BoxRec

Okay, we might as well get onto this one. Personally I'm thinking a great performance by an outgunned Ricky who will take it to Kostya but go down fighting in the later rounds.

Tszyu around round 8

Hatton KO 10

If Kostya hasn't been hurt by Round 4 he will win by a mid/late stoppage

Sorry for the vagueness of the prediction, but I do find this fight hard to call.

My only hope is that if Hatton does fail, he can still be recognised as a geniune threat for the other 3 belts in the US. I hope a Danny Williams doesn't happen to Ricky. Ricky is geniune world class who I would strongly tip to beat Vivian Harris.

I think Ricky will give a good account of himself whatever happens, i tip him to get stopped on cuts late on and probably taste the canvas at some point as well. But i also expect him to give Tszyu a lot of problems en route.

Contary to what the experts have been saying, Ricky has GOT to jump on Kostya early. For an all time great, Kostya Tszyu has to be one of the slowest starters I have ever seen. Even though he obliterated Sharmba Mitchell, the first round I actually thought "he's shot". I said similar things about him regarding his fight with Judah.

He has got to make his mark on Kostya earlier, and not give him room to fire to get the leverage on his shots. He has also got to wriggle out of every clinch Kostya instigates, because I have seen a few times if there is a clinch and Kostya has a free hand, he can actually badly hurt an opponent with shots with his free hand - he is that strong.

Ricky has got take the wind out Kostya's punches before he gets warmed up.

This predicting will go the same way Williams v Klitschko went. Nobody gave Williams a chance at first just like nobody gave Hatton much chance.

As the fight draws closer people let their hearts rule their heads and so we'll get a few picks for Hatton.

I think Tszyu wins inside a couple of rounds. Hatton can be shaken up and I think Tszyu will drop him with the first clean right he lands on Hatton's chin.

Tszyu inside 3 rounds I reckon.

nickd wrote:This predicting will go the same way Williams v Klitschko went. Nobody gave Williams a chance at first just like nobody gave Hatton much chance.

As the fight draws closer people let their hearts rule their heads and so we'll get a few picks for Hatton.

I think Tszyu wins inside a couple of rounds. Hatton can be shaken up and I think Tszyu will drop him with the first clean right he lands on Hatton's chin.

Tszyu inside 3 rounds I reckon.

Yea, even though this is boxing - and anything can/does happen - that is the way it usually goes for big fights. We're approaching the major wobble stage that I think'll hit around next week. I'm sticking with my original pick from eons ago: Tsyzu KO 2 (Hatton maybe dropped at end of first).

I just can't believe the fight is so close now. Let's face it, it is the biggest fight involving a British fighter since (for me) probably Hamed-Barerra.

As much as I liked Lennox his last couple of fights were a bit circusy, (especially Tyson) and the Williams-Klitschko fight, whilst a pretty big fight in the scheme of things, we just knew Williams isn't in the same league as Hatton.

Anyway to the fight, I can see a number of outcomes because there are quite a few variables. Although Tszyu is a proven modern great he's 35, anything can suddenly go on him. It may well not as with Hopkins but the Executioner is the exception rather than the rule so who knows? His chin, his legs, even his bloody back, you just don't know.

Even Hatton still has a few question marks, for example just how good is his chin? I know Magee decked and hurt him but maybe he caught him a bit cold etc.... It might turn out Hatton has the chin to take a few full blooded Tszyu right hands....

It's going to be exciting finding out... The first time in ages that an undefeated British fighter has fought the best in the world.

As for my pick, I'll go for a Tszyu points win. I did dream that Tszyu got Hatton out of there in a single round but I see Hatton getting hurt early on and becoming a lot more cautious, perhaps then trying to take Tszyu a few rounds to see if he will tire.

He may tire a little and Ricky will come out of the fight with a lot of credit etc but Tszyu will keep him honest and win a convincing decision although this may not be reflected on the scorecards....

Goz wrote:The first time in ages that an undefeated British fighter has fought the best in the world.

That is the key thing to remember, and it don't happen very often.

Goz wrote:Even Hatton still has a few question marks, for example just how good is his chin? I know Magee decked and hurt him but maybe he caught him a bit cold etc.... It might turn out Hatton has the chin to take a few full blooded Tszyu right hands....

I think the Magee shot caught Hatton by surprise, and maybe he didn't have enough respect for Magees power.

The big difference in this fight is that Hatton will respect and will be expecting Tszyus right hand.

IMO.

Chopping Right wrote:

Goz wrote:The first time in ages that an undefeated British fighter has fought the best in the world.

That is the key thing to remember, and it don't happen very often.

1993 Holligan vs Chavez?

1986? Honeyghan vs Curry?

Both Cool Vince and Ben 'Wonder' (did a little too much that night) Tackie had Ricky buzzed with right hands - one an uppercut, the other a straight right. The crucial thing to note is when these occurred: Magee put him down early with a right hand; Philips hurt him in four (I think), which is approaching the middle stages; Tackie hurt him in the closing seconds of the 12th.

Hatton can be hurt by right hands at any time of the fight.

Manos de Oro wrote:Both Cool Vince and Ben 'Wonder' (did a little too much that night) Tackie had Ricky buzzed with right hands - one an uppercut, the other a straight right. The crucial thing to note is when these occurred: Magee put him down early with a right hand; Philips hurt him in four (I think), which is approaching the middle stages; Tackie hurt him in the closing seconds of the 12th.

Hatton can be hurt by right hands at any time of the fight.

In all honesty any of Tzsyu's opponents can be hurt at any time in a fight. Ricky's gameplan will have to cope with that.

Chopping Right wrote:

Manos de Oro wrote:Both Cool Vince and Ben 'Wonder' (did a little too much that night) Tackie had Ricky buzzed with right hands - one an uppercut, the other a straight right. The crucial thing to note is when these occurred: Magee put him down early with a right hand; Philips hurt him in four (I think), which is approaching the middle stages; Tackie hurt him in the closing seconds of the 12th.

Hatton can be hurt by right hands at any time of the fight.

In all honesty any of Tzsyu's opponents can be hurt at any time in a fight. Ricky's gameplan will have to cope with that.

Yeah, just makes it even more dangerous. I can't think of a gameplan he could use to nullify that straight right for 12 rounds, not to forget Tsyzu's left to the body (arguably better than Ricky's), plus, as Stu Jones noted, Kostya's effectiveness in the clinches. It's gonna get very, very rough in there, which could spell big time cuts for Ricky. One gameplan, though a bit exaggerated, that I thought of a while ago would be for Ricky to start fast and capatilise on Tszyu's early slowness, stay cagey enough to nick the rounds, and attempt a TD win.

I just cant see how Hatton is all of a sudden going to become a defensive wizard he's eaten straight right hands his whole career. Tszyu's right hand is more precise, quicker and harder than anything he's ever seen so I really dont see how he'll not get clocked by plenty.

Hatton is decent, but his lack of stiff opposition and the one sided nature of his fights is not going to fare well for him here. Other than the Magee first round he's never really been up against it.

Also I really dont see how Hatton can KO Tszyu. His power has not carried that well, he's not even been KOing the likes of Vilches and Tszyu is far tougher.

nickd wrote:I just cant see how Hatton is all of a sudden going to become a defensive wizard he's eaten straight right hands his whole career. Tszyu's right hand is more precise, quicker and harder than anything he's ever seen so I really dont see how he'll not get clocked by plenty.

Hatton is decent, but his lack of stiff opposition and the one sided nature of his fights is not going to fare well for him here. Other than the Magee first round he's never really been up against it.

Also I really dont see how Hatton can KO Tszyu. His power has not carried that well, he's not even been KOing the likes of Vilches and Tszyu is far tougher.

Blocking KT's right with one's face is never a winning plan. I can't forsee Hatton learning how to be a defensive wizard over night either. One of two things is going to happen:

Hatton will do the Judah dance early and avoid serrious injury at the hands of KT.

or

Hatton will show the world he has huge heart and will and take serious punishment from Kostya till the 6th round were the ref will stop the fight or Hatton's body will finally give out on him.

Being I like the kid, I'm hoping he avoids injury and goes loopy early, but the KT fan in me wants to see him plaster Ricky for as many rounds as possible!

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nickd wrote:Hatton is decent, but his lack of stiff opposition and the one sided nature of his fights is not going to fare well for him here. Other than the Magee first round he's never really been up against it.

Unfortunately for Ricky those are some very astute observations. How does an endless fare of easy wins prepare a guy to meet possibly a future Hall of Famer? I see Hatton showing a lot of guts in front of his fans but getting a bruising.

Tszyu is definitely a future hall of famer. Although it's all been at one weight he's been at the top of his division for a decade apart from one blip.

Fighters with far less impressive ledgers have been inducted.

I want Zoo to win because I want to see him fight PBF who I think will beat Gatti. If the stars are aligned and every thing goes to plan I hope it happens and happens by the end of the year. If Hatton loses he will go on to fight many a great fighter in his career but I hope Zoo goes on to fight in 1 or 2 ‘super fights’ with DLH? Rematch with Judah?

KT Cuts c8th round

Slapsie

I went for Hatton late stoppage & i hope he does it

The worse outcome will be Hatton winning by points but gets stopped by cutts, which will be a shame :(

every day i convince myself that Tszyu has too much for hatton, but the closer the fight comes the more I truly feel Hattons going to beat him.

Hardly anyone is giving Hatton a shot, and I think people are riding on Tszyu's defeat of mitchell a tad too much. I think Tszyu is going be surprised by hatton and I think Ricky will fight a lot smarter than we would expect.

I pick Ricky to bank the first half of the fight and pop in and out of range frustrating the hell out of tszyu for the second half.

Ricky on points, surprisingly easily.

Tszsyu KO2

I think Tzu's power will tell.
Either breaking hatton down systematically with a culmination of shots, or just a single shot hitting Hatton into the middle of next week.
I went for middle-late, but with the one-shot-stop power of Koysta, it could be anytime.