Ricky Hatton should go back begging to Billy Graham in preparation for his next fight which presumably will be against Juan Manuel Marquez, which will be by no means an easy fight. So Ricky should look at his past, and see that the loss to Floyd Mayweather – apart from not being the classier boxer was in most part, the referee’s fault that he lost that fight. He stopped him fighting on the inside and forced him out to fight Mayweather’s speed. For the first four rounds Ricky was troubling him, which is a stark comparison to the fight against Manny Pacquiao in which it was a horrible two rounds. Now again, Ricky was not the classier opponent, but the way in which Floyd Mayweather Snr had him training for no southpaw fighters, and the tactical decisions again cost him that fight. Perhaps Billy Graham a trusted friend would have been able to do a better job.
So for me Ricky has two decisions, well three, but one almost will never happen. That is to either go and train with Freddie Roach at the wild card and therefore train with the man that knocked him out, and rule out a future bout with Khan. Two go to someone in Britain who has a pedigree of top world champions – Enzo Calzaghe or go back to Billy Graham with his arms open and apologize, and use what worked against Tszyu and countless opponents before. I know what I would choose and that would be to go to Billy Graham. Because at this point in his career, at 31 almost 32 he can not be moulded into a new fighter, and so should go back to the man who he only lost ONE fight with - to arguably the best of his generation. Ricky swallow your pride and go home.
He's damaged goods now.. All the years of extreme weight fluctuation, have taken their toll.. Add this to the confusion with trainers, business distractions with his promotions co, and the fact he was KTFO in his last fight and there you have it.. Ricky takes defeat worse than most, he wears it on his sleave and cries himself to sleep.. I'd love to be wrong, but TBH, I don't think he's the type to bounce back into winning ways..
If he really does want to fight JMM, then his best bet would be to try and make it up with Graham, but it could never be the same as before.. As for Enzo, well i doubt he'd take him.. He's well known for being a strict dietician, and would'nt stand for any of Hatton's bindge eating/drinking whatsoever, so i don't see that match up working either.. Nine and a half times out of ten, it always goes tit bollock up when a fighter splits with his mentor..
Roach has publicly stated that he would never train Hatton and that Hatton should retire.
Recently he said he could have fixed Hatton's flaws earlier on in his career but doesnt know if he can now.
Roach probably knows Hatton as a fighter better than any other coach!
I actually thnk Roach coulddo some good for hatton, I think roach is good at working WITH the fighters strengths and comin up with strategies that compliment their style..
We saw how mayweather snr tried to mould hatton into something he's not n look what happened..
Roach b good for hatton, but then khan v hatton won't happen nor will pacquiao v hatton 2 ;P