Why do you like or dislike Ricky Hatton ?

[DG.]

he tries to hard 2 be like of of the lads and comes across as arrogant plus hes vastly over rated

Bascially.

Add to that never fought the fights he could have.

Cotto
Mosley
Judah
Witter
Corley etc etc becausehe wanted the easiest route and most cash.

He is not a fighter who fights wh th efight fans want him to fight, he will fight anyone for the big money BUT a fight that the fans demand? No no no!

I am sure he is a decent lad, but his public persona is a load of bollocks.

He coluld habe been a much bettter fighter if he had a few losses on the way up in real fights, instead of getting to the top boys and not winning 1 second and getting stretched twice.

Wasted his best years at SN!

[Roars Like Me]

I like the fact that he proved me wrong in one aspect, I didn't think he would get as far as he has. I remember his first test was against Eamonn Magee and he was on his arse straight away. I thought maybe he's not as good as I thought. After that he seemed to get cut quite easily and that was another reason that went againt him imo. Having said all that I made sure I watched all his fights and would get a buzz knowing he would be on, as he was exciting to watch.

Initially in interviews he seemed ok, albeit a bit of a chav but that's ok.

The more he went on, obviously he became more popular, the more the press wanted a piece of him. Therin lies the problem, he then mercilessly self promoted himself at every given opportunity and you get tired of hearing people speak (whoever they are) after a while. Of course he did it in the standard way of speaking in the third person, that immediately gets my back up - Lennox used to do this all the time
Whilst you can take this stuff whilst they are winning easier, once they lose and make excuses for losing, this is where Ricky falls out of favour with people.

I would like him more if he said, 'well thinking about it I have overachieved' but he would never say that, I'm not sure he's even contemplated that he has.

The two fights that I liked of his most were Tackie and Malignaggi, he boxed for both of those and proved he could do what he's told.

The fact that he abandoned any kind of plan like that against Mayweather or Pacman is irrelevant. He would have been beaten if he tried to box against them anyway. That level is beyond him and there is no shame in that and I would like him if he admitted it. As it stands now I can't really like him anymore (which makes me a little sad to say that) because he would never admit that these elite fighters will always be better than him, hell make excuses as to why he didn't perform.

I also don't like the fact that he thinks he's funny and a joke teller - you're not funny Ricky, your sicofant mates may tell you that you are but these are the sort of people that convince their 'mates' to go on X factor - if your ego is big enough you'll believe them.

[jBacca]

did he charge extra for photo and/or signature ?

He weren't signing anything initially, until lots of us put pressure on his team to let us, so he signed a few programmes but not all. We knew the event organiser for Southport, so my cousin who is in the army got his shirt signed for all his troop, but to do this we had to secretly give it to the lad we knew and he got it signed behind the scenes.

Photographs were about £30 if i can remember, definitely not cheaper than £20, fook that.

[n1ebf]

he said he was happy fighting fo the Lonsdale belt and that he never dreamt he would end up in World class.....i mean he probably did dream it, quite a lot.....and I'm sure Billy Graham has said tons of times as soon as he saw Hatton on the bag he knew he had a world champion in the making.....(but that's easy to say afterwards, he would probably not have admitted it if Hatton had ended up smacked up and on the rob at 21)

so I take the above as Hatton coming close to saying he over achieved.

also one of his jokes is something like I fought the best fighter in the world, I did quite well, I came second! which apart from being quite funny is also a bit self depracating.

maybe in his heart he thinks deep deep down if he'd done X Y Z he could have beaten Mayweather, what's wrong with that, but in his head, he isn't an idiot...he knows who the top man is out of the 2 of them, it's not really close is it! Ricky's talk about another match with Mayweather is just pure business and nothing else.....Try my best and get stopped for 10 million quid, and don't take too many solid shots.........there's lads all over getting smashed up for PEANUTS so if Ricky can command 10 MILLION QUID for competing at that level, even in an almost "journeyman capacity" then he'd be a fool NOT to want that fight again. Go on lad, take the fckn money I would.

[Deserter]

He is not a fighter who fights wh th efight fans want him to fight, he will fight anyone for the big money BUT a fight that the fans demand? No no no!

Are you talking about Mayweather or Hatton DG?

[n1ebf]

Also I'd just like to go on record and say I believed Pauli Malliggna......the magic man, would wipe the floor with Hatton and make him look stupid.

So a bit like Hagler 2002 when he phrophecised that Bernard Dunne was going to get "the flogging of his life"(Hagler 2002 TM), when he won that there WBA strap, I'd just like to say:

I was wrong!

[stujones]

i read the article posted up the other day and there was nothing remotely to suggest he'd given her a crack. It said cops were called, they asked her had she been assaulted , she said no, the filth scarpered for twinkees.

I know, and I appologise if my post suggested that I thought he has given her a crack. I don't believe for one moment he has. I really hope this is the case.

[n1ebf]

The Junior Witter fiasco/debacle put me right off Hatton, it deprived British Boxing and British Boxing fans of one of (if not) the biggest all-British fights ever. I could have forgiven the mismatches and cashcowing of his first 38 fights, but as a staunch British Boxing fan the Witter ducking was inexcusable in my eyes

Biggest fight ever, nah, behind Lewis-Bruno and Benn-Eubank II, amongst others. One guy would be pulling all the horses in that fight.

I am going to say that I would have been MUCH more excited at the prospect of Hatton Witter match up than I was by the Bruno vs. Lewis fight, which I seem to remember I listened to on 5 Live. Let's be honest, in the public perception, Lenno became a lot more "British" since that fight than he was at the time..........hmmm wonder why??.....it could be however that I was pretty young at the time and not as in to the sport as a whole.

I don't think Hatton Witter would have been quite on the level of Benn Eubank, mainly cos of Witter's tendency to be cautious, although that ha become more apparent latterly I would say........during that 15KO on the spin winning run, I think Hatton would have been another KO statistic......Hatton would have got 2 or 3 million quid, and he would have never got the 10 million pound Mayweather fight as he would have had a defeat on his record....so it was good business.......although that's no excuse for ducking Witter because that fight should have taken place 5 years before he fought Mayweather and Mayweather could conceivably not have turned out quite so good as he did.

[n1ebf]

i read the article posted up the other day and there was nothing remotely to suggest he'd given her a crack. It said cops were called, they asked her had she been assaulted , she said no, the filth scarpered for twinkees.

I know, and I appologise if my post suggested that I thought he has given her a crack. I don't believe for one moment he has. I really hope this is the case.

no sweat mate it's just a massive leap to think it was aything more than a shouting match, as somebody said, some biddy's probably been woken up, rightly p*ssed off, and gone and called the cops......either through sheer busy-body-ness or maybe they had genuine concerns for that chin of Ricky's and they wanted to get the cops out before she had a chance to lamp him one

i think domestic violence is often an inherited thing - not genetically, i mean learned in an abusive household, his parents to me seem like laid back people, not that way inclined, so I strongly doubt Ricky's a wife beater.

[DG.]

If people wanted the Witter-Hatton fight so badly they should have attended Witter's fights, boosting his profile in the process and giving him a bit of an atmosphere to bring to TV shows.

So THAT'S the reason we got Lazcano and Pederson and all those lighter shot past it never were fighters, they brought fans and we attended their shows so Hatton fought them!

Witter could sell out Wembley Stadium on his own and Hatton would never fight him.

DD

[n1ebf]

[quote="Terry D]
If people wanted the Witter-Hatton fight so badly they should have attended Witter's fights, boosting his profile in the process and giving him a bit of an atmosphere to bring to TV shows. They should have acted like the fake/real fans who turn up in large numbers for Hatton fights, and who helped propel Hatton onto the big stage.[/quote]

it's a fair point, maybe Bruno Lewis ( I should really be referring to that as Lewis Bruno....wasn't Lewis the champ from beating Ruddock or somebody??).......was a more mainstream fight, if there is such a thing in boxing, and maybe Hatton Witter more for a harder , more knowledgeable boxing fan.
You're right Bruno was insanely popular, that is a good choice of adjective.

Lewis definitely got more British though for winning. If Greg Rusedski had strung 4 Wimbledon championships together he would now be considered as British as Winston Churchill.......but he didn't, and for that reason he will be forever associated in our subconsciouses, with mooses.

[n1ebf]

Witter could sell out Wembley Stadium on his own and Hatton would never fight him.

DD

it's true, it's insane, but it's true.

I can slightly more easily imagine how a time travelling machine might work, that what a Junior Witter sold out Wembley stadium might look like.

[DG.]

I like him, as he took on the risky fights against Mayweather and Pac-Man.

So what if he lost? Takes balls to go to the USA and fight those guys (who were, in and around their peaks)

Achieved alot more than some other UK fighters, I could mention (some recently retired, some still active 8) )

The Tszyu fight, I consider, more a calculated risk, Ricky got away with alot that night - but still a good performance.

Peter Buckley would take those fights for the money hatton was paid.

Hatton said (with a straight face) ' I never ducked anyone'.



Overrated and a bullshitter re: Witter and his opposition, but having said that, I wish him well as I am sure he is a nice lad.

DD

[DG.]

Diddly Diddly Diddly,

The HATTON fans could not name 10 other fighters let alone NOT turn out to watch Witter and the Yanks were not around when Witter and Hattonwere 1st discussed and EFF THEM anyway!


When Witter had the 15 ko'sHatton ran even quicker.

Hatton let himself down with all the 'he said nasty fings about me - me no fight him'.

[DG.]

dislike

1 he talks in the 3rd person
2 he talks pure shite

[mike john]

a lot of folk are saying hatton did a lot for british boxing, id like to raise couple of points to the contrary.

his jolly fat guiness drinking manc persona, put on or not, i couldnt give a monkeys - thats his business, along with his outburst at the mayweather weigh-in, encouragment enough for all those members of his fanbase who saw fit to deride the american anthem and generally behave like a bunch of morons. didnt do a lot a dispell the world wide notion were a bunch of lager filled yobs did it?

leaving of warren when the itv deal was imminent. hatton on terrestrial - THAT would have been something truly special for british boxing. the goals of ricky hatton and british boxing, i suppose are mutually exclusive. ricky went his own way, and i think british boxing suffered as a result. ricky hatton is out for ricky hatton. any benefit felt elsewhere is purely coincidental.

before anyone starts, no im not blaming hatton for feathering his own nest rather than concerning himself with the health of the sport in his homeland. im saying if hatton really had a mind to benefit the sport on these shores, he could have been a pioneer ( in the sky era at least ), and british boxing might not be in the televisual limbo its in now ( getting a bit ahead of myself now ).

if ive got the dates and timing wrong regarding this, im sure someone will be happy to correct me, as a i cant be bothered to go and check. ive got lager to drink

[n1ebf]

Boxing fans sit there thinking about Junior Witter, they should have thought about going to his fights.

Talking about fat Tyrone from Corrie (was he monkey or Orang-utan I'm not sure?) I once saw Ashley Peacock at a Matthew Hatton fight.....I couldn't get the shot in the end so left... :P

As for CZJ.........Terry.......it WAS in fcking Wales man come on!!! No way would she NOT have gone, it's how celebrity works.....I doubt she sits around on her days off watching classic fights.

Your point above, btw, is a very good one....but they didn't goto his fights did they. Nobody did. Fact remains though Bradford to me is probably keener on Curry and Cricket than Boxing, and for anybody that finds that offensive, please do not, as it is not intended to be.
Manchester on the other hand has an absolute glut lads that love scrapping, drinking, and women that love lads that scrap and drink. So Hatton had the edge over Witter there from a fan-base perspective - hell, he had the edge over anybody......he went to America to fight America's best boxer and had 3 times more fans in the joint than the yank....and that's with 30,000 airfares paid.......that is fcking amazing. Let's not forget though he EARNED that popularity with his all out style.

[DG.]

He is not a fighter who fights wh th efight fans want him to fight, he will fight anyone for the big money BUT a fight that the fans demand? No no no!

Are you talking about Mayweather or Hatton DG?

Hatton 100%

DD

[DG.]

Let's not forget though he EARNED that popularity with his all out style.

He got the head start from Farnell etc.

As much as I think Hattonis a decent guy deep down - just a cliche ridden plank for the press etc.

Jamie Moore is fighting Ryan Rhodes because he knows it is a fight the fans want - yes it is alos a WBC rating thing - but he does not have to take the fight.

I wish Haton did the same for the fans, but never mind eh, its not a tickling contest.

[n1ebf]

also Terry, you're a bit older than me.....if Bowe ducked Lewis....I remember the garbage can piece from TV.....the Bowe must have seriously rated Lewis, and I though Bowe was hard as f*ck, not to mention talented.

was he scared?........or was it bad blood and he didn't want to give Lewis a shot?.....and if he was scared, then what did he do to try and save face.....because to me, dumping the belt in a trash can instead of fighting somebody can only be interpreted that you don't want any piece of them.....is that how it was, or was there more to it? feel free to make it brief.

[DG.]

also Terry, you're a bit older than me.....if Bowe ducked Lewis....I remember the garbage can piece from TV.....the Bowe must have seriously rated Lewis, and I though Bowe was hard as f*ck, not to mention talented.

was he scared?........or was it bad blood and he didn't want to give Lewis a shot?.....and if he was scared, then what did he do to try and save face.....because to me, dumping the belt in a trash can instead of fighting somebody can only be interpreted that you don't want any piece of them.....is that how it was, or was there more to it? feel free to make it brief.

Bowe was a better fighter than Lewis, biut was SCARED of him, Lennox had his number and would have beaten him, Lennox is no mug and Bowe knew it.

Was he scared of Lewis? Ask the Churchill Dog..'oh yes'!

Was Hatton scared of Witter? Oh YES!!!

Witter would stilll to this day KO Hatton in less than 6 rounds - but Hatton is still chickaaarrnnn

so we will never know.



DD

[n1ebf]

Bowe was a better fighter than Lewis, biut was SCARED of him, Lennox had his number and would have beaten him, Lennox is no mug and Bowe knew it.

Was he scared of Lewis? Ask the Churchill Dog..'oh yes'!

Was Hatton scared of Witter? Oh YES!!!

Witter would stilll to this day KO Hatton in less than 6 rounds.

DD

Hatton did fear Lewis......not Lewis lol, I mean WITTER, if not personally, then professionally, if that makes sense.

But I'm surprised Bowe feared Lewis, I had Bowe down as a bit of a hardcase thug with talent to burn, in other words, a nightmare. I'm surprised he ducked Lewis......if Bruno could almost do the job (almost being still a million miles away, but you know what I mean) - I don't know why Bowe would duck it. Herbie Hide came with a Lacy-esque line 'em up and knock 'em out reputation, and look what Bowe did to him.....

[n1ebf]

Bowe, like Hatton, could turn around at the time and say "Lennox who?" and nearly get away with it, if it weren't for those pesky Dokes and Ferguson debacles. Bowe could make a fortune without the risk of a Lewis fight. His excuse at the time was that he had bigger fish to fry. Rock Newman talked about everyone but Lewis. USTV wanted it, Lewis wanted it, Bowe didn't.

I don't think that Bowe was scared etc, he went for the easy option, but that attitude was his ruination.

that's much clearer now, cheers

so would I be right in thinking Bowe was mandated to fight Lewis, and he took the hump?.....stripped?.....who fought for the vacant?

[n1ebf]

I think a 1986 - 89 Tyson would have beaten any version of Lennox Lewis inside 12. And that despite Lennox's formiddable, as you rightly point out, mental fortitude.

[Chambers2]

The Junior Witter fiasco/debacle put me right off Hatton, it deprived British Boxing and British Boxing fans of one of (if not) the biggest all-British fights ever. I could have forgiven the mismatches and cashcowing of his first 38 fights, but as a staunch British Boxing fan the Witter ducking was inexcusable in my eyes

Biggest fight ever, nah, behind Lewis-Bruno and Benn-Eubank II, amongst others. One guy would be pulling all the horses in that fight.

BIGGEST fight in terms of their standing and ranking in the division, they were #1 and #2 in the World at 140 when the fight should have happened. It would have sold out any British stadium in minutes, granted 90% of them would be City fans and that would have been reflected in the purses