BoxRec

Just thinking back to a couple of years ago when Mitchell came over and looked set to fight Hatton after beating Mike No Joke Stewart.

Does anyone know (and I'm thinking boxingchat would) what happend there? Why didn't the fight happen and were (and be honest here Boxingchat) team Hatton confident of beating Mitchell.

Reason why I am asking, is that I have been reading a few US guys viewpoints of Collazo, and they say he is quite similar to Mitchell.

Collazo can brawl inside more than Mitchell, Mitchell possibly has better footwork/speed/outside game. I think Mitchell asked for more money and it got cancelled. RH didnt want to take the paycut, Mitchell didnt want to take the risk unless he was geeting paid right. Mitchell may have given Hatton allot of problems back then. BUT Mitchell was already on his downward spiral as most people had him losing to Ndou. So if Ndou can you'd have to say RH probably would have edged a decision.

It were to do with money and what time the fight were going to happen.
Plus Mitchell was shot as he showed against Mike Stewart

Showtime wanted 02:00 am start!!

Collazo's a bit different than Mitchell, bit of an unknown entity, can obviously punch a bit when he needs to and yes is tricky, has fast hands, difficult to catch and southpaw, so some similarities apart from the power angle. Although Sharmba was some fighter when young

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:Collazo can brawl inside more than Mitchell, Mitchell possibly has better footwork/speed/outside game. I think Mitchell asked for more money and it got cancelled. RH didnt want to take the paycut, Mitchell didnt want to take the risk unless he was geeting paid right. Mitchell may have given Hatton allot of problems back then. BUT Mitchell was already on his downward spiral as most people had him losing to Ndou

I couldn't remember if this was Mitchell or Vivian Harris who would take the pay cut.

Nah, he beat Ndou fair and square IMO.

stujones wrote:

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:Collazo can brawl inside more than Mitchell, Mitchell possibly has better footwork/speed/outside game. I think Mitchell asked for more money and it got cancelled. RH didnt want to take the paycut, Mitchell didnt want to take the risk unless he was geeting paid right. Mitchell may have given Hatton allot of problems back then. BUT Mitchell was already on his downward spiral as most people had him losing to Ndou

I couldn't remember if this was Mitchell or Vivian Harris who would take the pay cut.

Nah, he beat Ndou fair and square IMO.

Harris bumped up his demands when he found out Ricky was getting far more than him, Mitchell said he wanted 1m instead of 750k (if I remember right)

mitchell wanted too much dosh.

harris wasn't happy with how much he had to pay his promoters from the 750k he was getting.

hitman_hatton1 wrote:mitchell wanted too much dosh.

harris wasn't happy with how much he had to pay his promoters from the 750k he was getting.

Oh yea I think he would have taken away less than 100k for the fight when everyone dibbed in.

I think I'm actually thankful the Mitchell fight didn't come off because if he took that he probably would of never fought Tszyu.

im pretty sure that mitchell wanted to fight in a couple of months after he beat stewart and hatton argued it wasnt enough time for him to rest and prepare for what would have been, at the time, hs biggest test. Wasnt hattons next fight against vilches, the one where he complained he doidnt have enough time?

Yeah that's how I remember it, although no doubt money played it's part somewhere along the line.

Harris is an odd case as it is, surely he would have earned a good whack facing Hatton but instead chose to go to Germany for the Urkal rematch. Remember when Hatton due to fight Kelson Pinto?

Manny Steward had just taken over as manager, and advised Harris against facing Hatton.

stujones wrote:Just thinking back to a couple of years ago when Mitchell came over and looked set to fight Hatton after beating Mike No Joke Stewart.

Does anyone know (and I'm thinking boxingchat would) what happend there? Why didn't the fight happen and were (and be honest here Boxingchat) team Hatton confident of beating Mitchell.

Reason why I am asking, is that I have been reading a few US guys viewpoints of Collazo, and they say he is quite similar to Mitchell.

Mitchell got the Tszyu fight (He was Interim champion at the time, remember and Tszyu was the full champion but injured) and Hatton was, after beating Stewart, the #1 contender to the winner. Mitchell's bubble got burst and Hatton fought Tszyu and the result we all know.

Hatton's team publically say they are confident of beating everyone. Believe me in private they pick-and-chose everyone to the extreme. They reject 80% of the opponents put to them and demand crazy amounts for meaningful fights. Hatton kept saying he TOLD FW he wanted Tszyu or he WOULD leave him in pursuit. FW got him the fight and he shit himself. Remember the BM front page 'Be Careful what you wish for'. Witter was there throughout and FW hd no qualms whatsoever making the fight but Hatton NEVER wanted Witter "Baked or Fried" said Ray Hatton. Hatton had Witter in his contract but never actually wanted it otherwise it would have been the easiest fight for FW to make and sell. Witter had agreed terms and wasn't difficult with his demands.

Hatton turned down fighters who FW would have been slaughtered in public for even considering.

Hatton has said in his court papers that FW could have endangered his health. What a joke, what he meant was FW told him that the time had come where real fights needed to be made to keep the momentum going and guarantee his demands, that's all. Hatton earned over £6M beofre Tszyu for fighting the likes of Dennis Pedersen, would FA have paid him that, even if they had it?

Hatton is on a high with his three-fight HBO deal and this one, due to luck, is a relatively easy task. HBO want fight and he will have to earn his money with them as he won't get away with the sort of jobs he wants.

He'll get the money but he will have to earn it.

As for Mitchell, Hatton would have done a good job on him. He was very overrated and had no stamina. TV liked him because he was a good talker and a knowlegable fellow...bit like Jeff Lacy!

Hatton will take Collazo out in under five rounds IMO. If he struggles and looks crap, even if he wins, HBO may have second thoughts and throw him in next time round.

After Collazo, Hatton has to fight Oktay Urkal, providing the WBA sanction this weekend, within 120 days. Hatton won't fancy that and nor will HBO so once agsin he will be left without a belt.

How long will HBO and the WBA put up with this Crap?

Straight enough answer for you?

There does actually seem to be truth in that.

I remember watching the build up to Mitchell-Tszyu and they had Hatton in the studio and they kept on going on about how dangerous Mitchell was and that he hoped Tszyu would beat him as he thought he’d be the easier opponent. (I think on this show they also showed a bit on Cotto and in it he said he would love to fight Hatton and Hatton laughed it off when asked about it saying “you’re not the one who’d have to fight him”.) Well as we all know, Tszyu went in there and absolutely destroyed him. Very funny to see Hatton so visibly shaken afterwards – be careful what you wish for is right! But fair play, he did fight and beat him in the end.

boxingchat wrote:
Witter was there tghroughout and FW hd no qualms whatsoever making the fight

I dont believe this nonsense for a minute. RH might have been dubious about a Witter fight but I am SURE FW, from his historical matchmaking choices, wanted no part of Witter either.

Would you allow your golden goose who can shift 15,000 tickets in with an awkward in form banger from Bradford who cant even sell a ticket to his own mother?

No you wouldn't, and neither would Frank.

TerribleTerry wrote:

boxingchat wrote:
Witter was there tghroughout and FW hd no qualms whatsoever making the fight

I dont believe this nonsense for a minute. RH might have been dubious about a Witter fight but I am SURE FW, from his historical matchmaking choices, wanted no part of Witter either.

Would you allow your golden goose who can shift 15,000 tickets in with an awkward in form banger from Bradford who cant even sell a ticket to his own mother?

No you wouldn't, and neither would Frank.

Terry you are totally wrong, You are right that Witter cannot sell a ticket and also, doesn't make for good TV. FW continuassly paid Witter to support HAtton fight sto build the fight for no return. FW was convinced that HAtton would do Witter and still is. Witter was an on top fighter and HAtton would be all over him. If Wittr had beaten Hatton the rematch would have been huge for any Promter so your point regaridng geese and tixksts is hopelessly weak.

Promoter's stage events and build big events that generate money for all concerned. For a time Hatton V Witter was the biggest fight out there but Hatton didn't want the risk for any price.

Finally, Only twice did a Hatton fight sell over 13k tickets. Magee (who sodl 3k) and Tszyu FACT. Hatton did not sell them the supporting kids did as the crowd at Sheffield proved. Hatton was good for 5-7k tickets the rest was hard work by the promoter and undercard kids doing the footwork. Fact is Calzaghe V Lacy outsold any Hatton fight at the MEN bar the other two.

The MEN Record PAYING attendances for Boxing are;

Benn V Collins 1 and 2
Hamed and Eubank V Thompson 1
(Capacity cut by 600)
Tyson V Francis
Hatton V Tszyu
Calzaghe V Lacy
Hamed V Ingle
Hatton V Magee

Let the facts speak for themselves!

boxingchat wrote: Terry you are totally wrong, You are right that Witter cannot sell a ticket and also, doesn't make for good TV. FW continuassly paid Witter to support HAtton fight sto build the fight for no return. FW was convinced that HAtton would do Witter and still is. Witter was an on top fighter and HAtton would be all over him. If Wittr had beaten Hatton the rematch would have been huge for any Promter so your point regaridng geese and tixksts is hopelessly weak.

Promoter's stage events and build big events that generate money for all concerned. For a time Hatton V Witter was the biggest fight out there but Hatton didn't want the risk for any price.

Finally, Only twice did a Hatton fight sell over 13k tickets. Magee (who sodl 3k) and Tszyu FACT. Hatton did not sell them the supporting kids did as the crowd at Sheffield proved. Hatton was good for 5-7k tickets the rest was hard work by the promoter and undercard kids doing the footwork. Fact is Calzaghe V Lacy outsold any Hatton fight at the MEN bar the other two.

The MEN Record PAYING attendances for Boxing are;

Benn V Collins 1 and 2
Hamed and Eubank V Thompson 1
(Capacity cut by 600)
Tyson V Francis
Hatton V Tszyu
Calzaghe V Lacy
Hamed V Ingle
Hatton V Magee

Let the facts speak for themselves!

Come to think of it, you are right...there were only ever a few hundred singing 'Blue Moon' whenever I was at the MEN - the rest of the fans were in the bar, having seen their mates box after all - they werent there for Ricky were they?

Oh yeah, and they used to be literally THOUSANDS stop behind for the 2 - 3 undercard fights that went on after the main event... Dont talk 5hit mate.

If Hatton couldnt shift tickets at the MEN why did Frank seal an exclusive deal for only SN to promote their? Obviously Hatton wud struggle to get 6000 on his own without ticket shifting phenoms like Steven Bell and Tony Quigley underneath him...

I am afraid BC its your arguement that is weak in this instance..

I am still not convinced that FW was keen on a Witter fight but conceed that the Hattons mustn't have fancied it either.

TerribleTerry wrote:

boxingchat wrote: Terry you are totally wrong, You are right that Witter cannot sell a ticket and also, doesn't make for good TV. FW continuassly paid Witter to support HAtton fight sto build the fight for no return. FW was convinced that HAtton would do Witter and still is. Witter was an on top fighter and HAtton would be all over him. If Wittr had beaten Hatton the rematch would have been huge for any Promter so your point regaridng geese and tixksts is hopelessly weak.

Promoter's stage events and build big events that generate money for all concerned. For a time Hatton V Witter was the biggest fight out there but Hatton didn't want the risk for any price.

Finally, Only twice did a Hatton fight sell over 13k tickets. Magee (who sodl 3k) and Tszyu FACT. Hatton did not sell them the supporting kids did as the crowd at Sheffield proved. Hatton was good for 5-7k tickets the rest was hard work by the promoter and undercard kids doing the footwork. Fact is Calzaghe V Lacy outsold any Hatton fight at the MEN bar the other two.

The MEN Record PAYING attendances for Boxing are;

Benn V Collins 1 and 2
Hamed and Eubank V Thompson 1
(Capacity cut by 600)
Tyson V Francis
Hatton V Tszyu
Calzaghe V Lacy
Hamed V Ingle
Hatton V Magee

Let the facts speak for themselves!

Come to think of it, you are right...there were only ever a few hundred singing 'Blue Moon' whenever I was at the MEN - the rest of the fans were in the bar, having seen their mates box after all - they werent there for Ricky were they?

Oh yeah, and they used to be literally THOUSANDS stop behind for the 2 - 3 undercard fights that went on after the main event... Dont talk 5hit mate.

If Hatton couldnt shift tickets at the MEN why did Frank seal an exclusive deal for only SN to promote their? Obviously Hatton wud struggle to get 6000 on his own without ticket shifting phenoms like Steven Bell and Tony Quigley underneath him...

I am afraid BC its your arguement that is weak in this instance..

I am still not convinced that FW was keen on a Witter fight but conceed that the Hattons mustn't have fancied it either.

You have your opinion, I 'll have my facts. Bell and Quigley were late comers. Hatton use to have Gomez, Farnell, Jennings etc shoreing up shows or are you a latecomer too?

boxingchat wrote:You have your opinion, I 'll have my facts. Bell and Quigley were late comers. Hatton use to have Gomez, Farnell, Jennings etc shoreing up shows or are you a latecomer too?

No mate, I was just using examples that would make your case look as weak as it is. Its called defending a point of view.

I was going to Hatton fights well before the MEN days and I’m not even a Manc!