more than 2.15 million PPV buys.

Arum, however, has just been told by Giants officials that their last-place team on a Tuesday night will sell out more than 40,000 seats for Pacquiao’s appearance tonight. He’ll throw out the first pitch, and fans will receive a Manny Pacquiao bobblehead.

Promoters say fans who’ll be in Las Vegas for fight weekend can still watch the event on closed-circuit television at Mandalay Bay.

-- Lance Pugmire