Forbes: Hatton underrated

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/8169/Ricky+fast+show+will+wow+States FORMER world champion Steve Forbes has been there, seen it and done it, but he insists he has never faced anything like Ricky Hatton. Forbes has spent the past two weeks sparring with Hatton at the Hitman’s Manchester gym and has the bruises to prove it. He came over from the United States with preconceived ideas about the unbeaten Hatton – but will be going home next month with a different perspective on the Mancunian four-time world champion. “People think Ricky is a brawler first and foremost. Well I can tell them in no uncertain terms that this kid can box,” said Forbes. “He has fast hands, much quicker than I ever thought. His foot movement is quick and he can deliver shots from all angles. Basically he is much better than I thought he was. “I think Americans have a lot of respect for Ricky because of the way he fights. It is very exciting and he always gives value for money, but the fact is, he is a top, top boxer as well. “I was surprised how quick he was and I was world champion at super-featherweight so I know a pair of fast hands when I see them. Ricky is not renowned for his boxing skills in America, but he should be. He is technically as good as anything out there right now in the world and he is a great kid as well. His body punches have also left a mark on me just as much as his personality.” Forbes and Hatton have become close friends and the American, 30, will be sad to leave Manchester when their sparring sessions end on June 5. “Hey, even the rain isn’t that bad. The weather’s been great and Ricky has looked after me fantastically,” said Forbes. “He knows how to treat people with respect and will always be a friend of mine from now until I die. I’ll always be rooting for him because I like the nice guy to win and he is a lovely man as well as a great fighter.” Forbes, who won the IBF super-featherweight title in 2001 and was runner-up in last year’s Contender series to Grady Brewer, fully expects Hatton to beat Jose Luis Castillo when the pair meet on June 23 in Las Vegas in what promises to be a mouth-watering clash. He said: “For my money Hatton wins every time. Ricky is too quick for Jose and he has the heart of a lion. I don’t question Jose’s heart either, especially after the wars he had with Diego Corrales, but Hatton has just got too much for him. “Ricky will stop him in about the ninth round. Jose is too slow for him. Castillo has never had the fastest hands and I think he will be stopped by Ricky. I’m expecting my first child, but I’ll be glued to the tube watching it.” Forbes’ wife Valerie is pregnant and the American, a long-time resident of Las Vegas who is now based in Detroit, is looking forward to going home. “It will be great to get back but I have enjoyed every minute helping Ricky get in the best possible shape. He is in brilliant form right now and he’ll only get better for Castillo. I wish I could go to Vegas to see the fight, but I’ll be there in spirit and having a baby is not a bad excuse.” Forbes was surprised his fellow Contender contestant Peter Manfredo was selected to fight Joe Calzaghe in the Welshman’s world title defence last month. He said: “I could not believe it. I mean Peter is not a bad fighter, but that was ridiculous. Who had he beat to earn a shot at the world champion?”

Comments (20)

Steve is a really cool guy. Out of all the boxers on myspace, he so far has been the coolest one I have spoken with.

19y ago

squealpiggy

Ok, im gonna make an educated guess here, i dont think im hating when i say this. I dont think Ricky Hatton is faster than Floyd Mayweather. I don't think he is either. But I don't think he's that much slower than Mayweather, not to the degree that his detractors seem to believe. If he was as slow as some people are implying his entrance music would be the theme from Chariots of Fire.

19y ago

drvooh

Mayweather will never fight Hatton unless Hatton loses....Mayweather only fights old men and when he does step up to the plate against a good fighter like he did with castillo, he has to rely on bad judging to win him the fight. Mayweather = Ottke I hate to say it, but you make a good Pernt

19y ago

drvooh

I hope he is on top form, should be a great fight that way. Interesting you should mention that, because people seem to forget the last 3 fights Hatton had. He wasn't in bad form at all, but he has been known to not like fighting lefties, and 2 of his last 3 were just that. He also went up in weight vs Collazo, and he struggled at that. But if Collazo had been at 140, I think Hatton would have pulled a Shane Mosley on Louis .

19y ago

udoka

why every time someone write's anything about hatton you guys will start calling mayweathers name ? i don't just get it, you have other boxers too.

19y ago

Super_Cartel

He aint slow! He aint major fast but he aint slow at all..

19y ago

Technical_Skill

mayweathers left is fast but his right is slow :ugh: Mayweather's right hand is slow? ....................................... Anyways Hatton does have some skill, he showed that against urango, he can box a bit.

19y ago

realheavyhands

mayweathers left is fast but his right is slow

19y ago

Technical_Skill

how can you say hes fast, hes slow as hell. he only seems fast cause hes hugging you and hes about 2 inches away so his punches get there quickly, Make that five times in row.

19y ago

Technical_Skill

Zab Judah may be faster than Mayweather - watch the first four rounds of their fight! He lost because Mayweather had better stamina. Judah may be as fast as mayweather Judah lost because mayweather worked him out, Mayweather closed the distance, held his hands high, and used a short right lead instead of leaning in with a longer right which would allow himself to get countered, he also hit judah with some vicious hooks to the body, eventually judah was on the verge of being stopped, so he resorted to illegal tactics.

19y ago

Mik

Why is that then?

19y ago

me2007

Fixed it for you... thanks:banana:

19y ago

Technical_Skill

Fixed it for you... L-O-L. Thanks for the clarification.

19y ago

me2007

19y ago

Technical_Skill

I think that we both know in all honesty that nobody in here thinks that Hatton is faster than PBF. You are reading it one way simply so that you can dispute it. I have never said that anyone in there thinks hatton is faster than Pbf, Steve forbes isnt a member in boxing scene.

19y ago

Mik

I saw this one coming, more than compares, can mean better because its more than comaparable, we both know what it meant in this circumstance, but if you wanna go down the subjective route thats fine. I think that we both know in all honesty that nobody in here thinks that Hatton is faster than PBF. You are reading it one way simply so that you can dispute it.

19y ago

Technical_Skill

But Hatton just might be the fastest PBFS ever faced. But Hatton would bring other things to the table as well as his comparable speed. On one occasion when they met, Hatton had his feet on the chair in front of him and PBF tried walking past and Hatton didnt get his feet off the chair so PBF couldnt get past. Hatton isnt scared of PBF that is for sure and might have already won some kind of phycological fight. 1) Zab judah is way faster than Hatton 2) Hatton apparently lied about that story, i read somewhere he didnt put his feet up and that Mayweather simply cussed him out and refused to shake his hand, 3) Mayweather is not scared of hatton, but i think he is genuinely upset at the way his name has been prostituted by hatton to promote his own fights and convince his fans he actually wants big fights.

19y ago

hugh_grant

When you get top fighters, the speed of the hands is too close, your talking hundreths of a second. PBF is certainly fast and faster than Hatton. But Hatton just might be the fastest PBFS ever faced. But Hatton would bring other things to the table as well as his comparable speed. Hatton has a kind of an aura surrounding him and that might affect how PBF is able to perform on the day. On one occasion when they met, Hatton had his feet on the chair in front of him and PBF tried walking past and Hatton didnt get his feet off the chair so PBF couldnt get past. Hatton isnt scared of PBF that is for sure and might have already won some kind of phycological fight.

19y ago

Technical_Skill

Perhaps you ought to re-evaluate your definition of the phrase 'to compare with'. Just because they have speed in common, doesnt necessarily mean that they are equal. Your boundaries are too slim. I may be obnoxiously annoying at...the internet. So might you be. Our annoyingness may be comparable. Doesnt mean that I'm necessarily more annoying than you. Even "more than comparable" only suggests that they are more comparable under greater scrutiny (ie, more in common than under initial investigation, perhaps even more equal. Still doesnt necessarily mean that I'm MORE annoying than you). In this situation it is quite obvious and blatant that the meaning is "the features of their handspeed is comparable...ie...they are both fast. I saw this one coming, more than compares, can mean better because its more than comaparable, we both know what it meant in this circumstance, but if you wanna go down the subjective route thats fine.

19y ago

Mik

Steve Forbes thinks his speed more than compares with Mayweather's. Think you guessed wrong. Perhaps you ought to re-evaluate your definition of the phrase 'to compare with'. Just because they have speed in common, doesnt necessarily mean that they are equal. Your boundaries are too slim. I may be obnoxiously annoying at...the internet. So might you be. Our annoyingness may be comparable. Doesnt mean that I'm necessarily more annoying than you. Even "more than comparable" only suggests that they are more comparable under greater scrutiny (ie, more in common than under initial investigation, perhaps even more equal. Still doesnt necessarily mean that I'm MORE annoying than you). In this situation it is quite obvious and blatant that the meaning is "the features of their handspeed is comparable...ie...they are both fast.

19y ago