Hatton gets ready - One month to go

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 05 May 2005, 10:57

The gloves are off as Hatton edges closer to his moment of destiny
By Matthew Pinsent Times online.

A month today the British boxer will try to fulfil a lifetime’s ambition

OFF an unremarkable dual carriageway in Denton, Manchester, there is an even more unremarkable brick parade of garages, metalworks and garden machinery workshops. Go through a door, follow the winding warren of staircases and corridors and there is a proper body-builders’ gymnasium.
The cafeteria sells tea and dietary powders with equal aplomb. There are weights and mirrors of every conceivable size and for every possible use. And tucked away behind it all is where Ricky Hatton trains.

His room has a strange, almost predictable, look — it is all exposed brick and dog-eared fight posters. The space is dominated by the ring squashed into it at one end. The smell is strange, though, floor polish and sweat, order and hard work in every lungful. But the really striking thing is the state of it all. It is old: tongue and groove for walls, pipes criss-crossing the ceiling and hanging too low, while pigeons coo somewhere in the roof space. The detritus of the sport is everywhere — gloves, pads and tape in every corner, bottles scattered. The bags hanging from the ceiling are old and weathered, too.

Somehow the image of Hatton fits all this. He is the almost clichéd working-class local hero, so well-known that my cab driver knows where to go because “that’s where Ricky trains”; so well liked that the cabbie’s mate turns up within the hour just to get a view of the man.

I have to wait for my view, too, because Hatton is in the middle of a media day in the run-up to the biggest bout, the biggest opportunity, of his career. He has a chance to make good on all his promise against Kostya Tszyu, the IBF light-welterweight champion.

In the early hours of June 5, at the MEN Arena in Manchester, after years of waiting, years of defending a belt that he really did not cherish, he has his chance. If there was ever a moment to be reflective, to be locked away in some hidden training camp preparing for the chance to grab greatness, this would be it. But Hatton is at home, training in the same way he always has and opening his door to the media.

As I wait for my turn, the publicity man from EA Games shows me the new Ricky “Hitman” Hatton product, Fight Night Round 2. The plasma screen dominates the rest-room and fills it with crowd noise and the electronic sound of glove on skin. The virtual Hatton is aggressive and violent and exactly what every gamer would want. In fact, I am beginning to feel nervous when I am ushered in front of the real version.

He stands just under 5ft 8in, but his trade gives him a stance and a look that are unmistakable. His nose and chin could belong to no one but a boxer. But his attitude is anything but pugnacious. He is charming and amusing, joking with everyone around him and dealing with the media in style. When we talk about the new game, his only regret is that he plays it too much.

He talks openly about his recent career and how frustrating it has been. He was meant to box Kelson Pinto, then Sharmba Mitchell and then Vivian Harris, all of whom are ranked highly in the lightwelterweight category, but all fell through, lost to the murky world of boxing negotiations.

Close to losing patience with his promoters and having to settle for defence after defence of the WBU title that he won in 2001, Hatton has a dream at last. “This is what I have been waiting for since I first laced on the gloves,” he said. “I know I have the ability and the confidence, but now I have the opportunity — I have to pinch myself.” He has trained earlier and harder than ever. Some have argued that he always gains too much weight between contests, but he looked in shape to me. His website has a countdown of the seconds left to the bout. “I’ve never been as sharp or as determined so long before a fight, I’m breathing fire already,” he said.

He boxes at light-welterweight, which means a weigh-in the day before contests at 10st, but he fights at 11st 2lb, which means he puts on more than a stone in a little more than 24 hours. “It sounds impressive, but you have to do it right,” he said. “It’s no good if your punches run out after two or three rounds.”

Hatton has never faced Tszyu, but he has got close to the man. “I went to Las Vegas on holiday and to watch him fight four years ago,” he said. Tszyu was in the hotel reception, checking out after the bout. “I went over and said, ‘Hello, my name’s Ricky Hatton.’ He didn’t have a clue who I was, to be honest. I said, ‘You’ve proved you’re the best and hopefully in three years I’ll be fighting you.’ He smiled and said, ‘Good luck.’ Ever since then he has been respectful to me and me to him.”

Not for the first time, Hatton has a home crowd to back him up. “Tszyu has been in a lot of fights, but in Manchester it will be different, they’ll sing and they’ll be baying for his blood,” Hatton said.

Now there is a chance for me to step into the ring with him. It is the kind of thing that I want to do, want to experience, but I did not tell my wife that I was going to before I left London.

As I am laced into my gloves, I wonder what to try to prevent embarrassment. But Hatton makes it easy. He gives me his gloves as targets and immediately declares me a southpaw. If his glove is upright, hit it straight; if the palm is down, an uppercut is required; and two gloves together needs a two-punch combination. I begin to relax, confident that no matter what, he is not going to hit me and he would never get caught by even the flukiest uppercut.

As I begin to work up a sweat, we reverse roles and in a second he is blasting away at my gloves, every punch accompanied by a hiss of air from his mouth. He can hit my gloves quicker than I can decide whether to turn them or not. It is like playing rock, paper, scissors with someone who knows exactly what you are going to do.
I find myself driven back into the corner simply by the speed and power of a boxer whose reach is 6in shorter than mine. After ten or 12 minutes, it is time to move on. I am tiring and he should not be augmenting a full day of training with clowning around in the gym.

If anything in sport terrified me, it was the feeling that this was the moment that you had been waiting for, that it was now or never. Hatton knows full well that June 5 is his moment. Far from being frightened or quietened by it, he is laughing and driving his way towards it. Britain is certainly ready for a new boxing hero in the professional ranks and Hatton has his destiny in his gloved hands.

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J · Post by J » 05 May 2005, 11:04

limo booked, champagne is ordered (pink champers called Haton would you beleive it........... i couldnt resist).

its gonna be MASSIVE.

limo has dvd player also so a few figtht on the way up to get us in the mood.

Speaking of which anyone fancy meeeting me and Bbui for a beer the thurs b4.

if so drop me a pm please nbe good to see you and i know bubi would appreciate it.

JamesD · Post by **JamesD** » 06 May 2005, 07:05

Great Article. Im getting more and more excited every day towards the fight. Cant wait!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 06 May 2005, 07:13

What the fornicate is Matthew Pinsent doing writing about boxing....utter bollocks.

J · Post by J » 06 May 2005, 07:17

jamesmcdonnell wrote:What the fornicate is Matthew Pinsent doing writing about boxing....utter bollocks.

perhaps like you and i james he happens to be a fan who can(t) write.

JamesD · Post by **JamesD** » 06 May 2005, 07:19

jamesmcdonnell Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 11:13 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What the fornicate is Matthew Pinsent doing writing about boxing....utter bollocks.

Positive as always

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 06 May 2005, 07:29

I don't think I'm generally negative. It's just annoying when you are someone who would love to get gigs like that, and they get a 'celebrity' writer to cover it instead, and write a relatively meaningless piece which doesn't really have much to day. I guess I'm just bitter.

As for the fight itself, can't wait!

J · Post by J » 06 May 2005, 07:36

mate its not exaclty a boxing article is it?
is not on the techiniques its a picture peice of a man who has faced the similar do or die situation hatotn is building up to. and he is a known name so peoplel will read it.

the closest we have got to do or die is whether to drink another botlle of wine at 2 am or not.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 06 May 2005, 08:01

DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT DEATH TO PINSENT

Last time round, it very nearly was die after that last bottle of wine.

J · Post by J » 06 May 2005, 08:16

YOU DID A GOOD IMPRESSION

Sweet P · Post by **Sweet P** » 06 May 2005, 09:15

The article is good except it forgets to say that Hatton will be facing a fighter who is much better than him, Whether Hatton has trained harder or not Tszyu is a class above him and could just as easily out box him as KO him. And Tszyu had to be escorted from the ring against Chavez so he knows what it is like to face a hostile crowd.

Loftgroov · Post by **Loftgroov** » 06 May 2005, 09:17

I wonder who Hatton will be fighting when his current oppenent pulls out injured the day before the fight....

Sorry... couldn't resist that. I still stand by the fact though that I'll believe this fight is happening when I see them both in the ring.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 06 May 2005, 09:25

Just a thought......on the night, Tszyu's best chance might turn out to be early ( and yes it's a good chance ) because if he doesn't get Hatton out of there early, Ricky will no doubt be landing some of those thudding shots.
And say what you like about Tszyu, but he does mark up fairly easily these days - cut in the 1st v Mitchell, and against Zab his eyes started to swell a bit after only a few minutes - those high slavic cheekbones will be a target for Hatton.

If his eyes start to close he could find himelf in big trouble, and a looong way from home.....

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 06 May 2005, 09:46

MightyWarrior wrote:If his eyes start to close he could find himelf in big trouble, and a looong way from home.....

He'll be even more lonely if he wins and finds himself with 20,000 bevvied up Mancs after his gizzards...

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 06 May 2005, 09:46

Who is the ref for this one?

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 06 May 2005, 10:38

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Who is the ref for this one?

Mickey Vann, surely??

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 06 May 2005, 10:46

Yeah, I'm sure Tszyu would have no problem agreeing to that.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 06 May 2005, 11:02

Does anyone else think Kostya Tszyu is not the fighter he was despite remarkable skill and power. In the last few years he has looked slower with a lower workrate than when he was younger. I was watching some earlier fights and he is a different fighter.

Hatton is better than Leija who won the early rounds by using the same tactic Hatton is planning on using - fighting very very close to Zoo.

Shamba beat Zoo to the punch in their first fight - Hatton may be faster than Zoo can he do the same?

What if Zoo can't knock out Hatton? He couldn't KO Ukral/Tackie but destroyed Judah/Mitchell - maybe the stockier Hatton could take a punch better. Will the speed and workrate of Hatton help the younger fighter win a UD? Bare in mind Zoo gives rounds away quite often - Hatton doesnt.

How much can Hatton improve for this fight?

Zoo can be hurt - see - Phillips, Hurtado

Hatton does have a chance and this is coming from a Zoo fan

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 06 May 2005, 11:07

You can imagine the rules meeting when Frank suggests Vann as referee -

Johnny Lewis: Vann? Has he refereed any previous Hatton fights?

Frank: cough cough 10 cough cough

Sweet P · Post by **Sweet P** » 07 May 2005, 06:30

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:Does anyone else think Kostya Tszyu is not the fighter he was despite remarkable skill and power. In the last few years he has looked slower with a lower workrate than when he was younger. I was watching some earlier fights and he is a different fighter.

Hatton is better than Leija who won the early rounds by using the same tactic Hatton is planning on using - fighting very very close to Zoo.

Shamba beat Zoo to the punch in their first fight - Hatton may be faster than Zoo can he do the same?

What if Zoo can't knock out Hatton? He couldn't KO Ukral/Tackie but destroyed Judah/Mitchell - maybe the stockier Hatton could take a punch better. Will the speed and workrate of Hatton help the younger fighter win a UD? Bare in mind Zoo gives rounds away quite often - Hatton doesnt.

How much can Hatton improve for this fight?

Zoo can be hurt - see - Phillips, Hurtado

Hatton does have a chance and this is coming from a Zoo fan

Tszyu is a far more patient fighter these days and dosn't tire in the late rounds like he did earlier in his career, If the fight goes past 6 rounds how will Hatton handle Tszyu's body punches and head shots, Tszyu has far more power and Hatton better keep his gaurd up the whole fight as Tszyu stops many of his opponnets after 6 rounds. Tszyu starts slow in most his fights and once he settles into his gamplan he is very hard to beat.

Sweet P · Post by **Sweet P** » 07 May 2005, 06:34

Also the Hurtado knockdown's were more from Tszyu being off balance the first one and from getting caught attacking the second one. Phillips was able to handle the Tszyu assault early and land big punches late in the fight when Tszyu was fatiqued. Also it took about 15 punches before the ref jumped in so Tszyu takes a hell of a shot.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 07 May 2005, 07:44

It's been a few years since I have been this excited about a fight.

Go get him Hatton!!!!!

Lefthookhappy19 · Post by **Lefthookhappy19** » 07 May 2005, 08:08

Tszyu took bomb after bomb from Vince Phillips before going down, he has a good chin. Also Tackie and Urkal are known tough guys. Ricky Hatton can very much be hurt. He's never been in with a real notable puncher in his career. Watch the Soliman sparring and watch that jab, it will shred Rickys skin.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 09 May 2005, 05:40

s10.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2XI4BF2HUK7Q22N98GDVL6TXLH

Showtime preview from the weekend..

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 09 May 2005, 07:04

Hatton isn't going to win by bombing Tszyu out, and he knows that. However, I think it is possible he can use his pace and workrate to cause problems. If Ricky can force the fight early on without eating too much in return, then he has a real chance.

I personally think that the Mitchell fight flattered Tszyu a little, and the problems he had with Leija are very interesting. Of course, Leija is a different type of fighter to Hatton, but he had Tszyu backpedalling.

Tszyu has a hell of a chin, he took some serious licks off of Judah, and there is no doubt that Judah can punch, and is very quick with it. Although Tszyu was hurt, he was never out of it, and after the initial assault, rather like Hagler against Hearns, Judah wasn't able to hurt him again.