posted Apr 4, 2008

darlo........I never said Hatton should have been stopped or that he lost to Collazo. I merely pointed out that he wasn't a top welterweight champion or a big puncher and that in the eyes of many he was fortunate to get the decision. Most Hatton fans will acknowledge he was in trouble in the fight, but you just think he was tired? OK, lets move on.

Re: Tsyzu being still being a great fighter.

The guy was 35 years old. Had been out with an elbow injury. Had only had 1 fight in each of his last 3 years. One fight a year is generally bad for any fighter but for an ageing fighter is fatal. These against less than stellar opponents; Ben Tackie in 2002, Jesse James Leija in 2003, and Sharmba Mitchell in 2004. I fail to see how any of these prepared him to face Hatton who was stronger, fitter and with a higher workrate. He was forced to fight Hatton or be stripped of his title by the IBF, its a matter of record that he was being pressured by Showtime to box Hatton.

So to summarise we have an ageing, inactive and underprepared champion being pressured by his TV company and the organisation who's belt he holds into fighting the young up and coming fighter in his own backyard.

Credit Hatton because his workrate and tactics of hit and smother worked and denied Tszyu the room to land his big right. But if Tszyu was STILL a great fighter like you say wouldn't he have fought on instead of being inactive for the last 3 years?

I just think he was past it and the fact he's never boxed since despite having big money offers on the table indicates to me that he knows he is past it as well.

To be honest I don't see why I should give Hatton too much credit for beating Maussa, Collazo, Urango and Castillo because I think Witter would have done the same given the opportunity. At the end of the day thats what its all about, being given the opportunity.

In The Times on 7 September, 2007 Hatton said “Frank Warren said further down the road you’ll (Hatton/Witter) fight for big money. But he built me up, but he didn’t build Junior up. I was fighting Freddie Pendleton and Vince Phillips and Junior was still fighting six-rounders.”

You have to ask yourself why, when Warren had both of them under contract, he chose to do that? It seems pretty obvious to me that its because he knows Witter posed a massive threat to Hatton so he kept Witter close enough to be able to keep them apart because Hatton sold tickets and Witter did not.

You may have problems with people downgrading Hatton's achievements because they don't like his style but in my case you couldn't be more wrong. I saw Hatton's 4th, 5th, 7th, 12th, 14th, 17th fights on undercards, I saw him beat Thaxton for the British title, I saw his WBU defences against Pendleton, Krivolapov, Magee, Phillips, Rios, Tackie, Pedersen and Stewart, I saw him dethrone Tzsyu and then annex Maussa's title in Sheffield. If that doesn't qualify me to analyse Hatton's career I don't know what does.

I used to believe in Ricky Hatton, which is why I went to so many of his fights, I believed he was a decent honest fighter who had an eye to establishing a legacy based upon fighting the best. For me and many others that had to include fighting Junior Witter to see who was the best light-welter in Britain. Now it seems he is more concerned with building a bank balance than a legacy.

That is why I am not going to see him against Lazcano.

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posted Apr 4, 2008

Thats all well and good and fair play to you for that, but how can you challenge his desire to build a legacy and fight against the best rather than not taking any risk when he has just fought the best fighter of the last 10/15 years and possibly a man who could claim to be up their with the best of all time?

I know what your going to say to this (money, publicity etc.) but surely, if he didnt want to fight Witter because he was afraid to lose, why would you take on Mayweather where defeat is more likely than against anyone else on the planet?

I feel people need to be patient, Hatton has his reasons for putting the fight on ice, and im sure thats all it is. In every interview on the topic Hatton has said everytime "the fight WILL HAPPEN when I choose" not "I will never fight Junior Witter". Why does it have to be right now or he's "ducking" him? Im going to see Witter vs Bradley incidently enough at the Nottingham arena soon as part of the Froch vs Inkin card. It will be the first time ive seen Witter box in the flesh.

I hope very much Witter wins and goes on to claim a 2nd World title and prove his worth. Hatton v Witter for the undisputed LWW title would be a super fight that Witter had earned. You dont earn super fights by slagging people off and letting your gob go. As Ricky has said time and time again, when he earns it in the ring by beating some credible opposition and Ricky chooses to give him the payday, the fight will happen so I see any negativity directed at Hatton as quite unreasonable about this matter.

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posted Apr 4, 2008

Darlo.....do live local to Notts or are you coming down from Darlington?

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posted Apr 5, 2008

I study in Nottingham so live here in term time. Are you a Nottingham local like?

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posted Apr 6, 2008

I live in Mapperley which is a little over a mile from the city centre.

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posted Apr 6, 2008

Haha, small world eh? We could have been having this whole debate over a pint at Hooters!

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posted Apr 6, 2008

Well not Hooters, perhaps Speakeasy, The Tap n Tumbler or The Old Angel. I only drink in metal bars.

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posted Apr 6, 2008

Good choice, Speakease and Old Angel are a good choice. I avoid the Tap n Tumbler due to the horrific state of their toilets! I mean, im not expecting luxury but come on! You could go swimming in a sewer and it would smell better than that! Anyway! We've strayed somewhat off topic. Are you off to the Froch Inkin / Witter Bradley fights aswell?

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posted Apr 7, 2008

Unfortunately not, I already had my nieces 18th to go to on 10th May. So I'll have to record it an watch later. Hopefully I won't have some
idiot come and tell me what happened before I get home.

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posted Apr 12, 2008

I believe it a little unfair for people to criticise Hatton for not making the fight with Witter. It'll probably happen in time.
Don't think Hatton could be considered by anyone for ducking opponents. People want the Hatton/Witter fight so badly that they'll accuse Hatton of ducking him.But it's very normal to have a fight that eases you back in after conceding a loss. Besides......He wishes to fight Mayweather again.
I wonder how Witter would fair against Mayweather?????

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