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When Ricky Hatton loses weight, everybody wins.
Those seven ticks on the scale – the deceptively large gap between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions – are a magic number contained within a minuscule distance. But in merely dropping down to 140 pounds, Hatton has accomplished much, from opening up a title opportunity at 147 to placing a target on his back one weight class below.
After taking a close decision and the World Boxing Association welterweight title in May against Luis Collazo, Hatton abdicated his newly gained throne, leaving Miguel Cotto and Carlos Quintana to belt each other for the strap. Yet the biggest impact occurred when Hatton went home.
Like Odysseus’s delayed return to Ithaca, Hatton’s absence left a vacuum in which the seemingly unworthy sought to reign. Once there were superstars, warriors, legitimate contenders and rising prospects, but in time they had either migrated or deflated.
In their place, the paper titlists, burglars who scooped the loot vacated when their former owners vacationed to 147 and chose to stay. Junior Witter. Souleymane M’baye. Juan Urango. Ricardo Torres. Not a murderer’s row, but rather a fair-some foursome. More anonymous than most casts of heavyweight infamy, lesser names creating massive apathy.
Alas – and contrary to his nickname – Ricky “the Hitman” Hatton has brought the junior welterweights back to life.
As the division’s true champion, Hatton is a destination for those who otherwise lacked direction. With the crowds that the Mancunian Mauler guarantees, challengers can fight for pride and glory and line their wallets in the process.
The first super-fight scheduled is Hatton against Jose Luis Castillo, set for summer after each man’s respective wins this past weekend over Urango and Herman Ngoudjo. Both men are able to mix brawling and boxing, a combination that could produce the type of collision that otherwise – and surprisingly – was lacking on Saturday. [details]
Those seven ticks on the scale – the deceptively large gap between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions – are a magic number contained within a minuscule distance. But in merely dropping down to 140 pounds, Hatton has accomplished much, from opening up a title opportunity at 147 to placing a target on his back one weight class below.
After taking a close decision and the World Boxing Association welterweight title in May against Luis Collazo, Hatton abdicated his newly gained throne, leaving Miguel Cotto and Carlos Quintana to belt each other for the strap. Yet the biggest impact occurred when Hatton went home.
Like Odysseus’s delayed return to Ithaca, Hatton’s absence left a vacuum in which the seemingly unworthy sought to reign. Once there were superstars, warriors, legitimate contenders and rising prospects, but in time they had either migrated or deflated.
In their place, the paper titlists, burglars who scooped the loot vacated when their former owners vacationed to 147 and chose to stay. Junior Witter. Souleymane M’baye. Juan Urango. Ricardo Torres. Not a murderer’s row, but rather a fair-some foursome. More anonymous than most casts of heavyweight infamy, lesser names creating massive apathy.
Alas – and contrary to his nickname – Ricky “the Hitman” Hatton has brought the junior welterweights back to life.
As the division’s true champion, Hatton is a destination for those who otherwise lacked direction. With the crowds that the Mancunian Mauler guarantees, challengers can fight for pride and glory and line their wallets in the process.
The first super-fight scheduled is Hatton against Jose Luis Castillo, set for summer after each man’s respective wins this past weekend over Urango and Herman Ngoudjo. Both men are able to mix brawling and boxing, a combination that could produce the type of collision that otherwise – and surprisingly – was lacking on Saturday. [details]