Hi all
Cant believe the abuse Hatton has taken on these forums youtube etc after losing 1 fight to the pound for pound champ. Watching a re-run of the fight last week and each and every round was tight until the 8th - Hatton gave Floyd a good fight. Floyd is the king of boxing and won the fight edging in my opinion most of the rounds however Hatton put up a good fight. I felt that Hattons biggest mistake was a lack of experience at the very top level and felt Floyd completely duped Hatton with the mind games. Fighters like Floyd do there best work on the back foot when opponents chase them they look for mistakes and counter these mistakes thats why Floyd before the fight riles up opponents then after the fight wants to be best friends. Floyd apart from all the money talk seems like a decent guy notice how after Ricky appeared fired up wanting to kill Floyd at the weigh in etc Floyd backed off a bit - he knew his work had been done many months earlier at the promotional tour when he really got in an overweight not yet in training yet ricky hattons face.
Fighters like Floyd and Ali need fighters to chase them in order to look there best and they go or went out there way to make the opponents do that - thats where hatton was suckkered in my opinion. Hatton was too keen to get at floyd to hurt him and in my opinion his pressure was not at all educated as they had been working on - Hatton was too fired up for the fight and this lack of experience cost him.
I think many people hold it against Hatton that he was knocked out and if the fight had gone to the scorecard many would be shouting for a rematch and looking at hatton in a different light to what he is now looked at next well be getting wait until Gavin Rees gets him.
The main reason Hatton got knocked out is due to his own courage which has to be applauded most fighters that come up against Floyd give it a go early realise there not going to win then back off seeing the fight to the scorecard, Floyd will take these wins all day long, most of these fights end up boring for the fans, Floyd wins and his opponent save face by taking it to points. No one cannot argue with the fact hatton went forward to the end and gave it everything he had and in the end it led to his demise Ricky could have took a points defeat if thats what he was after but he realised this was his big chance and went for it - no regrets, here this all the time but this time hatton can genuinely say that - except for losing the fight.
Seems that here in Britain people love someone on there way to the top but as soon as these people reach the top level people turn against them.
That is why we are seeing Junior Witter getting bigged up from people here is it cause he is earning £60,000 grand a fight. Junior deserves his shot at Hatton or other big fights as he has paid his dues and has done well for himself - he is a good fighter but c'mon people Hatton would beat Junior Witter everybody wants to talk about Hatton's fights after Tyszu - he was over the hill Castillo Urango Maussa Collazo and Floyd thats not far off world class opponents. Compare that to Juniors last 6 Harris Morua Corley Colin Lynes Kotelnik and Ndou good opponents but not in the same class of opponent as Hattons Juniors best opponent probably Harris, Hattons worst probably Maussa - and yet Maussa knocked Harris out in the 7th round.
After last weeks fight all ive heard is where was Ricky's body work etc that he used to have or his head movement of before against who - Freddie pendelton or Aldo Rios. Ricky still has the body work and head movement but against guys like floyd who are truely world class fighters this body work head movement doesn't seem as impressive.
Just wanted to share my thoughts on the fight haven't posted before but fed up reading all about others opinions on forums etc - just wanted to say Hatton done well in the biggest fight of his life gave it everything he had came up short against the best p4p champion in the world at a higher weight than his usual - Well Done Ricky Hatton
Hatton v Witter
A bit presumptuous to expect many people on here to read a first ever post of such length, but welcome to the forum.
You are right about Hatton getting knocked out due to his own courage. I don't think people can rubbish his effort against other opponents who went the distance with him, such as Baldomir. He went all out and tried his best. In the end he was outsmarted in every area and got KO'd.
I'd give him more respect for continuing to fight the best fighters, than I would if he fights more duds, even if he ends up getting knocked out again. But what's more important to Hatton at this stage of his career - money and an easy ride, or respect?
You are right about Hatton getting knocked out due to his own courage. I don't think people can rubbish his effort against other opponents who went the distance with him, such as Baldomir. He went all out and tried his best. In the end he was outsmarted in every area and got KO'd.
I'd give him more respect for continuing to fight the best fighters, than I would if he fights more duds, even if he ends up getting knocked out again. But what's more important to Hatton at this stage of his career - money and an easy ride, or respect?