Ricky Hatton

[Max Molyneux]

Does anyone reckon Hatton's starting to ruin his career a little bit?

He's not fighting Urkal until December and just giving two fights a year leaving a long gap in between. Also his style's leaving out the skill needed too. He already baloons up inbetween fights so he'll be fat longer as well which might make him rusty.

Callazo's underated but he could of won a little more easier too.

The way he's going now, I'm starting to think FLoyd would have it easier if they ever fought. I used to think Hatton could do it but, he's taking out his skill for all out brawling.

Was leaving Warren really that wise too?

He claimed it was over money yet he's taking less pay for fighting guys like Urkal in America.

Maybe BC is right.

He could of fought these useless mandatories at Light Welter too keeping his belts and then waiting to see if Witter beats Corley and fight the winner for all 3.

[hitman_hatton1]

the urkal fight isn't confirmed yet.

fighting twice a year is a bummer and it's cos he let's the weight go up so much in between fights.

mayweather would outbox hatton and always would have done. hatton still tanks most out there though.

leaving warren was a shit move for british boxing cos of the itv thing. for him it was obviously worth it, otherwise he would have stayed put.

[G-man]

Does anyone reckon Hatton's starting to ruin his career a little bit?

He's not fighting Urkal until December and just giving two fights a year leaving a long gap in between. Also his style's leaving out the skill needed too. He already baloons up inbetween fights so he'll be fat longer as well which might make him rusty.

Callazo's underated but he could of won a little more easier too.

The way he's going now, I'm starting to think FLoyd would have it easier if they ever fought. I used to think Hatton could do it but, he's taking out his skill for all out brawling.

Was leaving Warren really that wise too?

He claimed it was over money yet he's taking less pay for fighting guys like Urkal in America.

Maybe BC is right.

He could of fought these useless mandatories at Light Welter too keeping his belts and then waiting to see if Witter beats Corley and fight the winner for all 3.

I'll bet you he fights before december and the Urkal fight is just a rumour.

[josh fg]

The thing that conserns me most about Hatton is the dissapearance of his jab in the Cozzilo fight. To me he needs a new direction possibly a new trainer.

[stujones]

Why are us brits such lazy bastards between fights. Can't they see that ticking over actually prolongs a career, gives you a healthy lifestyle (for after his career) - plus this is the years that he is going to be making the most money.

Alledgely, Paul Ingle signed a contract when world champion that required that his manager, Frank Maloney, would give him 3 months to prepare for a fight. No doubt, Ingle was one of the fittest fighters I have ever seen and trained like a demon - but his ballooning after a fight was legend.

Without even mentioning Paul's boxing fate, it still meant when you take into account recovery time before party time and negotations that Paul could only fight twice a year (Paul won the IBF title in November, fought Botile in his final fight December the following year in his second defence).

Wayne McCollough and Kevin Kelley are two examples of ticking over - Wayne is in his mid thirties, and Kelley in his late 30's. Both, despite being written off 8 years ago, are still being competitive against top ten fighters. I would imagine, judging by his appearance on Sky, that Johnny Nelson is another who ticks over, he never looks fat, he is pushing 40 and still a world champion.

Why isn't Hatton more proffesional and do that. I'm sure Floyd Mayweather could fight at 147 tommorrow.

It infuriates me that a man of Hatton's ability spends so much time working off the excess that he cannot fight regularly, unless its at Super Middleweight.

By all means by a 20 stone pie boy when your 35 and retired with millions, but don't ruin the chance of all time greatness through a lack of defences.

[Twinkle Toes]

To be fair Stu, Hatton used to fight four times a year when he was with SN, which was very reasonable.

Agreed its all gone a bit tits up since he beat Tszyu, but it isnt any wonder really.

[revporl]

yrah, in a way leaving SN was a brave step, allowing him more autonomy regarding his career, but at the same time, it's reduced his acccess to regular (say quarterly) defences, even if some of those defenses would have been mismatches, they would have served to keep him in condition for the more important fights.

[stujones]

To be fair Stu, Hatton used to fight four times a year when he was with SN, which was very reasonable.

Agreed its all gone a bit tits up since he beat Tszyu, but it isnt any wonder really.

He did, but has also complained about it since - it was six months between Oliveria and Tszyu also.

[Max Molyneux]

Tszyu was starting to become quite inactive since he beat Zab though even before the injuries.

So no wonder Hatton had to wait that long!