Anyone else feel the Light Welter Division has been emptied?

johnswan1 · Post by **johnswan1** » 27 Jun 2005, 08:27

Of course it's great that we have had big fights like Hatton-Tszyu, Mitchell-Tszyu and Mayweather-Gatti, but does anybody else feel a little bit disappointed that we have now pretty much lost Tszyu, Gatti, Mitchell and Harris?

Before the Mayweather fight against Gatti, I think a Hatton-Gatti fight would have been huge but now after Saturday night, Hatton wouldn't even really get any credit for beating Gatti. This was a fight I was really hoping for. I think Hatton would have beaten and maybe stopped Gatti but it would have been so much fun to watch while it lasted.

I can't see Tszyu reinventing himself at this stage of his career and don't think he would beat either Hatton or Mayweather. If he does decide to fight on, perhaps a match up with Cotto would make for an entertaining fight.

Harris is gone certainly for the next couple of years IMO. After such a humiliating defeat on Saturday night, I don't think we would see a worse Harris again and for that reason, I don't think any of the big guys would want to fight him considering a) he has never been a big draw and b) they would be expected to beat him easily which means if they don't do just that, it would look very bad. Risk V reward is not worth it.

So for me, we only really have Hatton, Floyd, Cotto, Corrales & Witter remaining. I don't think Hatton-Floyd will happen (a mixture of not settling on a venue and both parties wanting too much money), Cotto could move up before a fight with Hatton can be made and that leaves Witter-Hatton (a fight which would only be big in the UK) and Corrales-Hatton which has already fallen apart over money.

I hope I'm wrong on all of this as there are still some potentially great match ups in this division and Castillo would also be a big threat to anybody if he comes up.

jeej · Post by **jeej** » 27 Jun 2005, 08:59

Still a lot healthier than Heavy-weight division!

J · Post by J » 27 Jun 2005, 09:02

think its a changing of the gaurd to be honest.,

you woudl struggle in any other division to find 3 chanps as good as PBF, Hatton and Cotto.

Not even super feather has that.

problem is its more or less unifications now or nothing, with the exceptoion of witter the challengers to the belts are pretty ordinary but thats the ame in most divs until some relative unknown comes to upset the apple cart.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 27 Jun 2005, 09:15

Man, 2 new champions in one night! 3 in one month!

No wonder it's supposed to be exciting.

Hesketh Vampire · Post by **Hesketh Vampire** » 27 Jun 2005, 09:23

From a British perspective I think it's probably a good thing, as it clears the way the both Ricky Hatton and Junior Witter to get at some good fighters, especially Witter who needs to leverage that EBU title.

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 27 Jun 2005, 09:52

I see where you're coming from and to an extent I agree but I was never really sold on Harris, although he's clearly a lot better than that shambles on Saturday night. Likewise with Mitchell, solid world-level pro but never really in anyone's P4P lists.

In 18 months time I'd be surprised to see more than one of Cotto, PBF and Hatton still in the upper echelons of 140. Cotto cannot continue to kill himself to make the weight - PBF's movement or Hatton's work-rate would have him breathing out of his arse after 6 rounds. I think the guy is quality but he'll be big for a welterweight. Mayweather will go up for the money, although it's questionable how much added power his hands can stand.

140's strength was that it had an abundance of good B-level fighters along with standout A-graders like Tszyu and Mayweather. Hatton's now in that list, I'd say Cotto is as well, but it's the B-graders who are falling away as much as anything. Witter, of course, is watching from the stands because nobody wants to fight him. What he needs now is to tempt Massau with the fattest wedge in the world. Then he's in business and the division gets properly interesting.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 27 Jun 2005, 10:22

I said a while back when we had a thread - best devision that this devision isn't the best. Great champions (and I still like Gatti) but below the top 6 it is quite average.

If Leija returned he would walk into the top ten, which says alot.

Muhammad Abdulaev was outclassed vs Cotto, still in my top ten (and would now beat one of the champions).

For me the best devision (or certainly will be post its champion) is Middleweight.

Very evenly matched from 1-10.

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 29 Jun 2005, 17:49

johnswan1 wrote: Cotto could move up before a fight with Hatton can be made...

No reason why Hatton couldn't follow him up a weight division.

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 29 Jun 2005, 17:53

Harris-Witter would be a good match...winner to face Hatton..

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 29 Jun 2005, 18:21

witter wipes the floor with anyone left in the division, mayweather looks like going, gattis looks like going, judahs gone, tszuys gone, cotto looks like going leaving hatton.... err.... maussa, harris errr...

witter beats anyone but hatton in that division.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 29 Jun 2005, 19:26

apparently there's a lot of good american talent coming through, which we won't have seen over here, i don't think it will be long.

however, Welter seems to be where it's at now.

Mosley, DLH, Judah, Cotto, Gatti, maybe Tszyu, quite possibly mayweather, margarito.....pretty good list.

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 29 Jun 2005, 20:12

At the end of the day, we all know Hatton is gonna be facing opponents at the right time.

Really and truly and we all know it, Hatton's next opponent in a massive November showdown possbily after a warm up should be Mayweather. There's no ifs or buts. We wanna see who the best at 140lbs is. It's out of those two. Simple as.

Gary_V · Post by **Gary_V** » 02 Jul 2005, 12:18

Yes good point, was thinking that.

Mitchell and Gatti to go welter.

Mayweather to poss jump up a divsion.

Tsyzu either a welter or quits.

Cotto looking to move to 147.

Which leaves the likes of N'dou and Corley still clinging to the fringes of top-10.

Witter should get an opportunity soon.

Gary_V · Post by **Gary_V** » 02 Jul 2005, 12:21

With regards Cotto I'm not 100% sold on him. I think his best work will be at welter where he should be able to fight with more urgency.

Cotto has some lovely skills and looks good but he tends to fight at his own pace and I really think Hatton would have him blowing out of his arse within 5 rounds.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 04 Jul 2005, 06:38

I'm with you on this one Gary, Cotto is definetly a fighter who likes to dictate the pace, and if he had a moment like the one he had against Corley, I think Hatton would really give him a bad time of it. I don't think he could have survived that round against Hatton.

I don't see any sense in Cotto staying at 140, it's obviously killing him to boil down.

However, at Welter there's some bigger men and bigger hitters in there, though Judah's vulnerability leads me to believe Cotto would be in with a good shout, especially as Judah leaves his chin hanging out all the time, but Judah hits a lot harder than Corley, so it's a pretty even one.

Anyone else feel the Light Welter Division has been emptied?

Anyone else feel the Light Welter Division has been emptied?

Re: Anyone else feel the Light Welter Division has been empt