hattons next fight is for the WBC belt

[SOUTHPAW]

Just read that its for the world title......how..????????

[Asterix]

Golden Boy are making sure Saul Alvarez gets a World title. He's apparently a massive cash cow in Mexico.

[Scottrf]

Just read that its for the world title......how..????????

Golden Boy are powerful and Alvarez was already number one contender.

[SOUTHPAW]

talk about underserving....hes not even a lightmiddle.....must be far more deserving challagers..

[Glyn Leach]

talk about underserving....hes not even a lightmiddle.....must be far more deserving challagers..

I agree. Surely GBP could have got a dispensation from the WBC allowing Bernard Hopkins to fight for the light-middleweight title weighing whatever he fancied on the night.

In all seriousness, I don't begrudge Matthew his chance but there are plenty of light-middleweights who deserve their shot ahead of him. But GBP have been out to look after Matthew for a long time due to their promotional links with Ricky — they even wanted him to fight Mayweather at one stage. Have to say that I fornicating hate GBP — and I don't generally feel that way about anyone in boxing. In my opinion they are shitting all over the history of this sport with their money and their matches.

[Scottrf]

The promoters control the belts, and it has long been that way. Top Rank are just as bad as GBP IMO Glyn, it's rare Arum matches someone with a boxer from another stable if he can help it.

[Chambers2]

It's not what you know, it's who you know

[alexpaterson]

Imagine how Ryan Rhodes must feel reading this! Hatton is a Welterweight and even at that weight I don't think he would deserve a title shot yet. But it's not his fault fair play to him for taking it and good luck to him

[Deno1986]

Ryan Rhodes must be raging.

Alvarez is the next 'superstar' of the sport and has looked really strong since moving up to 154. Hatton will put up a brave effort but it will be over by the 8th round in my opinion.

[Glyn Leach]

The promoters control the belts, and it has long been that way. Top Rank are just as bad as GBP IMO Glyn, it's rare Arum matches someone with a boxer from another stable if he can help it.

Know what you're saying Scott, but his options are play ball with HBO and GBP or go it alone — which he's done by ditching HBO for Showtime. I don't blame him, he was swimming against the tide and being treated as a second class citizen by HBO.

Historically, I don't think Arum's matches are doing the same damage as GBP's. Obviously he has a serial weight-hopper in Pacquiao, but Pacman is an exceptional fighter and half the attraction has been to see if he can be successful in yet another weight class. GBP just make cross-weight matches as it suits them, out of convenience, and somehow manage to get sanctioning bodies to support them. They aren't the first to do this, they won't be the last, but at the moment they're the worst culprits by far IMO. As Alex and Deno say, by making these sort of matches, and being allowed to do so, honest and deserving fighters such as Ryan are being stiffed.

[Horse]

Imagine how Ryan Rhodes must feel reading this! Hatton is a Welterweight and even at that weight I don't think he would deserve a title shot yet. But it's not his fault fair play to him for taking it and good luck to him

Rhodes doesn't deserve a title shot any more than Hatton does, in my opinion.

Is Rhodes still promoted by Hatton? Perhaps Goldenboy and Hatton working together for this fight will make a Rhodes title shot against the winner more likely than if Alvarez had fought someone like Angulo.

[Datsue]

But GBP have been out to look after Matthew for a long time due to their promotional links with Ricky — they even wanted him to fight Mayweather at one stage. Have to say that I effing hate GBP — and I don't generally feel that way about anyone in boxing. In my opinion they are shitting all over the history of this sport with their money and their matches.

From an outsider's perspective, I quite like the way GBP seems to (I said seemsto!) put their prospects in sink-or-swim fights, then doesn't (always) abandon them after their records get spotty (spotty from today's undefeated-hype perspective, not in reality where a bloke with twenty-odd wins & three or four losses actually has a good record).

I know this is probably naive of me, but all I've ever heard from the sensible wing of the fight-fan fraternity is folderol about fledgling fighters being favoured by promoters only until their records are fluffed up.

Hm. What I meant without the bizarre compulsive alliteration is that er, fans bitch about promoters mollycoddling fighters to protect their records. A certain amount (not all, I grant you & this is where I think Glyn's greater behind-the-scenes knowledge will put me straight but anyway) of GBP prospects, certainly those some way behind the superstar echelon, get thrown in with right hard-cases quite early on. Then brought back, even if they lose.

I like this, purely for aesthetic reasons. As for shitting all over the history of the sport... I don't quite know what to say. Shitting all over the corrupt, venal, short-sighted, gangster-influenced, letting Sugar Ray Seales box whilst blind, Don King killing what, two blokes, Bob Arum doing his best to improve the reputation of rich Harvard-educated Jewish lawyers everywhere, fights being fixed, people like Stacy Goodson letting the mentally retarded box etc etc? Is that even possible? I know their old-fighter-go-round is cynical as all Hell, but what's Arum been doing with Pacquiao? What great challenges did Roy Jones face?

I know I don't know the ins & outs, like I said, but it all seems a bit nebulous & "we don't like the way you do things nor the suits you wear" sometimes when established boxing people talk about Golden Boy. I know they have extensive influence (understatement alert) with HBO, but doesn't Al Haymon get Andre Berto eleventy million dollars for fighting light-welters & nobodies on HBO? Didn't HBO a few years back give its stars seven/eight fight multi-million dollar contracts in which they could face exactly whom they wished, resulting in top-flight boxing becoming a tedious series of giant superstars being involved in utterly shitty marking time fights for what seemed like years at a time? Or did I just hallucinate that?

Like I said, sorry if I've overstepped the bounds of my meagre knowledge here, & I fully appreciate I am not in possession of all the facts.

[Deno1986]

Imagine how Ryan Rhodes must feel reading this! Hatton is a Welterweight and even at that weight I don't think he would deserve a title shot yet. But it's not his fault fair play to him for taking it and good luck to him

Rhodes doesn't deserve a title shot any more than Hatton does, in my opinion.

Is Rhodes still promoted by Hatton? Perhaps Goldenboy and Hatton working together for this fight will make a Rhodes title shot against the winner more likely than if Alvarez had fought someone like Angulo.

Completely disagree, Horse. Hatton is a Welterweight, has been for the majority of his career and has no ranking at 154. Rhodes is a Light Middleweight, European champion at the weight and is ranked NO.4 by the WBC. Rhodes has a much better case than Hatton for a title shot..

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Golden Boy want a fighter that Alvarez can beat and probably foolishly think that 10,000 Mancs will make the trip over to watch Hatton get dusted within 4 rounds! I think we can all agree that who gets to fight for titles has gone beyond who deserves it.

[Glyn Leach]

Disagree Horse, any world-ranked light-middle deserves the shot ahead of a European welterweight champ IMO. Were Hatton a world welterweight champ, fair enough, but he's not. Rhodes deserves the shot ahead of Matthew because he has proved himself in the right division, which Hatton hasn't — and held the same title as Hatton but in the right division. All that said, good luck to Matthew, I'd never begrudge him anything, but this fight should never be sanctioned for a world title IMO.

And Datsue, you're not wrong mate. I'd be the first to admit my dislike of GBP can border on the irrational at times, but there's enough rationale there for me to justify it (in my own head, at least). Re your point about them not dumping beaten prospects, who do they ever drop? They're whole thing (as with any promoter) is about control and they want as many fighters under contract and as many promotional links as they can get, it gives them fingers in more pies.

[Scottrf]

Was it ever based on who deserved it? Charley Burley never fought for a title, Archie Moore didn't until he was ancient. It's always been who you know, which manager you pay a percentage to as far as I can tell. Zivic wouldn't have fought Armstrong without giving away 25% of his purses in title matches, nor any Don King fighter without selling their soul, or Joe Louis without giving away a massive percentage to Braddock's manager.

[Glyn Leach]

Can't argue Scott but that doesn't make it 'right', not by me, anyway — wrong then and wrong now are still wrong.

[Scottrf]

Can't argue Scott but that doesn't make it 'right', not by me, anyway — wrong then and wrong now are still wrong.

No, but they also aren't the first and wont be the last. Perhaps they just aren't the 'saviours' I think everyone was hoping for. Not defending them but, what can you do? Hatton is probably more of a name than Rhodes due to family connections, and it's not without precedent that people get fast tracked based on what they've done at a lower weight. Whether he's even done enough at Welterweight though is debateable.

[boxerbob]

whats the chances of this being on sky especially with hattons promotions good relationship with them??

[Scottrf]

I'd guess that it will be on Sky, but have nothing to back that up really, just a gut feeling.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Was it ever based on who deserved it? Charley Burley never fought for a title, Archie Moore didn't until he was ancient. It's always been who you know, which manager you pay a percentage to as far as I can tell. Zivic wouldn't have fought Armstrong without giving away 25% of his purses in title matches, nor any Don King fighter without selling their soul, or Joe Louis without giving away a massive percentage to Braddock's manager.

What is your point? Because Burley and Jeanette and a host of others were denied through the intolerable racism of the time then Hatton deserves his shot? We should accept it?

[Scottrf]

What is your point? Because Burley and Jeanette and a host of others were denied through the intolerable racism of the time then Hatton deserves his shot? We should accept it?

No, but that it isn't something new and considering there are 4 belts now it's more likely to happen anyway. It's simply impossible for the best contender to fight for a title each time, and other factors have influence such as the Hatton name and promotional links. You're entitled to voice your objections, was just giving balance as in reality there isn't much we can do.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

What is your point? Because Burley and Jeanette and a host of others were denied through the intolerable racism of the time then Hatton deserves his shot? We should accept it?

No, but that it isn't something new and considering there are 4 belts now it's more likely to happen anyway. It's simply impossible for the best contender to fight for a title each time, and other factors have influence such as the Hatton name and promotional links. You're entitled to voice your objections, was just giving balance as in reality there isn't much we can do.

Before there were reasons (because of the colour of one's skin) and it was wrong and we can all say today that the likes of Charley Burley not getting a shot at the title was wrong and a disgrace and this is now wrong and a disgrace - if Alvarez becomes a major star - everyone will ask who did he beat to win the title and it will always affect his legacy. The fact that there is 4 belts and the connections Matthew Hatton has - he should be gunning for the welterweight title anyway, which he more than likely will when Alvarez knocks him out.

[Scottrf]

Not all of my examples were to do with the colour of their skin. I'm sure he has been gunning for the Welterweight title but was he supposed to turn down the shot? There will always be someone who is more qualified, especially with 68 champions, not including super, emeritus etc. but politics play a part too, and he has a recognisable name. There have been less qualified title challengers.

[stujones]

Its a kind of no-lose situation for Matthew, he will be back down to Welterweight and there is no indication that he has lost his EBU title there - smart move from Hatton promotions if that is the case.

Hopefully, this good relationship with GBP and now it would seem the WBC will make Ryan have his chance sooner rather than later with the winner. Although, I would rather see Rhodes go for Bunderage.