By Terence Dooley
Billy Graham caught up with BoxingScene.com to give his take on the rumoured fight between Floyd Mayweather and Matthew Hatton, a bout that could take place if the Pacquiao soap opera ends badly and Floyd decides to take his skills on the road as part of a ‘world tour of boxing’.
Graham has been up close and personal with both boxers; he trained Matthew and took Ricky Hatton into a showdown with Floyd. However, the trainer believes that this particular Hatton-Mayweather tussle is not a good advertisement for the sport of boxing.
“Matthew fighting Floyd is something that I don’t think will happen – it would be an embarrassment for Floyd to have that fight,” declared Graham. “It is a wonderful opportunity for Matthew and he can say he’s been in with the best but it wouldn’t be good for boxing, the fans, or Floyd Mayweather as it is a complete mismatch. Matthew would get a big payday and something to look back on but every time he threw a punch he’d be punished for it as he’s not in the same league as Floyd.”
The grizzled former trainer is a fan of Floyd; he believes that Mayweather can turn fights against the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez into public spars and that this does not bode well for Matthew.
“I would be quite disappointed in Floyd (if he took this fight), I really would”, he continued, “but everyone is entitled to an easy payday. Then again, and let’s face it, Floyd can go out and have an easy payday against someone like Marquez, that is how good he is, so why have this one? Matthew wouldn’t be able to land a punch and boxing would be embarrassed, but good luck to him.”
Speaking of Marquez, rumours persist that Juan could be in the frame for Ricky Hatton, who looks certain to make a return to the sport during 2010. Graham believes that the Marquez contest is a winnable fight for Ricky yet he also stated that this is not reason enough for Ricky to embark on a comeback.
“I don’t think there really is an ideal fight for Ricky to comeback for,” he declared. “I don’t know what Ricky has got left but Marquez is probably the safest big name out there for him because he’s relatively small. Ricky is a lot bigger than Marquez. I’m a big fan of Marquez, a fantastic fighter, but he’s a safe-ish fight for Ricky.
“I don’t think Ricky has got any trainers around him anymore, either, as the last ones he had were detrimental to him. I’ve taken enough flak and won’t go down the route of talking about Floyd Mayweather or Lee Beard but the fact is that they took away from Ricky Hatton, they made him more upright and tried to get him throwing shots that did not suit him, that is my opinion as an expert on Ricky Hatton.”
Speculation is already raging as to who will guide Ricky should he return to the ring. Graham, known for his extravagant taste in headwear, revealed that he would not throw his hat into the ring even if he were still actively training fighters.
“I wouldn’t take Ricky into any fight now. I wouldn’t even consider it as he’s done now,” he stated. “Look, all fighters who go on end up badly, look at what’s happened to Roy Jones, untouchable in his prime, a fantastic defensive fighter and he’s just been bombed out again. Ricky is in your face, he’s all action, he comes in and entertains the fans by doing what he does best, fighting up-close and to a pace. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Ricky is in any immediate danger, or has suffered any lasting damage through boxing, but he is best left alone.”
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