posted Jan 17, 2007

Federer I see where you are coming from, and you make good points. I have seen cotto, fight, and I think, because of Mayweather’s slick style, the better suited guy to beat mayweather is deffintely Cotto,. Cotto, is someone who was struggling to make light welterweight and I think he is a guy you will be looking at as the; man’. I think they are trying to make a fight with Margarito if that comes off, that will be a great fight. Not that I rate Margarito that much, but he is more like Winky Wright , a type of fighter that others will tend to avoid, a lot has been said about how Mayweather loses to margarito not for me. Mayweather IMO is the fastest in terms of hand and slick, mover , and someone to beat him is someone that comes forward and is an accurate puncher , with a lot of hooks, which I think Cotto has. I also like Hatton, because it will be an explosive fight but there is no way hatton beats mayweather to be honest. I also think if Hatton fights Mayweather because mayweather will dictate lot, (like in the delahoya fight) the fight will almost deffinetely be at welterweight. In short some fighters calls names I just don’t think and see Hatton fighting mayweather unless he wins in style against Urango and Castillo. Castillo like Gatti, are taylor made for Hatton, Hatton will smother and probably stop them in some way. I also think Hatton beats Judah because Judah don’t like anyone coming at him, that maybe a probable fight for Hatton as zab is getting his licence in May. The summer probably and I think hatton wins that, I don think he beats Cotto, no ways and mayweather nah. I also think that Mayweather knows he probably will labour to win against Cotto if at all, just like he did when he beat Castillo in their first fight, It was a close fight.
A hatton vs Witter throws a lot of tantrums for me.1. If it goes 12 rounds Hatton wins, I think Witter an only win that on cuts or stoppage which you can’t rule out. Also witter is a smarter fighter than he was 5 years ago.. To give an example of witter losing out to zab is insanity, zab was more established and by then Witter was more of a British level fighter. Can you imagine Hatton beating Tsyzu if it were held in 1998/1999, it was too early for Witter to step up. Same way David Haye lost his first fight, he was too green!
I want to see that fight because Hatton and Witter are different fighter, Witter has a sweetener (WBC) and that’s what will entice Hatton fighting him if 1) Hatton loses one of any fights on the HBO schedule 2) The HBO feels its not worth extending his current 4 fight deal on their schedule depending to the performances he does, which you cant rule out because he was terrible when he fought Collazo.
The welterweight is mouth-watering with Williams, Mayweather Cotto, Castillo, Baldi, Zab, Margarito, I don’t understand why Ricky changed his mind against a guy that I always felt will be awkward for him in Collazo. The bottomline is also that Hatton has gone backwards since he beat Kostya, he hasn’t beaten anyone of a big name to cement his legacy remember he is getting older everyday. A Witter fight is a better fight and will draw lots of crowds than any of that taylor made fighters he is facing. I for one think Witter wont shut up, Hatton will succumb and give him a a shot at him. He (Hatton) has said that he sees himself facing Witter after his schedule with HBO ends, a statement that his trainer has said he don’t want him to face Witter.
In anycase Witter is ranked no2 on IBF should he defend his belt and beat Harris he could well be the mandatory no 1, and Hatton will have to face him. Age is not a problem for witter’s case he looks fit to fight on in the 5 years anyway,, do I need to remind you how old Hopkins is?, hopkins basically had all his defining fights that cemented his legacy when he reached 33 starting from his win against Trinidad to that pulsating fight against Tarver when he was 41. Age ? don’t give me that, it depends to your mileage, that’s why people are asking Barrera to stop fighting because even though he is 32 he looks like he is 40 he has fought many wars!, and so has Hatton in comparison to Witter so that don’t hold at all. The other thing is Ricky knows he some how has to settle that feud and there is only one way he will do it.
I don’t miss any of Hatton’s fights and I will be taking notes ! , I hope he wins because of he don’t the Americans will lose interest especially after that abysmal performance against Collazo

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posted Jan 17, 2007

When you are champion of one organisation,it automatically removes you from the other organisations rankings.
Witter can't become Hattons mandatory(or vice versa)all the while they hold another belt.

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posted Jan 17, 2007

Exactly right salvador and Hatton would have vacated before facing Witter. No doubt he would claim bigger fights out there etc. But you can see why Witter took the WBC route. Otherwise he would have been waiting until he was 35 before Hatton would have the nerve to face him. At least if he makes a few defences he will make some money.

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posted Jan 17, 2007

vercingetorix1966
I have to laugh at your comment - "Otherwise he would have been waiting until he was 35 before Hatton would have the nerve to face him".
Believe me if fighting Witter at any time in his career would have beneficted him he would have jumped at it.

Hopefully 1 day it will happen. If and when it does happen, and they are standing face to face before the 1st bell, something tells me Witter will wish he had not run his mouth so much.

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posted Jan 17, 2007

Salvador you are playing good and trying to be too clever, stop cherry picking and answer the facts I will say this especially for you!
HATTON BEAT TSZYU WHEN TSYZU HAD FOUGHT ONCE IN OVER 3 YEARS,
KOSTYA WAS ALSO 35 TO ESPLAIN TO YOU THAT HE WAS PAST HIS BEST HE HASN’T BOTHERED TO FIGHT AGAIN

Can you imagine Ricky fighting Amir Khan when Ricky is 35?, and Amir is 26?. Do you know how many fights that Muhammed ali lost to and people he lost to who havent mattered because he was fighting beyond his ‘hay days’. Trevor Berbick( MHSRIP) beat Ali in 1981, and Berbick was annihilated by Mike tyson a year later, does that mean Tyson is better than Berwick. That’s what you seem to imply by your theories!, Looks at boxers styles Ali fought way past his prime same thing Tsyzu did.
Have you heard Ricky calling out Mayweather or Cotto, according to him 1I will meet them down the line I need a few fights’. What does that imply to you, he refused to fight mayweather twice and Mayweather has actually said he will give Hatton a last chance when he watches him fight Urango. Don’t be hyped too much about the british hype of fighters. I like Ricky but there is a point he knows he cant go beyond. To say that he is not in Witter’s class, is stupid, how can that be when then he is in Collazo’s fight or Urango.
If Ricky wanted to fight Witter the HBO will be interested the trouble is it’s a a risky fight for Hatton and the HATTON CAMP WILL NOT ENTAERTAIN THAT
Also go to HBO fight records and see that Ricky’s fight didn’t go beyond 6000 inside , you could actually see the empty seats. Let me also remind you that the reason why HBO took Ricky is in the hope that he fights the fights that brings them revenue. He says he needed a tune up fight for welterweight,ie collazo where he was dissapointing. He also insisted he needed Urango because of the sweatener( the IBF) belt, when in reality the realisation was, that they were lucky to scrape through the Collazo fight and anyone with a better resume at wlterweight could have spolied the dream. Don’t believe anything you read mate

‘Nasty shock’ thast what claim lol don’t pump yourself up so much about Ricky beating Hatton that way. Nasty shoc? The nasty shock will be you who will probably be you who will dwindle away and disappear when Rocky loses this weekend lol

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posted Jan 17, 2007

merv49
Though you talk a lot of sense, the 1 thing i will disagree on is the fact Hatton doesn't want to fight Witter.
Hatton is at a stage where he wants the bigger fights with better money and although it would generate large interest in the UK, the fact is the bigger fights are in the US. I stand by in what i say in that if they do get to fight that Hatton will Stop Witter. Ego will take over with Witter which would cause his downfall. He would get sucked into a fight. He has a style which could cause Hatton problems for sure, but with no love lost this would end up being a scrap which suits Hatton.
I am a Hatton but am not blinkered to know what he can achieve, Mayweather and Cotto are beyond him and i do believe he would take a lot of punishment and lose both these fights.

Your bang on with the Collazo fight, for someone who is supposedly not a puncher he nearly had Hatton, and i for 1 wasn't sure which way the judges were going to go.

No walk in the park against this Urango in my opinion. This could be a real slug fest.

Lets just hope Hatton and Witter get it on some time.

Hey - Good banter

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posted Jan 17, 2007

1FEDERER

Ricky Hatton has never wanted to fight Witter.

Some stats for you.

Pro debut: Both 1997

Witters 18th fight = Zab Judah. 24/06/2000
Hattons 18th fight = Pedro Teran. 26/03/2000

Note the huge discrepancy in class. Hatton's handlers wouldn't dare let him in with Judah at this stage. Yet Witter continually has this fight thrown back in his face by people saying he ran.

The following year Hatton wins the 5th rate WBU title against the once good Tony Pep.

2001-2002 he defends it against Rowland, Bailey, Pendleton, Rowsell, Krivolapov, Smith and Hutchinson.

Now you tell me why Hatton never gave Witter a chance despite them both being equal in terms of experience and Witter being a better and more known opponent than any of the men named above?

This fight could have been made in a heartbeat if team Hatton wanted it. Witter would probably have crawled over the Pennines for it.

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posted Jan 17, 2007

Federer be aware that boxing is business, and reputation. If Hatton had wanted to fight Witter and close out the chapter he would have had, at NO TIME has he ever called out Witter in his own words, Witter must wait …mmmh
Whether Witter loses to Hatton is not reason of them not fighting. Ricky said he didn’t want to face Witter because Witter had nothing. But Witter has now the WBC, why doesn’t he make it clear that he definitely wants to clear the air in only one way both you and I know. I just think Ricky knows something about him, that we don’t know . Ricky has never wanted any part of Witter as Vercing pointed out. While I agree with you Fed about your analysis of how he(Witter) gets might get stuck in his fight, you are not looking at Witter’s strengths and only looking at Hatton. I can write a story on why Witter beats Hatton and why Hatton beats Witter but I think you agree that’s not the bone of contention here. Give ceaser what belongs to caesar and settle this, the trouble federer is that Witter will not shut up regardless of whether he loses his next fight or not. Need I say more? Ffs they are both world champions and ricky has never tagged the WBC belt.

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posted Jan 18, 2007

I can see we are not going to agree on this but hey life would be boring if everyone had the same opinion.
I will say this though, When starting out everyone's goal is to be world champion. Now you have to say Hatton has taken the right path as he became champion some time ago and Witter has had to wait until now. If every boxer fought who they wanted to fight they would most likely end up having 10 fights a year which just ain't gonna happen.
When your world champion, your then after the bigger paydays and bigger fights. Even though Witter is now a champion, Hatton can get much more money fighting other fighters, also the fact that Hatton wants to fight in the US.
If Hatton beats Urango which is deffo no walk in the park. Say then he was offered the same money to fight Witter as he would get if he fought say Cotto or Mayweather then he would jump at the chance to fight Witter and take that belt before fighting 1 of the other 2. But that is not going to happen. I do belive the only way that these 2 will meet is if Hatton loses because then he will need Witter.

1 thing we do agree on though is that we hope this fight does eventually happen.

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posted Jan 18, 2007

Merv,everyone is entitled to their opinion,but when you claim to have such knowledge,I think you seriously let yourself down when also claiming Witter is the IBF ranked number 2 fighter....
There was over 8,000 people in the arena for Hatton/Collazo.
There may have only been just below 6,000 tickets sold prior to the fight,but that does'nt mean only that amount showed up does it?You never bought a ticket on the door?(I seriously doubt you have even been to a boxing show)
Your point about Tszyu is a bit deluded.Not once did I claim Hatton beat a prime Tszyu,but there is no way he was as shot as the Tyson that fought Williams,or the Ali that fought Berbick!!!These fighters had showed before these fights that they were finished and had taken extensive punishment in the ring,which is the reason why they were shot.My argument is,where did Tszyu ever show his decline in the ring?You can only speculate as to how much the injury affected him.You have zero proof to back it up.If you knew anything about Tszyu's style you would know that Hatton would have always given him trouble,at any point in his career.
You refuse to accept anyone's opinions,yet come out with utter nonsense yourself!
Another 5 minute boxing fan(don't worry there are plenty on here!)who is devoid of any real point in his posts.
All I can figure out in your posts(which are extremely hard to read by the way!)is you don't rate Hatton(fair enough,your entitled to)you over rate Witter(WHO exactly has Witter beat for you class him as highly as you do?)and you seem to think Tszyu was as shot as Holyfield is now,Tyson was against WIlliams and Ali was against Berbick!!(Can honestly say that out of all the boxing people I have ever spoke to about Tszyu/Hatton(fighters,both pro and am,my trainer,everyone down the gym,and general other boxing nuts)no one has come out with anything as far fetched as that!!!
You seem keen on the sport though,so kudos to that!There ain't enough boxing fans around

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