Ricky Hatton : Not a great shock !!

[Quixall]

Not a great shock with regards to what happenned tonight.

Fair play to Ricky, he gave it another shot, but i think it will be a blessing in disguise, because regardless of how it ended and the result, he shipped a whole load of punishment. His face was so badly marked up and that was from a non-puncher and mainly caused by Hatton's lack of head movement, taking Senchenko's jabs all night long. In the pictures at the weigh in Hatton looked old, he looked warn and under weight. As the fight went on, i was serioulsy worried for Ricky, because his tank was empy from about the 7th round. It proved tonight that he is a shadow of the fighter he once was physically and i think the mental scars of the Pacquaio fight have definately not healed as could be seen from his post fight interview.

Can you imagine what one of the top fighters would have done to Ricky tonight !! He wouldn't have lasted three rounds with any of the elite fighters in his weight division. The timing was gone, his ring craft was shoddy, his defence non existent, his power negated and overall his sharpness was that of a 34 year old fighter that has had some tough fights through-out his long career. He must now retire and accept that his best days are well and truely behind him. He must know deep down that is the case, but he finds it really difficult to accept losing. I think he was hoping that he could have squeezed a points decision and i wouldn't have been suprised to see him retire anyway.

Great fighter, great career, much loved and respected, but it's over !!

Retire Ricky and enjoy what's really important, your health, your family and your friends.

[Neri]

Can't disagree with anything you say. Said it many times before to people, shedding all that weight and getting himself into fighting shape for one last crack at glory is a victory in itself considering the shape he was in and the things he was doing. The man needs to realise he is the only person who sees him as a failure. To the rest of us he is an absolute legend and he has got a lot going for him. A whole lot more than the majority of us. He can do anything he wants with his life and it's just a new chapter for him.

He has a wife, kids and fellow fighters who all rely and look up to him. That's worth alot more than winning another world title.

Also when a Manc is worshipped by scousers, you know you are a winner in life!!!

[milpool]

The irony of it was that had he lasted the full ten he'd have had his hand raised and probably gone on to face fighters a lot better than Senchenko who really would have damaged him.
Maybe, just maybe this wasn't such a bad thing because Khan, Brook and Malignaggi would have dealt with him a lot easier than Senchenko did.

[deadpan]

He discovered that you can't hoodwink sports science. His between fights lifestyle shortened his career by a good 3 years.

Sadly his approach was more Bernard Bresslaw than Bernard Hopkins.

[Neri]

The irony of it was that had he lasted the full ten he'd have had his hand raised and probably gone on to face fighters a lot better than Senchenko who really would have damaged him.
Maybe, just maybe this wasn't such a bad thing because Khan, Brook and Malignaggi would have dealt with him a lot easier than Senchenko did.

Good point. Losing this way and to a bodyshot could have saved himself from getting seriously hurt. Let's just hope he makes the right decision.

[Quixall]

True,

All the binge drinking and eating between fights and the style of his fighting mean't that he was never going to be as good in his early to mid thirties as he had been his late twenties. The three year gap was just too much in the end.

[Terrrrry]

The irony of it was that had he lasted the full ten he'd have had his hand raised and probably gone on to face fighters a lot better than Senchenko who really would have damaged him.
Maybe, just maybe this wasn't such a bad thing because Khan, Brook and Malignaggi would have dealt with him a lot easier than Senchenko did.

This.

[deadpan]

It was widely agreed that Senchenko was a masterstroke in matchmaking. A great career Ricky, but be happy it was a body shot to finish your career. There are plenty other opponents who could have made it much, much worse.

[crusader]

The irony of it was that had he lasted the full ten he'd have had his hand raised and probably gone on to face fighters a lot better than Senchenko who really would have damaged him.
Maybe, just maybe this wasn't such a bad thing because Khan, Brook and Malignaggi would have dealt with him a lot easier than Senchenko did.

He was ahead by only one point on two cards, so simply lasting the distance wouldn't have ensured his victory. I get your point though.

[hurlock]

Can't believe hatton jumping straight back in a10 rounder!!
I agree he looked empty after 7rds & never got that second wind you expect the timing to be off & hopefully when he watches that back he will see how bad schenko was! Yes schenko if he can't beat this geezer he must know. Schenko didn't do an awful lot or capitalise on much through out the fight. As said it was a good job Ricky didnt squeeze past & risked getting really hurt

[palooka]

Hatton has balls of steel to get in with a real live fighter; he lost but weren't shown up; ti me to give it all up.

[Coco]

People shouldn't underestimate his opponent here, Hatton jumped in at the deep end here and gave it his all as usual. I doubt Brook would have beaten the Russian tonight.

[taffytoon]

Perhaps he should become a pro cricketer.

[hurlock]

People shouldn't underestimate his opponent here, Hatton jumped in at the deep end here and gave it his all as usual. I doubt Brook would have beaten the Russian tonight.

People shouldn't underestimate his opponent here, Hatton jumped in at the deep end here and gave it his all as usual. I doubt Brook would have beaten the Russian tonight.

Are you being serious!! The hatton of old would of blown this guy away

[Coco]

People shouldn't underestimate his opponent here, Hatton jumped in at the deep end here and gave it his all as usual. I doubt Brook would have beaten the Russian tonight.

People shouldn't underestimate his opponent here, Hatton jumped in at the deep end here and gave it his all as usual. I doubt Brook would have beaten the Russian tonight.

Are you being serious!! The hatton of old would of blown this guy away

He was never going to be the Hatton of old, it was too tough a test to come back to after the time out, the Russian is a good fighter, I always thought it was going to be a tough test and it turned out to be a bridge too far.

[JLP]

Some people are being way too reactionary about the performance. Senchenko is a class fighter. A former Olympian and world champion. Fighters making comebacks after long layoffs almost always have shoddy timing and look flat, just like footballers coming back from injury, that's why they normally opt to fight the Steve Zouskis of the world, like George Foreman did.

Ricky pitched himself too deep for the comeback fight and paid the price. Simple. Had he picked an easier opponent, everybody would be talking about the timing issues but rattling on about where he can go from here and how he will improve fight by fight.

It's a simple loss. BUT. Hatton's reaction to the loss was abnormal. Just from hearing him talk it's clear he's got problems. Nobody likes to lose, and some people get upset when they lose, but the things he was saying are the mark of a guy with "issues", serious issues. His focus should be on getting his head right.

[rhino222]

why do people keep saying he is a non puncher?....

[JLP]

why do people keep saying he is a non puncher?....

Not sure. That body shot was sweet.

[Quixall]

why do people keep saying he is a non puncher?....

Did he look like a puncher to you ?

Did you see any sign of real aggression from Senchenko ?

Did you see multiple combinations and coming forward ?

[Quixall]

Some people are being way too reactionary about the performance. Senchenko is a class fighter. A former Olympian and world champion. Fighters making comebacks after long layoffs almost always have shoddy timing and look flat, just like footballers coming back from injury, that's why they normally opt to fight the Steve Zouskis of the world, like George Foreman did.

Ricky pitched himself too deep for the comeback fight and paid the price. Simple. Had he picked an easier opponent, everybody would be talking about the timing issues but rattling on about where he can go from here and how he will improve fight by fight.

It's a simple loss. BUT. Hatton's reaction to the loss was abnormal. Just from hearing him talk it's clear he's got problems. Nobody likes to lose, and some people get upset when they lose, but the things he was saying are the mark of a guy with "issues", serious issues. His focus should be on getting his head right.

I think this is a tad naive and sniffs of someone who desperately wanted Hatton's comeback to work out.......

Hatton has himself now admitted that he hasn't got it anymore. I know what you mean about taking on a live fighter and doing ten rounds, it was a wrong decision. However, Hatton looked pretty awful in there last night and at times it was an embaressment, he looked like a plodding domestic fighter at times. Sure, if he had taken on a nobody over six or eight rounds, then people would have been more positive had he won comfortably, but are you seriously suggesting that those in the know would have thought he could just brush off the "ring rust" and move on to better opposition ? You only had to see and hear McKenzie and Froch before the fight. Those two were spot on and a punch hadn't even landed at that point.

[Finn]

People shouldn't underestimate his opponent here, Hatton jumped in at the deep end here and gave it his all as usual. I doubt Brook would have beaten the Russian tonight.

no way mate brook would have destroyed that guy.

[Finn]

Some people are being way too reactionary about the performance. Senchenko is a class fighter. A former Olympian and world champion. Fighters making comebacks after long layoffs almost always have shoddy timing and look flat, just like footballers coming back from injury, that's why they normally opt to fight the Steve Zouskis of the world, like George Foreman did.

Ricky pitched himself too deep for the comeback fight and paid the price. Simple. Had he picked an easier opponent, everybody would be talking about the timing issues but rattling on about where he can go from here and how he will improve fight by fight.

It's a simple loss. BUT. Hatton's reaction to the loss was abnormal. Just from hearing him talk it's clear he's got problems. Nobody likes to lose, and some people get upset when they lose, but the things he was saying are the mark of a guy with "issues", serious issues. His focus should be on getting his head right.

I think this is a tad naive and sniffs of someone who desperately wanted Hatton's comeback to work out.......

Hatton has himself now admitted that he hasn't got it anymore. I know what you mean about taking on a live fighter and doing ten rounds, it was a wrong decision. However, Hatton looked pretty awful in there last night and at times it was an embaressment, he looked like a plodding domestic fighter at times. Sure, if he had taken on a nobody over six or eight rounds, then people would have been more positive had he won comfortably, but are you seriously suggesting that those in the know would have thought he could just brush off the "ring rust" and move on to better opposition ? You only had to see and hear McKenzie and Froch before the fight. Those two were spot on and a punch hadn't even landed at that point.

I think hattons reaction in the post fight interview was fuelled by emotion. Once he's sat down he will be thinking the same thing that JLP is saying. I think age, lifestyle and inactivity had got to him, however is ricky going to accept that.

[JLP]

Some people are being way too reactionary about the performance. Senchenko is a class fighter. A former Olympian and world champion. Fighters making comebacks after long layoffs almost always have shoddy timing and look flat, just like footballers coming back from injury, that's why they normally opt to fight the Steve Zouskis of the world, like George Foreman did.

Ricky pitched himself too deep for the comeback fight and paid the price. Simple. Had he picked an easier opponent, everybody would be talking about the timing issues but rattling on about where he can go from here and how he will improve fight by fight.

It's a simple loss. BUT. Hatton's reaction to the loss was abnormal. Just from hearing him talk it's clear he's got problems. Nobody likes to lose, and some people get upset when they lose, but the things he was saying are the mark of a guy with "issues", serious issues. His focus should be on getting his head right.

I think this is a tad naive and sniffs of someone who desperately wanted Hatton's comeback to work out.......

Hatton has himself now admitted that he hasn't got it anymore. I know what you mean about taking on a live fighter and doing ten rounds, it was a wrong decision. However, Hatton looked pretty awful in there last night and at times it was an embaressment, he looked like a plodding domestic fighter at times. Sure, if he had taken on a nobody over six or eight rounds, then people would have been more positive had he won comfortably, but are you seriously suggesting that those in the know would have thought he could just brush off the "ring rust" and move on to better opposition ? You only had to see and hear McKenzie and Froch before the fight. Those two were spot on and a punch hadn't even landed at that point.

I couldn't care less if Hatton's comeback is/was successful or otherwise. I just want the lad to be happy. Honestly.

My wider point is that those who've boxed and then had a protracted period of time out will know that it does take time to get back into the groove. Coming straight back into a ten rounder against a class fighter like Senchenko was always a big risk and not the ideal strategy. After a football player has had time out he will play a few matches in the reserves, then a lesser game in the first team, and so on. Seldom would a player, even a top player, come straight back into a Champions League fixture, for example.

I don't know if Ricky could've brushed off the ring-rust or not. Others have done it, more haven't. We'll probably never know now.

[Mimmy]

You have to give Hatton credit for the opponent he chose from a 3 year break, a lot of other top class fighters would have taken a journeyman or Mexican road sweeper. Saying that Maybe it was a mistake to lose all that weight, with all the other issues and face a tough world class guy. Maybe Hatton should have taken a slightly easier opponent to see what was left in the locker and judge for himself what he had left. His comeback could have been handled better and possibly 2 fights at an easier level might have helped with a guy like he fought last night.

Maye its time to retire, I would hate to think Hatton face Amir and get the shit kicked out of him. Time to concentrate on the more important things in life.

[Quixall]

Some people are being way too reactionary about the performance. Senchenko is a class fighter. A former Olympian and world champion. Fighters making comebacks after long layoffs almost always have shoddy timing and look flat, just like footballers coming back from injury, that's why they normally opt to fight the Steve Zouskis of the world, like George Foreman did.

Ricky pitched himself too deep for the comeback fight and paid the price. Simple. Had he picked an easier opponent, everybody would be talking about the timing issues but rattling on about where he can go from here and how he will improve fight by fight.

It's a simple loss. BUT. Hatton's reaction to the loss was abnormal. Just from hearing him talk it's clear he's got problems. Nobody likes to lose, and some people get upset when they lose, but the things he was saying are the mark of a guy with "issues", serious issues. His focus should be on getting his head right.

I think this is a tad naive and sniffs of someone who desperately wanted Hatton's comeback to work out.......

Hatton has himself now admitted that he hasn't got it anymore. I know what you mean about taking on a live fighter and doing ten rounds, it was a wrong decision. However, Hatton looked pretty awful in there last night and at times it was an embaressment, he looked like a plodding domestic fighter at times. Sure, if he had taken on a nobody over six or eight rounds, then people would have been more positive had he won comfortably, but are you seriously suggesting that those in the know would have thought he could just brush off the "ring rust" and move on to better opposition ? You only had to see and hear McKenzie and Froch before the fight. Those two were spot on and a punch hadn't even landed at that point.

I couldn't care less if Hatton's comeback is/was successful or otherwise. I just want the lad to be happy. Honestly.

My wider point is that those who've boxed and then had a protracted period of time out will know that it does take time to get back into the groove. Coming straight back into a ten rounder against a class fighter like Senchenko was always a big risk and not the ideal strategy. After a football player has had time out he will play a few matches in the reserves, then a lesser game in the first team, and so on. Seldom would a player, even a top player, come straight back into a Champions League fixture, for example.

I don't know if Ricky could've brushed off the ring-rust or not. Others have done it, more haven't. We'll probably never know now.

JLP, i am not disputing what you say and agree with you regards to the level of fighter that Hatton took on in his comeback fight. My point is that i doubt very much that Hatton would have been able to compete at the very highest level again regardless of his preperation, opponent or opponents and length of rounds. I think that once he would have stepped back up he would have been beaten, however long that would have taken. The other point is that Hatton is 34 years of age and hasn't worn well due to his fighting style and his weight fluctuations between fights, so he needed to get back into contention pretty quickly because he would have only had about 12 months anyway before things went on a big slide. I think just looking at him and his body at the weigh in and pre-fight, he looked a shop soiled fighter, didn't look healthy at all.