BoxRec

Sorry about the thread title, just wanted to be the first to start a well done Ricky thread.

Funny thing was I think he can fight better than that, was surprised when tszyu pulled out but hey ho we have a new WORLD champion!

What a fight! Ricky really surprised me. He took a fair few solid shots from Tszyu, but he never stopped going forward. I too was surprised that Tszyu didn't come out for the 12th - but Ricky definitely did enough to win that fight.

Well done Ricky!

Okay... I'm here to eat some crow, and a lot of it. Can you at least serve it fried instead of boiled?

All credit to Hatton - he took everything Tszyu had to offer and came out on top.

But I gotta know... what was up with that t-shirt? It said "There's only one Ricky Fatton" on the back - did it say the same thing on the front?

I didn't even notice that to be honest. Probably just getting back at all the doubters that called him fat. I thought he looked in great shape.

Goz wrote:Sorry about the thread title, just wanted to be the first to start a well done Ricky thread.

Funny thing was I think he can fight better than that, was surprised when tszyu pulled out but hey ho we have a new WORLD champion!

Absolutely agree, Hatton can box better than that but he adopted the right tactics to beat Zoo. Great fight, great win. Even the guys on the current scene are grudgingly giving him some credit.

Well done Ricky & ahead on all 3 cards, So Kosta saved both boxers from more pain

Anyone for the rematch lol

I picked Tszyu to win in the sixth, I must say I have grossly underestimated Hatton's resolve and his iron chin.
I've been a naysayer in the past but I always said Hatton was at least good, tonight he showed me that he is more, he is great. After seeing how well he can take a punch, on that kind of form there is not a lightwelter in the world that can beat him.
That said, I had Tszyu a point ahead at the time of the stoppage, winning rounds 1,3,4,5,6 and 7. Which goes to show what a great champion he was and what a great fighter Hatton is, as evidenced by the speeches after the fight.
Never seen the like, two exceptional athletes and exceptional men.
We'll not see an event to rival this for a very long time.

What a performance by Ricky!

Don't you just love nights like this... we have a new British p4p guy now..Definitely a coming of age fight for Ricky..he's proved he CAN hang with and beat the best out there. Onwards and upwards..lol..next step 'greatness'.

mrbassie wrote:I picked Tszyu to win in the sixth, I must say I have grossly underestimated Hatton's resolve and his iron chin.
I've been a naysayer in the past but I always said Hatton was at least good, tonight he showed me that he is more, he is great. After seeing how well he can take a punch, on that kind of form there is not a lightwelter in the world that can beat him.
That said, I had Tszyu a point ahead at the time of the stoppage, winning rounds 1,3,4,5,6 and 7. Which goes to show what a great champion he was and what a great fighter Hatton is, as evidenced by the speeches after the fight.
Never seen the like, two exceptional athletes and exceptional men.
We'll not see an event to rival this for a very long time.

How the hell you have tyszu ahead!, I was shocked with Jim watts scorecard too, he had Hatton ahead by only 1 round. I had hatton ahead by 3

Better punching mate, watch the tape in the morning and compare the rounds I picked, I thought Tszyu eged the first, lost the second clearly and from three onwards picked up the momentum and got better and better before Hatton came alive in the eigth and Tszyu became exhausted.

Yeh Zoo was landing the cleaner shots, but very few of them, i gave Hatton the rounds as he was the aggressor and tended to land more shots every round.

i had picked Tszyu to stop him mid rounds too, but didnt expect Ricky to cope with Kostas punches so well.... nothing phased him at all!!!

Pleased to have picked the wrong guy here!!

Both real gentlemen and a credit to the sport.....

But what was Warren doing backing the Moscow Olympic bid???? Nice one Frank

Yeh I couldn't believe what I was seeing, so much respect for eachother, felt bad for Tyszu when the crowd were booing him when he was speaking on microphone, I mean show some respect ffs

I picked Tszyu by KO 5, but I have never doubted Hatton as a fighter and I have several times defended his career and the quality of opposition that he has faced, but I didn't think he was in the same league as Tszyu, but I'm glad I was wrong and now hopefully we will have several more years of Hatton's exciting style! The torch was passed tonight to the younger, more aggressive fighter.

Cracking fight. Will be remembered forever. I was surprised at the time Kostya didnt come out for the 12th but in hindsight he was fucked. Great fight. I cant wait to read what the yanks say about this

Well done Ricky, I didn't think you would, but I'm glad you have.

Neri1983 wrote:Cracking fight. Will be remembered forever. I was surprised at the time Kostya didnt come out for the 12th but in hindsight he was fucked. Great fight. I cant wait to read what the yanks say about this

From one Yank: I had Hatton to win by TKO--I was right. Yay, me!

Hatton was a bull in there. There was just no way he was going to stop. Even when Kostya was landing some pretty clean shots, Hatton kept charging. Things would've been different had Kostya been able to fight more on the outside, but Ricky just didn't let him.

I scored 106-103 for Hatton at the end of the 11th. A very convincing performance.

i HAD IT 106-104 RICKY hATTON AFTER 11. I was very dissapointed in Tzyu's preformance and the fact that he quit because he didnt think he could win. i thought he was a true champion, but a true champion always thinks he can win no matter what. Tyzu either had a bad fight, or didnt have the greatness i thought he had. I thought he is a classy individual and i would have rather seen him lose his title going the distance than quitting on his stool. I know he underestimated hatton, and hatton fought the fight of his life. But, if Kosta's the true champion i know he is, he will bounce back from this and beat Hatton in a rematch. Either that, or Let Mayweather box the hell out of Hatton for 12 rounds. COngradulations to ricky, hes a very class guy and obviousely worked hard for this, andd he clealry pushed kosta around tonight and out slugged him.

Kosta cant leave like that, quitting on his stool. Come on Kosta ur better than that. so i say Kosta should realize he underestimated him, and got out slugged and the shit beaten out of him and train hard for a rematch and develop a game plan to kick Hattons ass.

I doubt very much that there will be a rematch.

Hatton did everything right - jumped in and spoiled Tsyzu (and himself) in the early rounds, then backed off and tried his luck. Unfortunately he was getting outclassed in the middle rounds, but stuck with it and Tsyzu gassed. I thought he looked to be gulping from about round 4 on!

This one ranks up there with Stracey - Napoles and McGuigan - Pedroza, particularly if Kostya retires now, as I think he should. Couldn't help but think after it, it was a bit like what happened to Arguello against Pryor. Arguello was a much classier fighter than Pryor, yet couldn't cope with the ferocious pace in the championship rounds (usually his zone), and was outlasted rather than outclassed. Same with Tsyzu's defeat here. I personally think DLH is in this bracket too - and can't cope with a strong pace in the late stages (due to his age).

But back to the point - Hatton deserves his place now as a legit world class fighter. Sure, he might have looked it before, but you need to prove it, which is what he did - that was always the beef with Hatton with the knowledgable people here. It was never personal with the majority of folks, I'm sure I can say.

I had picked Tsyzu KO 2, but there were so many predictions for this fight, I can actually pick out some earlier ones I made that told what happened.

If Zoo wants a rematch there definitely should be one - If Hatton doesn't give him one I'll lose a ton of respect for him (that he earned tonight).

A rematch I still think I'd pick Zoo to win - It wasn't a great fight to me - Kind of sloppy -

Though I lost a ton of respect for Zoo quiting on his stool - That is simply unforgiveable. A champion / warrior goes out on his shield!

If he doesn't win a rematch that will tarnish his rep forever plain and simple.

[quote="meade95"]

Though I lost a ton of respect for Zoo quiting on his stool - That is simply unforgiveable. A champion / warrior goes out on his shield!

[quote]

It is better to die standing than live on your knees. Goes something like that. I've always aimed for living whilst standing up personally.

Magic hat off to Hatton. He did what he needed to do. Whether Zoo was good bad a quitter or not is irrelevant.

I partook of some of the ribbing of Hatton, largely all to do with the WBU, alledgedly nonsense. As far as I know, I never questioned his talent. Ricky has made it now. (not made it made it, just made it. So far.) Anyway, I hope sicknote is spewing on his WBO mandatory challenger notices. Ricky is going places now. He has the potential to be one of Britain's best in a long time.

Also just to say both Hatton and Zoo were excellent post-fight. No slanging, mutual respect. Brilliant. Hatton also gave more evidence last night of his articulocity (joke) and what a genuine person he is.

And finally, was I dreaming when alledgedly said Corrales might be next for Hatton? Can't say he would've been first on my list.

Plenty more humble pie to be eaten yet.

I have to admit I was really worried about Zoo's power but Ricky has a cast iron jaw and is one of the fittest athletes in the sport.

What a year for British Sport.

Liverpool, Champions League winners

Ricky Hatton, IBF champion of the world (courtesy of the undisputed champ).

That has such a nice ring to it!!

Well done Ricky, you've done us proud...

Isn't Ricky the no.1 Undisputed Champion of the division now? The belts are just over-ornate straps of leather - the worth of them being determined by who you have to fight to keep them. Tsyzu fought everyone going over the years and collected them all until no one had a claim to be any sort of champion at light welter. Sounds weird to say, but Gatti and Harris are paper titlists now compared to Hatton. fornicate knows why Mayweather ever was ranked at the top spot in the first place, but please get him off ASAP.

Not so sure about Ricky's jaw, to be honest. He never got caught clean during the early stretch and managed to catch the ones that did land below his right ear, on the neck area. Don't get me wrong though - rolling punches like that is to be admired. It is a skill. Ricardo Mayorga is a master of it.

By the time Tsyzu was landing clean shots, approaching the final stretch, he was heavily lethargic and his punches wouldn't have been anywhere near as hard. That gave Hatton a huge extra gust in his second wind, because he could see victory in his grasp. His stunning fitness level also strengthened his chin.

Tszyu seemed to lose his power sometime in the middle rounds. When he hit him at arms length during that time he was stopping Ricky in his tracks. I remember one time when the left jab landed on the chin, plus I think he might have buzzed him a few times too with other shots.

Ricky's tactics were spot on. It was a great win. Somewhere at the top of the tree in the great British victories of all time.

But sorry, got to get this out: thinking about it now, once it's sunk in, I can't help but think how everything was set up right for Ricky: fighting in the arena he's always fought at with a massive partisan crowd, judges that scored for aggression, a 35 year old opponent coming off a record period of inactivity, a referee that allowed for his tactics...

I've just had a thought: what if it had been Jay Nady in there constantly separating them and making Ricky fight at long/medium range during those early rounds?

Ricky should thank Frank big time for everything he's done for him since January. Talk about getting the best deal for your fighter!

Hatton should fight a mandatory next (good chance it'll be a shiter) in the winter, then go for a big name next spring or summer.

Don't start totally sucking rabbit burrow's dick just yet. Ok, Hatton has now come up a treat, last night the crowning glory. Fantastic. And no doubt Warren a played a huge part in making it, this being probably his biggest fight ever too.

But he's still got rakes of fighters who he's going to continually feed bums to and hand out paper titles to. Hopefully the success of last night will make him think of a change of tact more often.


Manos, probably agree with you about what next for Ricky, but just looked at the IBF rankings. They're worse than ducking WBU's! #1 Hatton (obviously b4 last night) #2 not rated #3 Juan Urango who I've never seen but looks a spring chicken who's only just started to pick things up #4 Uncle Lovemore #5 Ben Rabbah, who I've never heard of but is #55 by boxrec and is fighting a guy 3-5-1 next