Tweet
BY MICHAEL KATZ -It was only five weeks that I was AWOL from the Net, but in that time, obviously Jose Luis Castillo got very old.
Hasim Rahman and Antonio Tarver didn't look so fresh, either.
There will be an attempt to catch up some later on what happened while I was so rudely interrupted, for now, Topic A must be Castillo and the man who knocked him out with a liver shot just below the arm pit, Ricky Hatton.
Losers are usually more interesting, even without risking livers, but for this fight we should obviously concentrate on the Brit Man who will undoubtedly play a starring role in boxing's near future. The 43-0 (31 knockouts) Hatton, the first man to drop Castillo, immediately replaces Miguel Cotto as the hot flavor of the month.
Hatton may be a tough brawler inside the ring, but outside, he is as smoooooth as Red Skelton's Guzzler's Gin (ask granddad about the comic's classic skit). He says all the right things. He dedicated the bout to Castillo's late rival, Diego Corrales. He told the Mexican fans “I'm sorry I put it to one of your heroes” and asked them, since he fights like one of them, to give him their allegiance. After the fight in loud and raucous - but not sold-out - Thomas & Mack Arena, he was asked who's next.
He said he was up for battling Mr. Guiness, probably more rounds than he gave Castillo, after all, it's a “real smoooooth drink.” He called out Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom he imitated on the way to the ring by wearing a large sombrero and his crew sporting the same kind of “I Love Mexico” shirts used by Pretty Boy on the way to his victory last month over Oscar de la Hoya. The flattery stopped as soon as the bout started - he's no Mayweather inside the ring. But the smoothie soon had the No. 1 pound-for-pounder quickly ready to end his “retirement” for the Mancurian candidate. [details]
Hasim Rahman and Antonio Tarver didn't look so fresh, either.
There will be an attempt to catch up some later on what happened while I was so rudely interrupted, for now, Topic A must be Castillo and the man who knocked him out with a liver shot just below the arm pit, Ricky Hatton.
Losers are usually more interesting, even without risking livers, but for this fight we should obviously concentrate on the Brit Man who will undoubtedly play a starring role in boxing's near future. The 43-0 (31 knockouts) Hatton, the first man to drop Castillo, immediately replaces Miguel Cotto as the hot flavor of the month.
Hatton may be a tough brawler inside the ring, but outside, he is as smoooooth as Red Skelton's Guzzler's Gin (ask granddad about the comic's classic skit). He says all the right things. He dedicated the bout to Castillo's late rival, Diego Corrales. He told the Mexican fans “I'm sorry I put it to one of your heroes” and asked them, since he fights like one of them, to give him their allegiance. After the fight in loud and raucous - but not sold-out - Thomas & Mack Arena, he was asked who's next.
He said he was up for battling Mr. Guiness, probably more rounds than he gave Castillo, after all, it's a “real smoooooth drink.” He called out Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom he imitated on the way to the ring by wearing a large sombrero and his crew sporting the same kind of “I Love Mexico” shirts used by Pretty Boy on the way to his victory last month over Oscar de la Hoya. The flattery stopped as soon as the bout started - he's no Mayweather inside the ring. But the smoothie soon had the No. 1 pound-for-pounder quickly ready to end his “retirement” for the Mancurian candidate. [details]
Comment