BoxRec

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 00:29**

Nice breakdown of upcoming fight action from a betting perspective.

Interesting take on Kostya Tszyu and Ricky Hatton. In the USA the feeling on Hatton amongst some of 'those in the know' is that Hatton may be in over his head here.

http://thesweetscience.com/boxing-artic ... -don-hold/

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 00:39**

i don't understand them odds? what does -335 mean??

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 00:43**

I believe it means Tszyu is a -335 favorite ... in this case you have to bet $335 to win $100 ie you get your $335 back plus the $100 you won.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 04:11**

"fringe contenders and slightly shot"

About sums up the CV

I am going to be routing for Hatton, but out of his depth is about right

Slapsie

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 08:00**

The odds are close, primarily because Hatton fans have laid shit loads of cash on him, bringing the odds down. The bookie will adjust them accordingly, if my limited knowledge of oddsmaking is correct.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 08:26**

Juice Terry wrote:
I believe it means Tszyu is a -335 favorite ... in this case you have to bet $335 to win $100 ie you get your $335 back plus the $100 you won.

Thats kinda like 2/7 isnt it? I think.

yeah close enough to 2/7.

IMO If you're backing Hatton I'd go abroad for a better price, one that hasn't been hammered in by the locals here. Betting on Tszyu I'd stick around and wait for the final surge of Hatton cash in the days leading up to the fight to push Kostya's price out a little. I guess by the same logic finding an australian bookie would give you your best price for Hatton ...[/quote]

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 08:36**

Over the bank holiday weekend, I watched all of Hattons and Tzsyu's fights.

The best names on Hattons record are Vince Phillips, Ben Tackie and Freddie Pendleton, who were way past their best, and who have not fought since?

After much consideration, as much as I would love him to win, Hatton has got no chance at all.

He is nowhere near the standard of Tzsyu.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 09:13**

Graham Brett wrote:Over the bank holiday weekend, I watched all of Hattons and Tzsyu's fights.

The best names on Hattons record are Vince Phillips, Ben Tackie and Freddie Pendleton, who were way past their best, and who have not fought since?

After much consideration, as much as I would love him to win, Hatton has got no chance at all.

He is nowhere near the standard of Tzsyu.

Tackie has fought since, and I seem to recall that Phillips is due to return to the boxing ring. Agreed though, not anything like the level Tszyu has beaten.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 09:27**

Phillips lost a decision last week to Bunema at 154lbs.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 09:46**

nickd wrote:Phillips lost a decision last week to Bunema at 154lbs.

Alex Bunema has been walking on his heels for ages.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 09:56**

nickd wrote:Phillips lost a decision last week to Bunema at 154lbs.

He won a TD at light middle aswell didn;t he?

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 10:51**

Tsyzu is an all round better fighter than Ricky because of his discipline - not just in his training but in the way he fights. Like Graham, I was watching early Tszyu fights recently, and was surprised to see him (like early Hopkins) fight like Pacman with all out whirlwind early attacks. Over time, Tsyzu, like Hopkins, has mellowed out and become the complete fighter. Not unbeatable, but he is ready for anybody and any style: the mark of a great.

Barry McGuigan and co. have been saying for years how Hatton isn't going to have a long career because of his style. They were right, of course. In fact, he should probably have at least one cuts-stoppage loss on his record by now. As it stands, 'Europe's Greatest Promoter' has did him good service getting him to this stage undefeated. I still stand by my view that Mitchell or Harris were beatable for Ricky, but none of that matters now.

PS. Tsyzu's body attacks can be brutal, maybe more so than Ricky's. I think he finished Hurtado with a left to the body, and maybe Calvin Grove too. Ricky's body won't be able to handle this shot because of his weight issues.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 11:16**

I agree with just about all of the above predictions

I have to ask the question as to why FW is putting Hatton upfor this shot and why RH's team are taking it?

Do they genuinely believe that they have a shot? In which case, what are they seeing in Rh and KT that others are not?

Does FW think that a creditable performance in losing from RH will make him more marketable than a winning streak against stiffs?

or perhaps RH himself has forced the fight and really believes it is the right time to dthrone a long standing champ

I have to say, given the UK public's appreciation of a sporting loser, the middle option is the most likely and the most likely outcome

Slapsie

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 11:23**

I think you're right. I think Ricky believes himself that he has a chance, but knows he is up against it. However, even in defeat he won't lose much, and can at least hold his head up high and say 'I fought the best available man out there.'

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 11:41**

Realisticaly, I think Frank sees this as a fight Hatton will likely lose.

Although he must be hoping that home advantage, and maybe an off night for Tszyu, or age catching up with him - whatever - could swing it his way.

I think he held off chucking Hatton in with a real live one for as long as he could, and is now cashing in his chips.
I mean, he had nowhere else to go really: Hatton said he wanted a major fight this year - and you could tell from that ringside interview a while back that we was gonna walk if he didn't get one.

So who else was there?

Gatti? HBO...Showtime...forget it.

Harris? Nutcase, who says one thing then changes his mind 5 minutes later.

Cotto? Another fight Hatton would be underdog in, and for a low rent WBO title to boot.

Had to be Tszyu really. No disgrace if he loses ( I hope ) and the world's his oyster if he doesn't.

Posted: **29 Mar 2005, 16:03**

From FW.tv on what Hatton thinks he'll do to Tszyu and FW agrees.

Ricky Hatton says he expects an early blitz from Kostya Tszyu when they clash for the IBF light- welterweight title - but reckons if he rides out the storm the fight is there for the taking.

Hatton will enter a fight as underdog for the first time in his life when he fights Tszyu at the MEN Arena.

But having already started training for the fight, the Hitman has vowed to upset the odds and drag Tsyzu into a war.

"To be honest I think that's his best chance; to try and finish it early because I get faster and stronger as the fight progresses," Hatton told his personal website http://www.rickyhitmanhatton.com.

"There's no up and down in tempo, it's the same all the way through and he's very, very good at dictating the pace. "Vince Phillips set a ferocious pace when he beat Tszyu and I think Kostya felt that pace.

"Since the Phillips fight, Kostya hasn't really done many rounds since then, particularly in the last four years.

"He did three against Mitchell, had two years out injured, two rounds against Judah and five rounds against Jesse James Leija.

"The last four years he hasn't had many rounds under his belt and I think that the pace of the fight could be a key but obviously I'm going to need a little more than stamina and workrate."

Would that work though?

Posted: **30 Mar 2005, 05:59**

A good Tszyu write up from a local paper today. Says he's looking at one more year in boxing then some training and promoting. Some may find it interesting

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/ ... 45432.html