lirva33 wrote:I don't expect much input here because most people here are Hatton nuthuggers and will not even acknowledge criticism.
I will start at 2002,
Hatton fought against Stephen Smith and joe hutchenson towards the end of 2002. Smith was nothing more than a joke and had LOST to a 135 pounder. Hatton decided to fight him instead of Witter.
hutchensons claim to fame was cutting Arturo gatti. Whoop de doo. Hatton enjoyed pounding into submission.
In 2003 hatton promised a great year "we're going to go for it", but predictably failed to deliver. An ancient Vince Phillips was beaten in manchester in a disgraceful match. Hatton got him at the end of his career.
Next up was a lightweight by the name of Aldo Rios. Hatton, who could be described as a bully for the amount of lightweights he has feasted on, once again pounded his hapless oponent. Was it too much to ask for hatton to fight at least a 140 pounder? Witter was available.
Finally, to round off 2003 hatton foughts Ben "punch bag" tackie. Tackie had been beaten and lost every round vs Tszyu and mitchell also gave him a hiding. Still, this was a step up after the likes of Rios and hutchenson. Hatton won the match. This rounded off 2003, a year that Hatton said he would hit the big time.
Hatton once again exclaimed that he would become a world champ thyis year. Perhaps he meant that he would continue to hold the wbuseless belt? He started off 2004 in dreadful fashion by taking on yet another lightweight (who had campaigned at super feather) Dennis holbak pederson. Hatton was due to fight Pinto but when pinto ruled himself out WITTER put himself forward. Hatton, in yet another act of a BULLY, would rather fight against a lightweight. Disgraceful.
Next up was a pathetic fight against another no hoper Carlos Wilfredo Vilches. Vilches had lost 4 times and was given a thourough hiding by Sharmba Mitchell a few months previous. This was a year in which Hatton exclaimed that he would "go for it". Did he mean, go for no hopers?
By this stage people were on Hattons case bigtime. Actually, people were on his case from the stephen Smith fight. He had refused to fight WItter for years. Witter proceeded to call him out. When he fought vilches, SHARMBA Mitchell fought on the undercard giving a good hiding to joke stewart. Mitchell was willing to come to manchester but Hatton wasnt interested in the fight and instead decided to fight Stewart. now, this as a"final eliminator" etc (as was Vilches), but hatton could have went for Mitchells belt instead. instead he decided to once again fight a no hoper and take the easy touch.
Another disgrace.
if you thought that was a disgrace, then Hattons last match of 2004 must have appaled you. Ray Oliviera had previoously retired on american television and had said publically that he couldn't make 140 pounds and hadn't made it for 3 years. hatton decided to make him weight drain himself. The old man was given a good hiding by a dubilant hatton to close of 2004, another year that Hatton said he would "go for it". He must have meant he would go for bums.
In 2005 hatton FINALLY signed to fight Tszyu. At the time, I didn't realise that Hatton had nowhere to go. he HAD to fight Tszyu now or be labled as an absolute joke. He was seen as a joker in america, a guy who wouldn't step up if he was paid. He held off the tzyu fight until he had the absolute best chance of beating him and he did. I give hatton credit for beating tszyu. I may think he used too much illegal tactics that he wouldn't have gotten away with in a US ring, but the fact is he won.
Then he fought Maussa who had been clubbed by Cotto and beat harris in his previous fight. Harris had weighed 134 pounds on the scales (I have had confirmation from someone who was at the weight in). Hatton was given a tough time by Maussa.
Now contrast it with Cottos resume.
18th fight, Maussa gets a hiding.
20th fight, lovemore ndou gets beaten.
22nd fight, Bailey (a dangerous puncher) goes down.
23rd fight, Corley beaten in 5
24th fight, Abdullaev gets a beating
Contrast it with Mayweathers resume
18th fight, Hernandez given a hiding for the 130 pound championship.
19th fight, angel manfredy obliterated
24th fight, augustus given a hiding
25th fight, Corrales (who many picked to beat floyd) beaten easily.
26th fight, Carlos hernandez beaten up
27th fight, jesus Chavez takes a hiding and gets stopped.
28th fight, (steps up and fights the best 135 pounder in the world) castillo loses
29th fight, beats castillo in a rematch.
31st fight, ndou given a hiding
32nd fight, steps up to 140 and beats Corley who is better than anyone hatton had beaten until htszyu in mid 2005.
34th fight, Gives Gatti a hiding, who would beat anybody on hattons record bar Tszyu.
35th fight, steps up to 147 (formerly a 130 pounder) and gives Mitchell (who hatton faced stewart rather than fight) a good beating.
QED
