‘Pac Man’ vs. Floyd: you pick

It's too soon to declare Manny Pacquiao the best there is pound for pound in boxing.

Pacquiao pounded Ricky Hatton back into obscurity with a second-round knockout Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden. But Hatton has more guts than talent. He still might be flat on his back in the ring.

Before anointing Pacquiao the greatest who ever lived -- as Top Rank promoter Bob Arum wants to do -- let's see him take out unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Lucky's sports books posted a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight as a pick (minus-110 on both sides.) The line has not moved since it was put up Sunday.

Mayweather is back from retirement and is scheduled to fight Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the MGM.

"I think if Floyd looks OK against Marquez, Floyd will be the favorite (against Pacquiao)," said Dave Cokin, a professional handicapper and local ESPN Radio talk show host. "It's a phenomenal betting fight."

Cokin said he fully expects Mayweather-Pacquiao to happen but sees no reason to bet it now. He said there's "a real good chance" the fight won't go until next spring or summer.

The rules at Lucky's stipulate the fight must be held by Feb. 29, 2010, or wagers will be refunded.

"It's fun to put the line out there, but it's flat-out dumb to bet it now," Cokin said.

Betting the fight now is risking being on the wrong side of the line move, Cokin said, and it's foolish to tie up money for that long.

"Pacquiao can't beat me," the never-humble Mayweather said.

The best bet in boxing was that Mayweather would not stay retired.

• DATING GAMES -- New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, were featured in the April issue of GQ magazine. Kardashian described how the couple met:

"Matt Leinart (backup quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals) was dating a friend of mine, Paris Hilton. I went to the ESPY Awards with my stepdad, and Matt was sitting with Reggie. The rest is history."

Kardashian also called Bush a slug around the house and said he's "the slowest person anyone will ever encounter. I don't understand how he's so fast on the field."

Bush fired back, saying, "She always feels rushed. It basically trickles down to her having an attitude. So we get into little arguments."

The story was titled "The Saint and the Sinner." Bush said "we don't talk about" the sex tape Kardashian made before meeting Bush or any of the girls in Bush's past.

Sounds like a perfect match. No way it can fail.

• TROUBLE IN TENNESSEE? -- Lane Kiffin has made few friends since becoming the Volunteers' football coach, and one of his new recruits to Tennessee should raise eyebrows, according to a story by Michael Rosenberg of Foxsports.com.

Kiffin signed Daniel Hood, a defensive end/tight end prospect. When Hood was 13, a juvenile court found that he helped rape his 14-year-old cousin.

Rosenberg said Hood "will become a symbol, right or wrong, of the Kiffin era at Tennessee ... already one of the most controversial reigns in recent Southeastern Conference history."

COMPILED BY MATT YOUMANS LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL