BoxRec

Ricky Hatton will defend his WBU light-welterweight title against either Kelson Pinto, Paul Spadafora or Lovemore N'dou in Manchester on April 3.
Promoter allegedly is said to be keen for Hatton to face Brazilian Pinto. But American-TV paymasters Showtime would prefer an American, and are proposing former IBF lightweight champion Spadafora. They are also quite keen on Aussie-based South Arican N'dou after his performance against Sharmba Mitchell last Saturday night.
One of the three will be confirmed next week.

Won't be dissapointed with any of the 3.

I would prefer Pinto out of the three a riskier opponent....Spadafora would be tough but Ha.ttons too big and N'Dou wouldnt prove anything.

HH

Disappointingly, Skytext is now reporting that Sharmba Mitchell has agreed to defend his IBF interim light-welterweight title on the same Hatton bill against Eamonn Magee. Why couldn't Hatton fight Mitchell?

bennie wrote:Disappointingly, Skytext is now reporting that Sharmba Mitchell has agreed to defend his IBF interim light-welterweight title on the same Hatton bill against Eamon Magee. Why couldn't Hatton fight Mitchell?

Promoter's love to build potential showdowns with appearance by both protagonists on the same bill, to whet the appetite.
These plans frequently have a habbit of going wrong, however!

Sparaforda is the more proven fighter of the three, whereas Pinto is the least. I agree that Pinto sounds the most dangerous, especially given Sparaforda's frame of mind, which must be affected as his future is in doubt.

I would have agreed with your opnions on N'dou, HH. But, apparently Mitchell had a life and death struggle with him - so he might be alot better than we first thought, either that or Mitchell is slipping.

Eamomn Magee vs Shamba Mitchell, that one could be very interesting. I hope Eamomn has the full belief that he can step up to the place - his opportunities are endless if he pulls of the surprise. I think Urkal might be better than Mitchell at this stage of his career. Magee showed he can mix it with the very top in this devision.

Imagine what's going to happen to the rankings if Hatton only beats N'dou and Magee beats Mitchell. That will really make it a hard decision for me, there going to be enough changes for next months update as it is.

I think the N'Dou fight was more a case of Mitchell being up for a mega fight with Tzyu only to find he would fight N'Dou enough to de-motivate anyone.

Mitchell vs Magee an ex Hatton opponent is designed to build up a super fight much like the Witter and Hatton fighting on the same bill was supposed to....that didnt come off though...

HH

I hope it's Pinto, but I doubt it. Sounds like N'Dou, another plodding African for Hatton to outpoint.

Spady had turned it down I thought? Not enough time to prepare, plus he has the Floyd bout lined up too.

I hope it's Pinto, but I doubt it. Sounds like N'Dou, another plodding African for Hatton to outpoint.

Spady had turned it down I thought? Not enough time to prepare, plus he has the Floyd bout lined up too.

magee vs mitchell that sucks :x hatton beats magee and yet magee is getting the bigger fight

whats happened to junior witter lately he's been a bit quiet still scared of having to face pinto i suppose

stujones wrote:Won't be dissapointed with any of the 3.

Me neither Stu.

This news about Magee fighting Mitchell on the same card is curious too, I would be surprised though, although Magee is colourful and all that he is coming off the back of 2 defeats.

Would make a cracking nights boxing though....

I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, i'll be happy with either of the three.
This thread (where people a pondering which of the 3 quality opponents they'd prefer) shows that now Lennox has retired, Hatton currently stands head and shoulders above the rest as the next big British talent.

Of only we had such troubles with Calzaghe.

Goz wrote:

stujones wrote:Won't be dissapointed with any of the 3.

Me neither Stu.

This news about Magee fighting Mitchell on the same card is curious too, I would be surprised though, although Magee is colourful and all that he is coming off the back of 2 defeats.

Would make a cracking nights boxing though....

shame they don't stick witter-pinto on there as well oh yeah forgot he's in hiding still looks like he's been scared off

I expect it to be either N'dou or Pinto, Warren was eager to match Witter with Pinto and now Hatton? I think he knows something that we don't i'm afraid Anyway i cannot see Spadafora coming over as he has always been a hometown boy and not a very good one at that, he's never really beaten anyone and was lucky to get a draw with Leo Dorin IMO. I've never really been impressed with him and he never leaves Pittsburgh, he dodged the Casamayor, Freitas, Corrales, Mayweather quartet by jumping to Lightweight as well. Hatton would beat all three of these prospective opponents but i would be happy with any of them, at least it's not another step down anyway.

Paul Spadaforas camp claimed that Hatton didn't want the fight in an interview I saw somewhere.

Hatton's last two opponents (Phillips and Tackie) were coming off tough losses to Sharmba Mitchell. So is Lovemore N'dou. That leads me to believe Hatton will fight the South African in April.

Blue wrote:
Good thinking bennie,
(Except I think U meant Mitchell, not Phillips. )
It’s not gona be Paul Spadafora…
http://www.maxboxing.com/kim/kim021104.asp

Or Kelson Pinto…
Hatton always turns down elimination & title opportunities.
Did U’all forget how he ran from Corley?

And Lovemore N'dou is a step down.
Too bad “Bait & Switch” Frankie is a pendejo…

Yes, Hatton's last two opponents lost to Sharmba Mitchell of course, and it could soon be three if N'dou gets the nod.
Do you rate N'dou at all, Blue? I never saw his fight with Mitchell.

after watching ringside tonight it looks as if it could be kelson pinto they were giving pinto the big build up and hatton even put in his 10 sense worth on him.

this is a dangerous fight that i don't think he needs to take :x he's up there in all the big 3 sanctioning body ratings, he needs one of those top 10 names, not an unknown dangerman like pinto.

I'd still like to see Hatton square off with Witter.

N'Dou would be the best choice (Spadafora is lining up a fight against Mayweather) because he basically eeked out a draw or a close decision loss to Mitchell (at least in reality if not in the minds of the judges). Pinto is largely untested.

bennie Posted: 12 Feb 2004 21:44
Do you rate N'dou at all, Blue? I never saw his fight with Mitchell.

Thanks for asking, but I’m afraid I’m not much help here.
I missed the fight too, as I was on my way back from Costa Rica.
My (IMO knowledgeable.) friends who saw the fight are as divided as the press and forums are.
Most agreed though, that Michell was sluggish and fought a dumb fight, rather than being on the slide...

After losing to N’Dou in Australia, Isander Lacen told reporter Jorge Perez (El Nuevo Dia 4/20/ 1998) in an interview that Lovemore would be champion one day.
That made me take notice and I was impressed by his wins over Renato Cornett, Juan Angel Macias & Víctor Hugo Paz which I’ve seen on tape.

Looks to me like he peaked about 4 yrs ago and seemed to have a lower work rate (Posed too much.) when he came to the states and lost to Jose Luis Juarez & Steve Quiñonez.
But don’t let that fool U as those guy’s are sleepers with tough losses & are capable of upsetting anybody on a good night.
At present I would say he's a second level fighter that had an "on" night with Michell.

Let’s face it bennie, if Hatton can’t beat N’Dou…The hype is over.
From what I’ve seen of both, Ricky should pull it off. 8)

BTW,
I have added more info, weights & coments to N’dou’s record for those interested.

hitman_hatton1 wrote:after watching ringside tonight it looks as if it could be kelson pinto they were giving pinto the big build up and hatton even put in his 10 sense worth on him.

this is a dangerous fight that i don't think he needs to take :x he's up there in all the big 3 sanctioning body ratings, he needs one of those top 10 names, not an unknown dangerman like pinto.

From listening and watching Billy Graham, I felt he was not keen on the fight either. He said "look, this guy [pinto] is more dangerous than most of the top ten fighters". He seemed quite negative about it and my recolection is that he pretty much said he'll take it if he has to.

Even more interesting was when Paul asked him a question about moving camps to America. I thought it was a general question about how important moving to america is for a fighter. Graham replies "if Frank can get us the big fights, then we are happy here, else we are off to Las Vegas" [paraphrased]

Maybe this is motivating FW to put Ricky in tricky fights.

hitman_hatton1 wrote:after watching ringside tonight it looks as if it could be kelson pinto they were giving pinto the big build up and hatton even put in his 10 sense worth on him.

this is a dangerous fight that i don't think he needs to take :x he's up there in all the big 3 sanctioning body ratings, he needs one of those top 10 names, not an unknown dangerman like pinto.

Ricky sounded up for it, but I don't think it will happen. Spaddy or N'dou are far more likely to happen imo. fw won't risk Ricky with such a mystery/danger as Pinto.

I thought Billy Graham was really good on Ringside last night, spoke really well, very authorative and better than many of the guests they have on.

I mean obviously he does know what he's talking about but this came across well, sort of bloke I could ask questions all day.