Hatton's win over Tszyu - best British victory in 50+ years

[gasman]

They say boxing is all about opinions. Well, here is an opinion from the late Budd Schulberg, who had a career stretching over 70 years of covering fights. This how highly he regards Ricky Hatton's victory over Kosta Tszyu:

"the most noteable British victory since Randy Turpin upset the first (and best) Sugar Ray more than 50 years ago".

That is, to put it mildly, a very bold statement. Discuss. Do you agree? Why? What other British victories stand out?

[Deserter]

Don't agree. Not old enough to comment on past 50, but immediate one that springs to mind for me during the time I've been following boxing is Honeyghan against Curry. Doing it on Curry's hometurf against the man regarded by many at the time as pound-for-pound best in the world, and with such a fearless attitude - he literally ripped the belt from Curry.
Yes, you can talk about Curry having weight-making difficulties, but equally Tszyu had been inactive and was past his peak.

[Autobarn]

mcguigan-pedroza perhaps? great 15 round fight, beat a great fighter, just a better fight than hatton v tszyu. mcguigan does work in britain, did win british titles, so it's safe to call him british, perhaps

[gasman]

In the same chapter [on Hatton], Schulberg states:

"It's exciting when a new face and a new force takes centre stage, as Joe Louis did in the '30s, as Rocky Marciano did in the '50s, Mike Tyson in the '80s, and now as Ricky Hatton moves onward and upward from being a local idol to take his place on the world stage.....The Manchester lad won the fight with wild, take-no-prisoner aggression, and while Tszyu won more of the first 6 rounds with sharper punching, Hatton kept coming and coming, with a rough brawling style that comes naturally to him and was his game plan, tiring the ageing champion in the clinches, which referee Dave Parris seemed reluctant to break, and showing a stouter chin against Tszyu's shorter, harder punches than we had foreseen

"....By round ten, Kostya's 35 years were weigh on him, he was growing older by the moment and Ricky Hatton pressed on with remarkable vigour, missing a lot but every so often nailing the old champ in a way I had never seen before - and I had seen him win notable fights over the years"

"...He [Hatton] could be a throwback to those doughty middle-sized battlers of the nineteenth century, Jack Randall the Nonpareil and Gallant Tom Sayers."

[gasman]

Honeyghan and McGuigan wins, very good shouts. I must admit, this is one that I would need to really mull over....

[Datsue]

Dismissing arguments regarding nationality, & accepting it was a brilliant night, I think Barry's win over Pedroza on the same par as Ricky's: very very good win against a fading, past-his-best great.

Honeyghan over Curry though, that was something else. Despite what anyone might say about the weight, Curry was unbeaten, officially undisputed champion, & being touted as Number One P4P, & Lloyd went over to America & did him.

Hatton would've had to take PBF when they met to get close to that, if you ask me.

[Deserter]

Never saw it, but John H Stracey’s win over Jose Napoles in Mexico City has surely got to be up there as well. Must have been a cauldron-like atmosphere and he was put down in the first, so those are some odds to overcome.
Just checked on boxrec and Napoles was 81-6 at the time, though it was his final fight which suggests he was past his best.
Still Honeyghan for me

[jamesmcdonnell]

Honeyghan and McGuigan wins, very good shouts. I must admit, this is one that I would need to really mull over....

Actually McGuigans win over Pedroza was very similar to Hattons over Tszyu. Both were long reigning champions - both were ageing, and both came over for a massive payday and then retired.

[ALI]

I think we can agree there's no clear cut answer here, but that Hatton's win (in most people's eye's) is right up there with the very best victories in the history of British boxing.

I remember my feelings around 2003/4, i gave Hatton more of a chance against Tyszu than i did against Judah or Cotto. Styles make fights and my feeling was that Tyszu's style would favour Hatton far batter. On the night of the fight, i was tied 50/50 as to who would win. I think there were a lot of people who thought along those lines also.

The reason i mention that is, some people seem to take the view that as he was not a massive underdog going into the fight, his victory cannot mean as much as say Honeyghan's or Turpins for example. I disagree with that line of thinking.

[bobmee]

I'd rate Ken Buchanan's win over Ismael Laguna in Puerto Rico as right up there - along with the rematch in Madison Square Garden.
Honeyghan-Curry too.
I don't remember the tape of Stracey v Napoles as showing a particularly cauldron-like atmosphere.

[Deserter]

I don't remember the tape of Stracey v Napoles as showing a particularly cauldron-like atmosphere.

I'd just based that comment on everything I've ever read about the Mexico City crowds e.g. Haugen vs Chavez. Definitely remember stories of how raucous it gets in terms of the drinking, verbal abuse and even fans urinating from the cheap seats!

[banjo]

Honeyghan v Curry IMO.

[bobmee]

"I'd just based that comment on everything I've ever read about the Mexico City crowds e.g. Haugen vs Chavez. Definitely remember stories of how raucous it gets in terms of the drinking, verbal abuse and even fans urinating from the cheap seats!"
*****************************************
Yes, all fair... according to those who were there, the Mexican-American fans in Los Angeles threw (among other things) cups of urine down at Johnny Owen as he was being carried away... Napoles-Stracey was partisan, obviously, and it was a great win. From memory it was in an open air bull-ring that wasn't full, but it was still hostile enough, I'm sure.

[Autobarn]

oh, i figured the thread was fights that were waged in britain.

in that case, bob mee brought up perhaps the best, buchanan v laguna 1 in laguna's backyard in the day time. is there a video of this? obviously the bout has been hugely romanticised, what with the pallid buchanan doing what he did, vs such a good opponent, in such horrible (for him) conditions. have read about it, but would love to actually see it.

if billy hardy had got the decision over canizales i would have put that one near the top. not that canizales is legendary, but he is a hall of famer. it was a superb contest, and hardy was really closing strong for what appeared to be a clear, and hugely exciting, win.

prefer mcguigan-perdroza to hatton-tszyu. yes, similar circumstances, as i believe mcdonnell wrote in his maxboxing column/preview all that time ago. but mcguigan v pedroza was 15 rounds, it had cleaner punching, less holding and far more exciting exchanges. mcguigan also appeared to be in a comfortable points lead, whereas hatton-tszyu was very close and a bit marred by hatton's holding and low blow and the fact that tszyu seemed to drop him with body shot only to get warned for low blows.

also, it makes you wonder what mcguigan could have gone on to do. bloody hell, if things hadn't gone so badly wrong, can you imagine fights with jeff fenech and azumah nelson? i know i'm straying off topic a bit...

[bobmee]

Yes, there was a tape of Buchanan-Laguna in Puerto Rico, I saw it. Had to give it back to the person who leant it to me, though, and it was in the old days when copying stuff was difficult.

[Finn]

Calzaghe v kessler, if kessler wins the super six, it will be undeniable in my opinion.

If not mcguigan v pedroza.

But thats not to say Hattons win wasnt something special.

[Autobarn]

Yes, there was a tape of Buchanan-Laguna in Puerto Rico, I saw it. Had to give it back to the person who leant it to me, though, and it was in the old days when copying stuff was difficult.

saw the 2nd one, as part of that great Boxers VHS/magazine collection. was the first fight tougher than the 2nd?

[bobmee]

I remember it as a hard, close fight, difficult to score, not the same kind of atmosphere as in the Garden... hot day with a canopy over the ring.

[Bomber 1]

NO WAY!!! Benn's win over McClennan was far greater!! McClennan was considerd feard by all at the time..

Tyszu was older and inactive.. Although still a great victory by Ricky it still doesn't better Benn's for me personally..

[Finn]

NO WAY!!! Benn's win over McClennan was far greater!! McClennan was considerd feard by all at the time..

Tyszu was older and inactive.. Although still a great victory by Ricky it still doesn't better Benn's for me personally..

That is probably one of the greatest fights of all time. Shame for mcclennan though he had a bright future.

That fight put off Roy Jones Jr coming to fight in England without a doubt, he was due to fight the winner of that fight.

[Autobarn]

buchanan-laguna. tempted to choose this one, or even both of them. the first one, due to not only heat/sun conditions (look how hot weather affected colin jones, billy hardy, barry mcguigan, away from home). but also the fact that laguna was an outstanding, experienced fighter perhaps not too far from his best. or at least not jaded, like some of the greats who lost to brits might have been (not in his mid/late 30s, not at end of massive long reign). not a legendary fighter like duran, but a really good one who has been voted in the HOF nonetheless and who would beat the best lightweights of today (and the last few years).

[mickey1975]

buchanan-laguna. tempted to choose this one, or even both of them. the first one, due to not only heat/sun conditions (look how hot weather affected colin jones, billy hardy, barry mcguigan, away from home). but also the fact that laguna was an outstanding, experienced fighter perhaps not too far from his best. or at least not jaded, like some of the greats who lost to brits might have been (not in his mid/late 30s, not at end of massive long reign). not a legendary fighter like duran, but a really good one who has been voted in the HOF nonetheless and who would beat the best lightweights of today (and the last few years).

would he have lived with John Murray though?

[slapbangwhallop]

Dismissing arguments regarding nationality, & accepting it was a brilliant night, I think Barry's win over Pedroza on the same par as Ricky's: very very good win against a fading, past-his-best great.

Honeyghan over Curry though, that was something else. Despite what anyone might say about the weight, Curry was unbeaten, officially undisputed champion, & being touted as Number One P4P, & Lloyd went over to America & did him.

Hatton would've had to take PBF when they met to get close to that, if you ask me.

I will go with this one.

[watson748]

mcguigan-pedroza perhaps? great 15 round fight, beat a great fighter, just a better fight than hatton v tszyu. mcguigan does work in britain, did win british titles, so it's safe to call him british, perhaps

No it doesn't, I worked in Germany doesn't make me German. Martin Rogan fights for British titlesnu but i doubt anybody calls him british... Why do British people continually call him British?

I thought he was from Belfast? which is part of the UK

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

No it isnt, Tyszu was past prime and not that good in the first place. He was good but he wasnt as good as Curry, Holyfield or McClellan even if he beat a good few B level fighters along the way. Even Lewis's wins over Tyson, Tua, Rudduck are comparable and all underrated. Buchanon-Laguana probably rates higher too. What about Eubank-Benn 1? Eubank-Watson 2 aswell was a great win. Probably some I've forgot