BoxRec

I know we are still disillusioned with Hatton's carreer but I thought i'd analyse Ricky's performance.

Positives

Ricky looked in superb condition as always and work rate was very high as usual. His defence looked sound but was never really under any threat. Footspeed looked good giving himself the angles for the bodyshots and threw some clever combinations upstairs and down.
Relentless pressure and very good use of the left hook.

Negatives

Smothered his work a bit in rounds 2-4 and occasionally left himself open to the right hand and the odd body shot.
Not much else wrong with that apart from being prone to taking the right hand which against a clever accurate fighter may cause a problem. (i.e Cotto)

Although I join most people in being frustrated and slightly disinterested in big fight talk I feel that enough external factors will cement a genuine title shot early next year.
The only two questions would be Zoo/Mitchell or Cotto and should he fight a tune up at the end of the year and who would be a credible opponent to prepare him for the biggest fight of his carreer so far.

I think that was three questions...

Answers on a postcard please..

Hatton did his job well but it's hard to look bad against Stewart.
Yes, I'd like to see Ricky squeeze in another fight before he meets the winner of Tszyu-Mitchell (if he does, that is) - but his announcement to the crowd that "the next one will be the big 'un," reflects otherwise.

bennie wrote:Hatton did his job well but it's hard to look bad against Stewart.
Yes, I'd like to see Ricky squeeze in another fight before he meets the winner of Tszyu-Mitchell (if he does, that is) - but his announcement to the crowd that "the next one will be the big 'un," reflects otherwise.

a fight in the US would be the wisest thing. Silence some critics, build up a Tszyu/Mitchell clash etc....

He did an impressive job on a world-classish opponent. That should do for another year of let-downs.

So much have I lost interest in Ricky that I only just got round to watching the tape, when we got back last night my missus didn't want me to stick boxing on and I didn't grumble.

If Mitchell beats Tszyu it's possible Hatton might get a shot at him but I don't believe he will, if Tszyu wins I can only see him having one more fight and it would be against someone like Mayweather.

Hatton is not going to fight Tszyu or Mitchell next. Lets take Tszyu's situation. He's been out for ages, he has struggled for a long time to make the weight and now he's older so it going to be even harder, this dispite his manic training regime to prepare for fights. He may be moving up very soon. Now can anyone see Tszyu putting himself through hell for a fight with Ricky Hatton who is a nobody in the world stage. He's looking for big money fights to close his career, thats Mayweather, Cotto or Gatti.

Say Mitchell wins. They couldn't make that fight before so what will have changed? Sure he'll have a belt but FW has stated before that doesn't matter in his opinion, he'll still probably want Ricky to get the majority of the money because he's the draw in his opinion. Now Mitchell had big demands for a Hatton fight before, what will they be like when he has a belt? Tszyu and Mitchell will be in high demand once this fight is over. FW cannot compete when the big boys come to the table with their fighters.

I too doubt that Tszyu won't be interested. He made it clear recently that he wasn't interested in Hatton or Spadafora. There are plenty of other bigger fights, even without moving up, Cotto, Mayweather and Gatti, all spring to mind.

I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but i fail to see how it could stack up financially.

I think he may fight one of those three if he wins, and it's a fairly big if at this stage of his career after such a long layoff, then move up and retire if he gets that far.

I'm not even convinced that he will make it into the ring, I suspect he's going to get an injury when he steps up his training in the run-in to the fight.

There is no way Tszyu will fight Hatton, no way in hell, what would it prove? Protected, dangerous hometown body puncher against an ageing Tszyu...Tszyu just doesn't need him at all, what he will be looking for at his age is a big payday and possibly against the winner of Mayweather-Gatti next summer. That's if Tszyu even beats Mitchell which i think is a big IF given Tszyu's inactivity and shoulder problems.

Hatton was impressive, then again he's had harder workouts on a heavy bag in the gym. Stewart is way short of top ten in my opinion, and threw little or nothing in return. Hatton still looked banged up at the end of it with swellings around the eyes which doesnt bode well for him when he fights in a competitive fight.... he can only beat the guys they put in front of him I suppose.

this was a final eliminator. if the winner of tszyu/mitchell (and I think it will be mitchell) doesn't fight Hatton then he needs to be stripped of the IBF belt.

interesting to see if the IBF can be consistent here.

Riddick Blowe wrote:this was a final eliminator. if the winner of tszyu/mitchell (and I think it will be mitchell) doesn't fight Hatton then he needs to be stripped of the IBF belt.

interesting to see if the IBF can be consistent here.

True but Hatton already gave up his WBA mandatory status as he didnt want to go to purse bids against Harris, what happens if Tszyu or Mitchell refuse to come to manchester for the fight? Will Hatton take the small end of the purse and fight outside manchester? He says he will time to back it up with some action.

Did anyone else notice Hatton stutter and get slightly flustered when it was mentioned would he be willing to take a paycut for a big fight? Theirs the stumbling block for the big fights right there, he still wants the big bucks first and fornicate the recognition and belts. He said as much in an interview as to why the Harris fight didn't happen. He's all about the money, even for what could be defining fights.

Well, it's like I've said for some time now. Everyone blames allegedly for the fact that Hatton is yet to take the last step, but at the end of the day, nobody is forcing hatton at gunpoint are they? From many recent comments it seems clear that Hatton has become fixated with being the draw

I mean ok, Viv Harris was fornicating dreaming if he thought he was worth 1.6 million dollars, he couldn't draw a crowd to a road-crash. However, money matters are what scuppered the fight with Mitchell and others.

Hatton's wallet must be groaning under the weight after all those packed houses, but if the crowd reports I heard are true, then the gravy train may be running out of steam. If Hatton fought and beat a big name, taking the short end of things and actually prevailing could make him very rich indeed.

I also wonder how much a loss against one of these big names would hurt him. Surely losing to Gatti, Mayweather, Cotto etc would not be that much of a disaster, it would show the faithful that he really wanted to be the best.

jamesmcdonnell wrote: I also wonder how much a loss against one of these big names would hurt him. Surely losing to Gatti, Mayweather, Cotto etc would not be that much of a disaster, it would show the faithful that he really wanted to be the best.

And Lose his unbeaten record

It would destroy him, not just hurt him.

fornicate HATTON AND fornicate WARREN...

I have no time and no sympathy for either of them.....

many fighters over the years have taken the small end of purses knowing victory will earn them more in the long run....

Hopkins was getting fcuk all cash before he beat Tito (receieved small end of purse)

Tito got the small end versus De La Hoya yet got paid big time when he beat him

Williams got chump change versus Tyson but is now getting a big payday and a shot at the WBC title

Barrera and Morales got £115k each GROSS for there first fight, a fcuking insult IMO, however both of there stocks soared after that fight..

ditto with Gatti and Ward.....