By Mark Vester
In the opinion of retired boxing great Barry McGuigan, Ricky Hatton should avoid a possible clash with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2010. He says Hatton should stay away from the ring and avoid taking any further punishment. He doesn't think Hatton has anything more to prove and his legacy is already set in stone as far as his career accomplishments.
"Hatton has nothing to prove. He enjoyed a fine career as one of the most successful British boxers of all time. He does not need the money or the adulation. What is one more win after that victory over Kostya Tszyu? In the fullness of time that is the kind of performance for which he will be remembered," McGuigan said in his Mirror column.
"If he were to beat Juan Manuel Marquez it would not make the defeats to Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao any less withering. And who is to say he will put away Marquez at 140lb? We shouldn't forget that Marquez almost beat Pacquiao, took him to the wire in two barnburners at featherweight and superfeather."
McGuigan doesn't think Hatton's body can stand the tough training camp that he usually puts himself through. Hatton's weight bumps are well known. Between fights the Manchester fighter can blow up to 180-pounds or more and then spends most of his training camp getting back down to 140-pounds.
"I would imagine Hatton spars more than 100 rounds in preparation for a title fight. That takes its toll. It eats away at your resilience. Two years ago, before he fought Mayweather, I argued in this column that Hatton's career had a maximum of 18 months to run. Pretty Boy Floyd and the Pacman underlined the point in Technicolor. The world has moved on, Ricky. It is time for you to do the same with pride," McGuigan said.
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