Hatton vs UK-based world champs - how likely?

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 25 Jun 2007, 06:19

With Hatton's terrific win, it seems Witter and M'Baye truly are "so off my radar its unreal" as RH said early this year.

However, rumour has it that HBO don't have any more fight dates this year! So I'll bet Ricky won't even fight a Malignaggi until the 1st quarter of 2008. Just a guess.

Now we know Witter (WBC) and M'Baye (WBA) are tricky, good, but hardly box office on a global scene. Will Hatton fight again this year and if so could it be over here?

I mean, HBO can't stop him from fighting, can they?

Bizarrely, HBO have reserved PPV dates for Marquez-Barrios (not as good as it sounds) and even Vargas vs fekking Mayorga!!

If Hatton signed with Golden Boy he would have no shortage of HBO dates.

boxingchat · Post by **boxingchat** » 25 Jun 2007, 06:46

Hatton won't fight either and WILL sign for Golden Boy. He will dump Hobson too which will further show the make-up of the REAL Hatton.

Good perfomance though, great shot, but Cotto is the one that would convince me of his P4P status. Castillo, good fighter, but a Light-Welter or a blown up (Very) Super-Feather?

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 25 Jun 2007, 06:52

Mbaiyes a Warren fighter and Hatton swore to never work with Warren again. He also swore he'd never give Witter a payday

The biggest possibility is Witter, but Hatton would probably opt for limited Torres or light hitting Magillagi

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 25 Jun 2007, 06:52

Hatton won't fight either and WILL sign for Golden Boy. He will dump Hobson too which will further show the make-up of the REAL Hatton.

What are you talking about? Ricky is a w/c (working class not toilet) hero and a nice guy. LOL

I hope he signs with GBP because they can sell anything to HBO and with them losing out on Pac (so it seems) they could so with another exciting attraction of a fighter.

Carbo · Post by **Carbo** » 25 Jun 2007, 07:03

boxingchat wrote:Hatton won't fight either and WILL sign for Golden Boy. He will dump Hobson too which will further show the make-up of the REAL Hatton.

Good perfomance though, great shot, but Cotto is the one that would convince me of his P4P status. Castillo, good fighter, but a Light-Welter or a blown up (Very) Super-Feather?

Bearing in mind Castillo's trouble to make even 140, I'm not sure you can say he's a blown up superfeather. For crying out loud, he was only one pound inside the light middleweight limit come fight time.

It's rather like saying Manny Paquiao is a blown up flyweight. It's just crazy. Castillo was a monster, a monster, I say, at 135, and he looked the bigger man against Hatton, who's been at 140 his whole career.

As to whether Castillo had much left in the tank, I don't know, but I know Hatton looked better last night than he has since Tszyu. The old zip and intensity and sting was back. Whether or not it Castillo was shot, it was a brilliant performance by the Hitman.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 25 Jun 2007, 07:16

What Castillo weighed 159 on fight night? Where did you get that from?

Hatton clearly looked the bigger man to me, despite giving away height and reach, he looked much stronger than Castillo and indeed was.

I agree that blown up super feather is stretching it more than a bit, Castillo was a very big lightweight, but Hatton is a very big light welterweight who boils down to make 140 with very advanced nutritional and weight training advice.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 25 Jun 2007, 07:17

jamesmcdonnell wrote:What Castillo weighed 159 on fight night? Where did you get that from?

Hatton clearly looked the bigger man to me, despite giving away height and reach, he looked much stronger than Castillo and indeed was.

I agree that blown up super feather is stretching it more than a bit, Castillo was a very big lightweight, but Hatton is a very big light welterweight who boils down to make 140 with very advanced nutritional and weight training advice.

James 154-1=153

Carbo · Post by **Carbo** » 25 Jun 2007, 07:25

jamesmcdonnell wrote:What Castillo weighed 159 on fight night? Where did you get that from?

Hatton clearly looked the bigger man to me, despite giving away height and reach, he looked much stronger than Castillo and indeed was.

I agree that blown up super feather is stretching it more than a bit, Castillo was a very big lightweight, but Hatton is a very big light welterweight who boils down to make 140 with very advanced nutritional and weight training advice.

Well P-N said it for me, but in addition to that is is surely possible to be bigger and yet not as strong? Hatton looked much the stronger fighter, I agree; but that doesn't change the fact that Castillo looked a little bigger. He had a height advantage, a reach advantage and his shoulders were broader.

He's simply not a blown up anything until he does to 147.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 25 Jun 2007, 07:25

in his younger days Castillo was a huge featherweight. Late 90s. Then he became a huge lightweight who held the WBC title twice. His non title fights were as high as 147-pounds. Really he should have long been a light welter.

Back to the Q: if Ricky doesn't sign with GBP, he won't have a big fight window the rest of the year. There are options in the UK for world titles. Chance doesn't look too great but who knows?

Coco · Post by **Coco** » 25 Jun 2007, 08:42

U.S money will drive this, and the likes of M'baye, Witter etc won't generate any cash so HBO will have no interest in subsidising those fights.

Hatton himself will only be interested in the big fights, he has gone way past the likes of Witter.

HBO will prob be willing to put him on against Malanaggi, who is no better than Witter, but is a name in the U.S, so it will sell.

Otherwise we can expect the big names in the division for Ricky's last few fights.

I'd like to see him stay at 10st but the big money will drive him up that half a stone to meet the likes of Cotto etc

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 25 Jun 2007, 08:47

Hobson said he's planning/hoping for an Autumn homecoming.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 25 Jun 2007, 08:55

Autobarn wrote:
Hatton won't fight either and WILL sign for Golden Boy. He will dump Hobson too which will further show the make-up of the REAL Hatton.
What are you talking about? Ricky is a w/c (working class not toilet) hero and a nice guy. LOL

I hope he signs with GBP because they can sell anything to HBO and with them losing out on Pac (so it seems) they could so with another exciting attraction of a fighter.

Not saying Hatton Isn't a working class hero but what makes him that?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 25 Jun 2007, 09:04

Not surprised the Vargas vs Mayorga is a PPV event. Vargas vs Mosley did very well in the states and I think it was generally regarded as 50:50 in terms of who was the box office attraction.

They might be shot/faded but Vargas is still a massive name and will always be a PPV fighter against anyone remotely world class.

If Sugar Ray Leonard came back and took on say Felix Sturm in Vegas... I'm sure it would be a PPV event and would do well.

boxingchat · Post by **boxingchat** » 25 Jun 2007, 09:53

Golden Boy will get him but Ray and Hobbo's private little arrangement may make a difference. CARPETS!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 25 Jun 2007, 11:11

What, are you suggesting Ray Hatton gives him cheap axminsters in return for Hobson's promotional services?

Manos de Oro · Post by **Manos de Oro** » 25 Jun 2007, 12:34

Witter will always be a bogeyman unless he fights him. I'd have preferred to have seen him step up to Hatton straight after Thaxton, in early 2001, instead of seeing Ricky stop Tony Pep - nearly 20 years a pro - for the WBU. All in the past and not worth dwelling over; an argument can be made in support for the way it went. But I don't think it can be denied British boxing as a 'sport' came off worse, particularly with the situation as it is now: Witter getting the better of every barter; living an afternoon's drive away with a big 3 belt yet being 'off the radar'; a sizable showreel archive of grudge talk, yet no fight. It still would be better late than never (how horrible would that be?) and still healthy to the integrity of British boxing, especially if it was screened on terrestrial TV.