The Dark Destroyer on boxing today

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 12 Mar 2007, 10:55

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
KO Artist wrote:
Goz wrote:Interesting stuff, good to know he still follows the sport too.

Not quite I agree with him over Tommy Morrison but then again who am I to disagree with Nigel Benn!

Also interesting that he is so complimentary about Warren...
Well, he would be. He made an awful lot of money when working with Warren
people wonder why Warren is the top dog

He's the top dog because there's no competition and boxing doesn't mean anything anymore.. back in the day Mickey Duff, Ambrose Mendy, Barry Hearn were the top dogs.. Warren's stable was basically Terry Marsh, George Collins, Tony Collins and Gary Stretch, and Benn for about four or five months.. that was it.. yes he got in on ITV but it was Hearn who promoted the Bruno-Bugner on ITV, Mendy who got American TV on Benn, Mendy and Hearn who had Benn and Eubank during the golden times while Warren was dreaming of getting in the mix..

Warren got lucky in that Benn and Don King fell out with Eubank and Barry Hearn and Warren stepped in to join forces with them(Benn and King).. if it wasn't for that he'd be nowhere right now..

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:03

Warren is the top dog because fighters go to him for TV dates, say whatever you like about the man, but you don't get to the top of any profession for no reason.

I've got no vested interest in being favourable to Warren or Sports Network, but you have to give him his due.

When Warren came along, he was a breath of fresh air, Lawless, Duff and co were running things for what seemed like forever and Warren came along and broke the monopoly. Now he's on top and protecting his interests, which whilst it can be unpleasant for those opposing him, is perfectly natural.

Warren saw the rift, and stepped in to seize the opportunity, that's not luck, that's grabbing an opportunity.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:21

This is a guy who wrecked boxing by moving Benn, Bruno and Hamed to SKY.. who CLEARLY used Hatton as a cash cow.. who brings his fighters back on ITV promoting WBU World Championship main events-which is absolutely diabolical, the general public know none the wiser.. a guy who genuinely celebrates when his own countrymen Lennox Lewis and Audley Harrison get knocked down because they didn't sign for him..

Come on.. the guys ill..

STP · Post by **STP** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:26

Greg Nicholas wrote:(he's already the best in terms of skills)

He looked good against Tackie, but that was still a poor mans Calzaghe-Lacy.

STP · Post by **STP** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:28

Greg Nicholas wrote:This is a guy who wrecked boxing by moving Benn, Bruno and Hamed to SKY

It was Eubank who started that trend a year earlier, Eubank and Hearn. Remember?? They signed that £10million 'World Tour' of Britain and Ireland, getting gifts against club fighters every six weeks.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:29

The reason that Warren moved from sky in the first place, was because ITV were offering ridiculously low sums of money to air the fights, ITV were in the process of shedding boxing from their schedules, in no small part due to the tragedies that occured on their airwaves. Warren could not have continued to have his fighters on ITV as he would not have had the money to keep his stable together.

Ricky Hatton was quite happy making a fortune with Warren, let's not kid ourselves, it was just that he realised that after beating Tszyu, it was wise to shop around and see what he could get for himself. In the event fight academy by all acount are making fekk all, and where has it left Clinton Woods in the meantime, he is becoming a rather anonymous title holder?

I think it is a little naive to suggest that Warren 'wrecked boxing' with the advent of Digital TV and the emergence of football as the holy grail of sports programming, It is understandable that Warren made the move to digital TV. I am sure it was not in his interests to 'wreck boxing' as that is where he makes his living.

I agree that the dissapearance of boxing from terrestrial schedules has been bad for the sport, but then again, I don't see what else could have happened. The BEEB and ITV saw money elsewhere, and weren't really interested, and when the BBC did get interested, they made one of the most almighty balls ups of it by giving Harrison carte blanche, and then banking on Khan, who went and turned pro with Warren and signed a deal which saw him on ITV!

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:34

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.. in my opinion Ricky is a far more skilled fighter than Joe.. Joe is all natural talent, heart and instinct while Ricky has mastered all his moves through repetition in the gym..

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:36

Hatton was real happy in the Pederson and Vilches fights, wasn't he..? Warren simply wouldn't deliver the big ones until the Hatton's gave him no choice, he was using him as a pure cash cow..

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:45

Greg Nicholas wrote:I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.. in my opinion Ricky is a far more skilled fighter than Joe.. Joe is all natural talent, heart and instinct while Ricky has mastered all his moves through repetition in the gym..

Cannot see it myself. Ricky is an excellent fighter, but all round Joe is the much better fighter, Ricky's defence is not as good as Joe's and his combination punching is definetly inferior. I am sure that Joe's father would have something to say about his moves being 'natural' there's nothing natural about learning to move and punch that seamlessly, and Joe has been under his father's guidance for what, 20 years now?

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 12 Mar 2007, 11:54

Ricky's defence is not great but is Joe's...???? Joe's been hammered in most of his fights, hands down, squared up, easy to hit with right hands.. Ricky's combination punching is some of the best ive seen, the way he steps off to the side to load up or keep a combo going is brilliant.. Joe on the otherhand uses winging arm punches with the inside of the glove..

People forget, before the Lacy fight Joe was a brawler.. the Lacy fight was all natural instinct, not skill.. Joe says he suprised himself..

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 12 Mar 2007, 12:02

I think personally it's more a case of Joe thinking he had to box more carefully against Lacy, who despite being derided now, was a far more dangerous proposition than the majority of his opponents. Yes, Joe has shown incredible disregard against the likes of Salem and Mitchell, both of whom dropped him like a sack of spuds.

Ricky's combination punching as far better early in his career than it is now, he seems to have become far more predictable, and seems a lot less flexible than he is now. The days of him working the angles around his opponent, hitting them from all angles with hooks to the body and cuffing shots to the head seems to have gone.

I think Ricky is an underrated technical fighter, no doubt about it, but Joe on his best night is quite a bit superior.

I see the point you are making, but I believe Joe has more technical ability than Ricky, whether he utilises it though, is of course another matter.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 12 Mar 2007, 12:18

STP wrote:On Ricky Hatton:

"Ricky is the best fighter to ever come out of this country and will prove it when he stops (Jose Luis) Castillo and gives Mayweather the fight of his life if that fight can get put together.

"I'm certainly looking forward to his fight (with Castillo) more than the Mayweather-De La Hoya fight. You just know it's going to be two kids bashing eachother from pillar to post and in that kind of humdinger fight Ricky is unmatchable.

"It reminds of Roy Jones-James Toney and me and Gerald McClellan. If you wanted to watch a chess match you watched those two (Jones and Toney), but if you wanted to see some fireworks...

"Ricky's got so much in his armoury, his body punching power is off the scale and he can reload alnight long."

good to see he still knows his stuff.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 12 Mar 2007, 12:24

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
Greg Nicholas wrote:I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.. in my opinion Ricky is a far more skilled fighter than Joe.. Joe is all natural talent, heart and instinct while Ricky has mastered all his moves through repetition in the gym..
Cannot see it myself. Ricky is an excellent fighter, but all round Joe is the much better fighter, Ricky's defence is not as good as Joe's and his combination punching is definetly inferior. I am sure that Joe's father would have something to say about his moves being 'natural' there's nothing natural about learning to move and punch that seamlessly, and Joe has been under his father's guidance for what, 20 years now?

calzaghe has more talent.

definitely i'd say.

hatton is superb at what he does though.

but calzaghe all round is king of the hill at the moment.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 12 Mar 2007, 12:34

STP wrote:On Floyd Mayweather:

"Mayweather's caught the syndrome of throwing one at a time, it seems to catch all the great fighters. I admit I caught it, Chris Eubank caught it, Naseem Hamed caught it, Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Mike Tyson ofcourse caught it.

"You need to get him in there with a (Ricky) Hatton to force him to throw more than one at a time.

"When I used to watch Mayweather in years gone by, it was great seeing him open up and he had that killer instinct. It's there but just needs awakening. He needs to fight someone like Hatton maybe."

mayweather always goes a bit negative against the guys he knows will stick around.

ricky hatton would stick around and i guaranteee mayweather would throw singles and doubles and move around all night.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 12 Mar 2007, 12:39

Yes, good assessment by Benn that, as they move up the weights, the slick fighters tend to potshot more and more as they are less likely to get caught and nailed.

I really think Mayweather v Hatton would be a brilliant fight.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 15 Mar 2007, 09:41

Hatton is the more skilled.. Calzaghe the more talented..

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 15 Mar 2007, 18:03

STP wrote:On Manny Pacquiao:
"Awesome fighter who deserves to wear my No Fear legend.

"I love all the Mexicans."

Uh, Pac-man is Filipino...

Other than that, nice interview

m1kee50 · Post by **m1kee50** » 15 Mar 2007, 18:13

Hatton better fighter
Calzaghe better technician

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 15 Mar 2007, 18:19

Mikee wrote:Hatton better fighter
Calzaghe better technician

But which is the better Mexican?

I give Joe the edge myself, he's got those dark Italian features - add a moustache, sombrero and a Mariachi band, and there you go.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 19 Mar 2007, 06:53

Mikee wrote:Hatton better fighter
Calzaghe better technician

I think the opposite..

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 19 Mar 2007, 08:19

Sadly, there is a lot we don't know about Calzaghe, and to an extent, Hatton.

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 20 Mar 2007, 02:58

Calzaghe is definitely more talented.

Khan has more talent that both of them combined.

m1kee50 · Post by **m1kee50** » 20 Mar 2007, 08:29

Southpaw Stylist wrote:Calzaghe is definitely more talented.

Khan has more talent that both of them combined.

talent will only get u so far tho.....

Big Pussy · Post by **Big Pussy** » 20 Mar 2007, 08:37

viciousmaussa wrote:Sadly, there is a lot we don't know about Calzaghe, and to an extent, Hatton.

That is probably the truest comment on here and the most insightful. Boxing didn't die because it moved to Sky. If you apply that logic Football would be in the doldrums. Boxing died because the good fights aren't being made.

KO Artist · Post by **KO Artist** » 20 Mar 2007, 09:07

Greg Nicholas wrote:I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.. in my opinion Ricky is a far more skilled fighter than Joe.. Joe is all natural talent, heart and instinct while Ricky has mastered all his moves through repetition in the gym..

Calzaghe is a far better fighter than Hatton. In most if not all departments.

The Dark Destroyer on boxing today

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