Tweet
http://www.britishboxing.net/news_24...Hatton-II.html
Before the arrival of USA's Steve Forbes and Mexico's Colin Reyes –Ricky's sparring partners for the Castillo bout - a gym regular was drafted in to give Hatton the rounds needed to find his punching range again. Step forward Matthew Hatton.
As the two brothers laced-up one could be forgiven that we were about to witness six-rounds or so of brotherly love and posturing without punching. This was dispelled early in the sparring as the two men went for each other with such ferocity you would think money was owed.
As the rounds became increasingly full-blooded Ray Hatton looked away and quickly scanned the room to ‘…check their mum isn't seeing this.'
Not too long after this the aforementioned sparring partners arrived yet the ferocity remained. Reyes has a good long-armed style and can turn in the type of uppercuts needed to worry Ricky.
Unfortunately Reyes went for broke in his very first session, at one point ignoring a shout to break the action to adjust Hatton's head-guard. Hatton had briefly dropped his hands and the Mexican blazed away.
Over the course of the next two rounds the retaliation meted out by Hatton became increasingly hard on Reyes. This was not an employer beating up his sparring partner; this was a fighter, Reyes, who wanted to test himself against a Champion and a Champion, Hatton, who is not exactly shy about giving something back.
Towards the end Reyes' fire ebbed and flowed away. One session at the tail-end of the UK-leg of the camp featured a subdued looking Reyes who to BBN looked clearly like a fighter looking for an ‘out' only lasting two rounds with a rampaging Hatton.
Reyes dangled a shot, Hatton stepped to his own right and powered in a left hook to the chest reminiscent of the Tommy Pea**** fight. Reyes had had problems with the sides of his body also, a left hook to the ribs in the first round had caused him to crumple a little and after being dropped it appeared his stint was over. A camp member took him to the hospital with a suspected broken rib.
Hatton seemed concerned whilst also seeming to be frustrated, in this camp, more than the previous two, Hatton has seemed to relish every second of every round of sparring. As Colin headed for the exit door the team began to try and figure out how many rounds they could get out of Steve Forbes.
Forbes may seem a strange choice for this assignment. He is an elusive shoulder blocker very different in style from Castillo. However the camp felt that if Hatton could thread single-shots through his guard on a regular basis they could do the same to Castillo.
As an added bonus Forbes seems to smother a lot of the shots in the early rounds before coming on late to test Hatton, this will help them with the Castillo fight also. Prior to the injury sustained by Reyes Forbes had only been comfortable taking three round stints with the Hatton.
During the course of this final full week (the camp jetted out on the following Thursday) Hatton had gone about his work whilst being besieged by an expectant media.
Hatton himself trained tirelessly this week yet his sessions were dual sessions in many ways. After each training session he would grab a cup of tea before sitting at the front of the gym-building signing what he needed to sign and taking care of other media commitments.
On BBN's final day the overspill from that session had found Hatton sitting in Graham's office long after most people had left the gym. It was late in the afternoon, Hatton had done his sparring plus the rest of his training work then spent considerable time immediately afterwards speaking to the TV and press.
A TV interview was conducted at the door of the office. Some items were signed. A newspaper journalist who had travelled from London was ushered into the office. Some more items were signed. Then it was BBN's time to ask Ricky some specific questions about the fight and his sparring. Clearly tired at the end of a long day Hatton took in some fluid before asking BBN what we wanted to know.
Before the arrival of USA's Steve Forbes and Mexico's Colin Reyes –Ricky's sparring partners for the Castillo bout - a gym regular was drafted in to give Hatton the rounds needed to find his punching range again. Step forward Matthew Hatton.
As the two brothers laced-up one could be forgiven that we were about to witness six-rounds or so of brotherly love and posturing without punching. This was dispelled early in the sparring as the two men went for each other with such ferocity you would think money was owed.
As the rounds became increasingly full-blooded Ray Hatton looked away and quickly scanned the room to ‘…check their mum isn't seeing this.'
Not too long after this the aforementioned sparring partners arrived yet the ferocity remained. Reyes has a good long-armed style and can turn in the type of uppercuts needed to worry Ricky.
Unfortunately Reyes went for broke in his very first session, at one point ignoring a shout to break the action to adjust Hatton's head-guard. Hatton had briefly dropped his hands and the Mexican blazed away.
Over the course of the next two rounds the retaliation meted out by Hatton became increasingly hard on Reyes. This was not an employer beating up his sparring partner; this was a fighter, Reyes, who wanted to test himself against a Champion and a Champion, Hatton, who is not exactly shy about giving something back.
Towards the end Reyes' fire ebbed and flowed away. One session at the tail-end of the UK-leg of the camp featured a subdued looking Reyes who to BBN looked clearly like a fighter looking for an ‘out' only lasting two rounds with a rampaging Hatton.
Reyes dangled a shot, Hatton stepped to his own right and powered in a left hook to the chest reminiscent of the Tommy Pea**** fight. Reyes had had problems with the sides of his body also, a left hook to the ribs in the first round had caused him to crumple a little and after being dropped it appeared his stint was over. A camp member took him to the hospital with a suspected broken rib.
Hatton seemed concerned whilst also seeming to be frustrated, in this camp, more than the previous two, Hatton has seemed to relish every second of every round of sparring. As Colin headed for the exit door the team began to try and figure out how many rounds they could get out of Steve Forbes.
Forbes may seem a strange choice for this assignment. He is an elusive shoulder blocker very different in style from Castillo. However the camp felt that if Hatton could thread single-shots through his guard on a regular basis they could do the same to Castillo.
As an added bonus Forbes seems to smother a lot of the shots in the early rounds before coming on late to test Hatton, this will help them with the Castillo fight also. Prior to the injury sustained by Reyes Forbes had only been comfortable taking three round stints with the Hatton.
During the course of this final full week (the camp jetted out on the following Thursday) Hatton had gone about his work whilst being besieged by an expectant media.
Hatton himself trained tirelessly this week yet his sessions were dual sessions in many ways. After each training session he would grab a cup of tea before sitting at the front of the gym-building signing what he needed to sign and taking care of other media commitments.
On BBN's final day the overspill from that session had found Hatton sitting in Graham's office long after most people had left the gym. It was late in the afternoon, Hatton had done his sparring plus the rest of his training work then spent considerable time immediately afterwards speaking to the TV and press.
A TV interview was conducted at the door of the office. Some items were signed. A newspaper journalist who had travelled from London was ushered into the office. Some more items were signed. Then it was BBN's time to ask Ricky some specific questions about the fight and his sparring. Clearly tired at the end of a long day Hatton took in some fluid before asking BBN what we wanted to know.
to your mom..
Comment