Tweet
Boxing legend Jeff Fenech has defied the prediction of his old trainer Johnny Lewis to publicly predict a Ricky Hatton victory against Floyd Mayweather.
Casting his expert eye over the brewing super-fight, three-time world champ Fenech said that while he was a fan of both fighters he believed Hatton had the tools and tenacity to spring a major upset against the fighter most pundits say is the world’s best boxer pound for pound.
Last month, trainer Lewis who guided Fenech to the world bantam, super-bantam and feather crowns and took Kostya Tszyu to junior-welterweight greatness, predicted Mayweather would stop Hatton with his explosive speed and superior skills.
But Fenech (pictured, left with Joe Frazier, Kostya Tszyu and Anthony Mundine) won’t buy that.
Last month, trainer Lewis who guided Fenech to the world bantam, super-bantam and feather crowns and took Kostya Tszyu to junior-welterweight greatness, predicted Mayweather would stop Hatton with his explosive speed and superior skills.
But Fenech won’t buy that.
``Look, Mayweather is a great fighter,’’ Fenech said. ``He absolutely played with Oscar De La Hoya. I don’t think he got out of second gear because he knew he was way out in front in terms of technique.
``It wasn’t a great fight because Floyd didn’t have to lay it on the line.
``But I do think Ricky can change it all around for Floyd.
``I think Ricky is the kind of strong, fit, hungry pressure fighter who can get under the skin of a guy like Mayweather the same way I used to wear opponents down.
``I’ve seen in a few of Mayweather’s fights – especially his first, close fight with Jose Luis Castillo and then against Zab Judah, when a guy stays on him and leans on him, stifling his movement, he doesn’t look anywhere near his best.
``There’s no better fighter in the world at a distance than Mayweather but I don’t think he’s a great infighter.
``When he gets hit in close he has a tendency to do nothing offensively, he just turns his body away and waits for the referee to step in and separate the fighters.
``I think Ricky Hatton will have seen this and will capitalise it, scoring with a lot of short, hard effective punches before the referee moves.
``In close Ricky really has a chance to break Floyd down and I think he has the desire, that unbelievable will to win, that can spring a massive upset.’’
The big fight is set to take place later this year with the undefeated Mayweather saying he’s ready to end the Englishman’s unbeaten run, now standing at 43-0 (31 KOs) and looking red hot after his four-round destruction of Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas on June 23.
Hatton’s promoter Dennis Hobson has offered Mayweather $12m to fight Hatton in Britain later this year and Mayweather says he is willing to come out of retirement to fight Manchester's light-welterweight champion.
Mayweather is 38-0 (24 KOs) and coming off a close points win over De La Hoya for the WBC junior-middleweight title.
He has since relinquished that crown but kept the welterweight title in a sure sign that he’s willing to meet Hatton at 147lb.
Fenech was part of Lewis’s star stable that has produced five world champs – Fenech, Kostya Tszyu, Jeff Harding, Virgil Hill and Gairy St Clair.
Fenech has also had great success as a trainer, taking Danny Green to the WBC Interim super-middleweight title and guiding Vic Darchinyan to the IBF flyweight crown before splitting with both fighters.
Lewis, who threw the towel in when Hatton stopped Tszyu in Manchester two years ago, has a different view to Fenech and says Mayweather has too much artillery for the Manchester mauler.
``If they fight on middle ground at 147lb Mayweather will stop Ricky,’’ Lewis said.
``Ricky is a very strong kid and he would be dangerous early – but I think Mayweather will take control behind his jab.
``He will outbox Ricky and dominate him.
``I think it would turn into a one-sided fight the longer it went. Mayweather is a great talent, a brilliant boxer.’’
But Fenech, who was robbed of a fourth world title when Azumah Nelson was handed a ``Vegas draw’’ in their 1991 battle for the WBC junior-lightweight crown, has the final word.
``No matter how talented a fighter, any boxer can be beaten,’’ Fenech said. ``No-one is invincible.
``Boxing is all about styles and how one style can overcome another.
``And of all the fighters in the world, I believe Hatton is the one with the style and the mental strength to give Mayweather his first loss.’’
Casting his expert eye over the brewing super-fight, three-time world champ Fenech said that while he was a fan of both fighters he believed Hatton had the tools and tenacity to spring a major upset against the fighter most pundits say is the world’s best boxer pound for pound.
Last month, trainer Lewis who guided Fenech to the world bantam, super-bantam and feather crowns and took Kostya Tszyu to junior-welterweight greatness, predicted Mayweather would stop Hatton with his explosive speed and superior skills.
But Fenech (pictured, left with Joe Frazier, Kostya Tszyu and Anthony Mundine) won’t buy that.
Last month, trainer Lewis who guided Fenech to the world bantam, super-bantam and feather crowns and took Kostya Tszyu to junior-welterweight greatness, predicted Mayweather would stop Hatton with his explosive speed and superior skills.
But Fenech won’t buy that.
``Look, Mayweather is a great fighter,’’ Fenech said. ``He absolutely played with Oscar De La Hoya. I don’t think he got out of second gear because he knew he was way out in front in terms of technique.
``It wasn’t a great fight because Floyd didn’t have to lay it on the line.
``But I do think Ricky can change it all around for Floyd.
``I think Ricky is the kind of strong, fit, hungry pressure fighter who can get under the skin of a guy like Mayweather the same way I used to wear opponents down.
``I’ve seen in a few of Mayweather’s fights – especially his first, close fight with Jose Luis Castillo and then against Zab Judah, when a guy stays on him and leans on him, stifling his movement, he doesn’t look anywhere near his best.
``There’s no better fighter in the world at a distance than Mayweather but I don’t think he’s a great infighter.
``When he gets hit in close he has a tendency to do nothing offensively, he just turns his body away and waits for the referee to step in and separate the fighters.
``I think Ricky Hatton will have seen this and will capitalise it, scoring with a lot of short, hard effective punches before the referee moves.
``In close Ricky really has a chance to break Floyd down and I think he has the desire, that unbelievable will to win, that can spring a massive upset.’’
The big fight is set to take place later this year with the undefeated Mayweather saying he’s ready to end the Englishman’s unbeaten run, now standing at 43-0 (31 KOs) and looking red hot after his four-round destruction of Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas on June 23.
Hatton’s promoter Dennis Hobson has offered Mayweather $12m to fight Hatton in Britain later this year and Mayweather says he is willing to come out of retirement to fight Manchester's light-welterweight champion.
Mayweather is 38-0 (24 KOs) and coming off a close points win over De La Hoya for the WBC junior-middleweight title.
He has since relinquished that crown but kept the welterweight title in a sure sign that he’s willing to meet Hatton at 147lb.
Fenech was part of Lewis’s star stable that has produced five world champs – Fenech, Kostya Tszyu, Jeff Harding, Virgil Hill and Gairy St Clair.
Fenech has also had great success as a trainer, taking Danny Green to the WBC Interim super-middleweight title and guiding Vic Darchinyan to the IBF flyweight crown before splitting with both fighters.
Lewis, who threw the towel in when Hatton stopped Tszyu in Manchester two years ago, has a different view to Fenech and says Mayweather has too much artillery for the Manchester mauler.
``If they fight on middle ground at 147lb Mayweather will stop Ricky,’’ Lewis said.
``Ricky is a very strong kid and he would be dangerous early – but I think Mayweather will take control behind his jab.
``He will outbox Ricky and dominate him.
``I think it would turn into a one-sided fight the longer it went. Mayweather is a great talent, a brilliant boxer.’’
But Fenech, who was robbed of a fourth world title when Azumah Nelson was handed a ``Vegas draw’’ in their 1991 battle for the WBC junior-lightweight crown, has the final word.
``No matter how talented a fighter, any boxer can be beaten,’’ Fenech said. ``No-one is invincible.
``Boxing is all about styles and how one style can overcome another.
``And of all the fighters in the world, I believe Hatton is the one with the style and the mental strength to give Mayweather his first loss.’’
Comment