Ricky Hatton's Greatness?

[Sugarj]

Not every fighter can move through the weights, Ricky was always going to be limited by his lack of height and reach as he moved up. His style likewise wasn't condusive to a lengthy career.

He showed alot of heart in the fight up at welterweight with Collozo, he was clearly in a division which didn't suit him.

Fighters like Hearns, De la Hoya, Hopkins, Mayweather and Jones moved through different weight divisions because they were excellent distance boxers, with good reaches and/or defensive smarts.

Ricky was a damn good light welterweight, probably the best in the division for three or four years. I rated the Tszyu win pretty highly.

Tszyu may have been in his mid 30s but he looked great against Tackie, Leija and Mitchell in the run up bouts to Hatton. I remember the commentary on the night he fought Mitchell saying that, theres no way anyone can say that Tszyu was fading or past prime..............he looked great, and fought very well against Hatton when losing.

[CarlosG815]

2003

Kostya Tszyu, Champion

1. Sharmba Mitchell
2. Zab Judah
3. Arturo Gatti
4. Vivian Harris
5. Ricky Hatton
6. DeMarcus Corley
7. Oktay Urkal
8. Miguel Angel Cotto
9. Omar Gabriel Weis
10. Junior Witter

That seems MUCH better to me.

Of course it does because you're an idiot.

Gatti was going between 140 and 147 from 2000 to 2003, and prior to that at 135 - Good fighter but not great.

The fact that the worthless Zab Judah was ranked #2 is a testament to the lack of greatness in that division, but even still, he went on to move up in weight and fight big fights at 147.

The fact that Kostya was ranked #1 is another sad testament. Nobody cares about that division, or his domination of it for all the years that he did.

Looking at that pathetic list further makes my point. The best fighter on that list is Miguel Cotto, who also went on to move up to WW, which is when he became more well known because nobody gives a **** about the junior ww 140lb division.

[QuietOne]

Of course it does because you're an idiot.

Gatti was going between 140 and 147 from 2000 to 2003, and prior to that at 135 - Good fighter but not great.

The fact that the worthless Zab Judah was ranked #2 is a testament to the lack of greatness in that division, but even still, he went on to move up in weight and fight big fights at 147.

The fact that Kostya was ranked #1 is another sad testament. Nobody cares about that division, or his domination of it for all the years that he did.

Looking at that pathetic list further makes my point. The best fighter on that list is Miguel Cotto, who also went on to move up to WW, which is when he became more well known because nobody gives a **** about the junior ww 140lb division.

lol.. you're just mad, because I proved you wrong.

Who did Gatti beat at 147? Unknown journeymen? When he fought DLH, he got destroyed. It's clear that wasn't his weight class. When he went back down to 140, he won a world title.

Judah picked up a world title, there. Not bad for someone that was "worthless", huh?

And Tszyu is a bad fighter, because.. he unified the division? I don't get your logic. DLH never unified any division, yet you claim that he's a great fighter.

If you don't like the 2003 rankings, let's have a look at the 2004 rankings:

Light welterweight:

2004

Kostya Tszyu, Champion

1. Arturo Gatti
2. Vivian Harris
3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
4. Sharmba Mitchell
5. Miguel Angel Cotto
6. Ricky Hatton
7. DeMarcus Corley
8. Lovemore N'dou
9. Jesse James Leija
10. Oktay Urkal

Welterweight:

2004

Cory Spinks, Champion

1. Antonio Margarito
2. Zab Judah
3. Thomas Damgaard
4. Michele Piccirillo
5. Manuel Gomez
6. Kermit Cintron
7. Jawaid Khaliq
8. Carlos Manuel Baldomir
9. Teddy Reid
10. Cosme Rivera

At the time, the light welterweight division held the #2 (Mayweather) and #3 (Tszyu) top P4P fighters.

That light welterweight ranking also has two CURRENT top 10 P4P fighters. Mayweather (#2) and Cotto (#7).

Not bad for a "crappy" division, huh?

Not one fighter from either the 2003 or 2004 rankings of the welterweight division was a top 10 P4P, at the time or currently.

[CarlosG815]

lol.. you're just mad, because I proved you wrong.

Who did Gatti beat at 147? Unknown journeymen? When he fought DLH, he got destroyed. It's clear that wasn't his weight class. When he went back down to 140, he won a world title.

Judah picked up a world title, there. Not bad for someone that was "worthless", huh?

And Tszyu is a bad fighter, because.. he unified the division? I don't get your logic. DLH never unified any division, yet you claim that he's a great fighter.

If you don't like the 2003 rankings, let's have a look at the 2004 rankings:



At the time, the light welterweight division held the #2 (Mayweather) and #3 (Tszyu) top P4P fighters.

That light welterweight ranking also has two CURRENT top 10 P4P fighters. Mayweather (#2) and Cotto (#7).

Not bad for a "crappy" division, huh?

Not one fighter from either the 2003 or 2004 rankings of the welterweight division was a top 10 P4P, at the time or currently.

You haven't proven anything other than my point that Ricky Hatton spent his entire career in a crappy division that most fighters use as a stepping stone to WW.

Zab Judah is worthless and if you believe anything else that further solidifies my point that you are an idiot and have no idea what you're talking about.

Gatti beat a nobody for a vacated belt - big deal.

DLH fought in a division with other ATG's - Hatton's division isn't even comparable.

Just because Floyd went up in weight to claim another title from Gatti (who had picked it up as a vacated belt), doesn't mean he was a 140LB fighter. Floyd was a 135lb fighter who wanted to grab another belt, and Gatti had enough stardust to make Floyd some money and get him a belt at the same time - great deal for Floyd but says nothing for the division.

[QuietOne]

You haven't proven anything other than my point that Ricky Hatton spent his entire career in a crappy division that most fighters use as a stepping stone to WW.

Zab Judah is worthless and if you believe anything else that further solidifies my point that you are an idiot and have no idea what you're talking about.

Gatti beat a nobody for a vacated belt - big deal.

DLH fought in a division with other ATG's - Hatton's division isn't even comparable.

Just because Floyd went up in weight to claim another title from Gatti (who had picked it up as a vacated belt), doesn't mean he was a 140LB fighter. Floyd was a 135lb fighter who wanted to grab another belt, and Gatti had enough stardust to make Floyd some money and get him a belt at the same time - great deal for Floyd but says nothing for the division.

There's nothing more to add. I've debunked every theory you brought forward and everyone who reads this thread will know that.

[CarlosG815]

There's nothing more to add. I've debunked every theory you brought forward and everyone who reads this thread will know that.

Only other Europeans who need another fighter to glorify.

[QuietOne]

Only other Europeans who need another fighter to glorify.

I'm not European. And EVERYONE will see how wrong you are. Why? Because I've backed up my theories with facts, while you've backed up yours with "because they suck".

[CarlosG815]

You've brought up fighters who beat nobody's for vacated belts, and fighters than had a brief stint at 140 as a stepping stone to 147, while discrediting a division that housed Oscar DLH, Fernando Vargas, Tito Trinidad, Ike Quartey, Oba Carr, Winky Wright, Ricardo Mayorga, and Shane Mosley.

You have not supported your argument.

Hatton was a good 140lb fighter but he isn't a great and IMO he is not a HOF'er.

People in the UK love Ricky Hatton but outside of that country he isn't a contender. Get a clue man - Ricky Hatton's lack of greatness is common knowledge, you missed the memo.

[QuietOne]

You've brought up fighters who beat nobody's for vacated belts, and fighters than had a brief stint at 140 as a stepping stone to 147, while discrediting a division that housed Oscar DLH, Fernando Vargas, Tito Trinidad, Ike Quartey, Oba Carr, Winky Wright, Ricardo Mayorga, and Shane Mosley.

You have not supported your argument.

Hatton was a good 140lb fighter but he isn't a great and IMO he is not a HOF'er.

People in the UK love Ricky Hatton but outside of that country he isn't a contender. Get a clue man - Ricky Hatton's lack of greatness is common knowledge, you missed the memo.

Fighters who beat nobodies for vacant belts? Hmm.. well.. that sounds a lot better than a title just being GIVEN to somebody for no reason. Kind of like how DLH was randomly given the WBC welterweight title in 2000.

I discredited the division AT A CERTAIN TIME. How can you even say the 2003-2004 welterweight division was strong? It's laughable.

And I have supported my argument. I've provided time frames, rankings and info about titles won. You have provided 0 facts.

I don't care about whether or not you think Hatton is a great fighter. What I do care about is somebody twisting around facts and claiming fighters aren't great for false reasons. Much like you did.

[Jim Jeffries]

Oscar fought Manny at 142 in 2008, Mosley is still fighting at 147 today.

There were many contenders in the early 2000's that Hatton never went up against, for whatever reason. He fought a lot of European fighters, and American nobody's. Kostya was his claim to fame and that's when he made a name in the US. Once he had his shot at the big time, he lost.

Interesting to see you still posting in this thread even after I proved you haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.

"Hatton sux cuz he didn't fight 3 elite 154 pounders back while he was still working his way through the ranks at 140":thinking1:

Funny stuff bud.