posted Jul 30, 2008

24 hrs on from my last post and reading a few more bulletins on this in the generally available media I am more sure on my view that Hatton is making Billy Graham a scapegoat for the poor performances recently. Poor show I think Ricky, Billy does`nt pour pints down your throat and shovel pies in your mouth between fights....its all well and good stating that some of the greats have blown up between fights and still won but most still end up losing the fight with time sooner or later just like you have....just like his hero Duran did. I think even a top US trainer would have trouble with Ricky at this point in his career....I`m thinking of backing Paulie for a good result in Novemeber...providing he gets his hair cut before entering the ring !!! Poor Billy eh...Hatton`s battered Billy`s hands and body for years and now right at the end he`s thrown away. Poor, very poor from the down to earth Hatton clan !

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posted Jul 30, 2008

a sad day for boxing. whether billy was sacked or retired it is a sad day for boxing to see one of the greatest partnerships in british boxing history go their seperate ways. Maybe they be could be reunited if ricky realises that after so long together he cant work another trainer

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posted Jul 31, 2008

Hatton didnt fight the wrong fight against Mayweather, Hatton was simply not good enough, if he thinks a new trainer would do that is pretty deluded, a new trainer will try and teach a old dog new tricks, remember Hamed its only a bad thing for Hatton, to be honest Hatton should just retire.

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posted Jul 31, 2008

Ricky fought Mayweather at the welter weight limit and lost after ten hard fought rounds.
I wonder what would have happened at light welter weight.
Is this the weight Graham wanted Ricky to fight Mayweather at?
If Mayweather thinks he is so great, why does he not fight Ricky at this weight?
After all it will only be fair.
Who ever trains Ricky now, I hope they teach him to block punches with out using his face.

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posted Jul 31, 2008

I've known Ricky professionally for 13 years & have seen how the relationships around Ricky have changed over the years.
There are certainly tensions within his camp, with Ricky's asst coach Billy Rimmer leaving last year & setting up his own boxing camp just a few miles away in Stalybridge.
Billy & Ricky's dad Ray have not always seen eye to eye, because after all Ray Hatton is first & foremost a business man & this is where the real problem lies.
Now let me introduce the real protagonist in this split, Ricky's agent Paul Speak, who seems to have a controlling influence over Ricky. Paul Speak has been around the camp for years doing odd jobs & a bit of photography, but now as his agent pushes Ricky too far down the celebrity road, opening this store & that, appearing in TV shows, sit coms, & most bizzarly, stand up comedy, Paul Speak wont let Ricky sign a poster without his say so. Ricky is not his own man as most people percieve to be.
Billy Graham has been bothered by his new found celebrity status for some time, in much the same way Alex Ferguson was with David Beckham, Billy thinks Ricky has lost site of his professional goal & will lose the 'Eye of the Tiger'.
I & many people around Ricky fear he will lose his next fight & with it his career. If this did happen the blame lies with Ray Hatton, Paul Speak & most disappointingly, Ricky himself.

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posted Jul 31, 2008

Just who does Ray Hatton think he is first he gets rid of the man who made RH a millionair (Frank Warren) then he gets rid of Billy Graha What will the excuse be when RH get done by Paulie Mag

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posted Jul 31, 2008

disappointed but not suprized about team hattons sacking of billy.rickys finished anyway hes a shot fighter whos just going through the grind now.how hes still the top light welter in the world i do not know.2 more fights then bye bye and there will be a sour taste in rickys mouth always when he looks back over his career and recalls how he dumped his best trainer.no trainer even mayweather senior will improve ricky,hes a one dimensional slugger thats all.too old to change.celebrity went to hattons head,what ever happened to the normal lad from manchester?

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posted Aug 1, 2008

Tourettes is right. Why couldn't they end the relationship properly. Ray Hatton is a fool, cocky and being greedy - why couldn't he just say they wanted to try some new ideas etc rather than kidding the public. I know I believe Graham over Ray Hatton any day. The reason 'Magic' (lol) Hatton lost is because he isnt as talented as his brother, not the trainer's fault. I worry about Hatton's career ending in dismal failure rather than crowning glory - and Hatton is my favourite fighter! Ricky will wup Malanaggi but he'd do that even if I trained him, Malanaggi ain't world class - against Paqman et al, I can see him losing, badly.

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posted Aug 5, 2008

I just feel that Hatton thought that Billy Graham had taken him as far as he could and that a change of direction was needed. I would not be surprised if the Golden Boy Promotions have been saying the odd bit here and there, bending Rickies ear. I personally don,t think a change so late in Rickies career will change him as a fighter though, so it does begger the question as to why????

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posted Aug 5, 2008

Billy Graham was limited as a trainer but two things;
-firstly,Team Hatton could have shown a bit more respect for the man in the way they dispensed with his services.
- second, surely too late now to make a difference.

Ricky is thought to be having only two more fights.
Imagine Joe dropping dad now and asking Freddie Roach to train him.

The change wiil at best see Ricky belatedly trying to rediscover his undoubted boxing skills which he seems to have neglected from the Maussa fight onwards.
At worst it is unsettling and could be a disaster.

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