Witter gatecrashing Hatton victory in 2000 (video!)

[Benny Leonard]

Fights like this, in my opinion, need build up. I'm thinking about this from a business point of view, just like both fighters are. If thsi fight is to happen, it should happen AS BIG AS POSSIBLE. Over THERE, it'd be big. But in America, it can still be bigger.

Imagine is Witter takes out Torres, and Hatton takes out Paulie, maybe one of them take sout Hopkins and the other takes out Holt. THEN they fight eachother over there. Hopefully, the majority of these fights happen on American TV, and that fights a big PPV for them. I'd like to see the fight happen sooner. I'm speaking REASONABLY and for business sense.

Have it happen next year, and it doesn't do as well as it could.

It sucks that he's the oldest, but it's not like he's 40.

Sorry, but Hatton just hurt himself by getting knocked out in front of an American audience. Hatton isn't Tyson, he cannot just rebound in front of Yanks that quickly.

Plus, both Witter and Hatton are British fighters...not going to go well in America for a big fight.
This is a British fight, not an American soil fight.

It's not like they are Latinos or Russians/Slavic, then it might be different.

It sucks that he's the oldest, but it's not like he's 40

He is 33 years old, you risk declining, if he hasn't already.

Or is that what Ricky does, he keeps waiting until you slip, like Tszyu, like Floyd?

[El Jesus]

Or is that what Ricky does, he keeps waiting until you slip, like Tszyu, like Floyd?

man, hatton and his team knew better than to fight the version of floyd that fought Gatti at 140. I keep hearing all these arguments about how Hatton was too small and this and that, but man i would have loved to see Hatton get in the ring against a more powerful/more aggressive mayweather at 140, Hatton didint want none of that, his team turned that **** down faster than a heater on a hot day.

[THe TRiNiTY]

Just an interesting note.....

RICKY HATTON:
Floyd Mayweather Jr..
Kostya Tszyu..
Jose Luis Castillo..
Vince Phillips..
Ben Tackie..
Luis Collazo..


JUNIOR WITTER:
Zab Judah..
Lovemore N'Dou..
Demarcus Corley..
Vivian Harris..

Witter stepped up HUGE in only his 18th fight. Took Hatton about 30+ fights, if you want to count VINCE PHILLIPS as his step up.

In their only losses, Hatton was KO'd.. Witter.. not so much.

Not saying who's had the better career. I'm just saying that "legacy" wise.. Hatton isn't BLOWING Witter out of the water, by any means.

[THe TRiNiTY]

Sorry, but Hatton just hurt himself by getting knocked out in front of an American audience. Hatton isn't Tyson, he cannot just rebound in front of Yanks that quickly.

Plus, both Witter and Hatton are British fighters...not going to go well in America for a big fight.
This is a British fight, not an American soil fight.

It's not like they are Latinos or Russians/Slavic, then it might be different.



He is 33 years old, you risk declining, if he hasn't already.

Or is that what Ricky does, he keeps waiting until you slip, like Tszyu, like Floyd?

I didnd't say the fight would happen IN America. I want it to be SHOWN on American TV. Which would still require build-up.

Furthermore, Tszyu had slipped. True. Mayweather? No. He has gotten BETTER, if anything, especially with in-fighters. He's not throwing combinations due to his move up in weight, it could leave him open to bigger punchers. And he doesn't use his jab because he hasn't had to, mostly. Mayweather is at that point in his career, RIGHT after you peak, where you kind of settle for a year or two, then start to decline. But declined, he has not.

[Benny Leonard]

man, hatton and his team knew better than to fight the version of floyd that fought Gatti at 140. I keep hearing all these arguments about how Hatton was too small and this and that, but man i would have loved to see Hatton get in the ring against a more powerful/more aggressive mayweather at 140, Hatton didint want none of that, his team turned that **** down faster than a heater on a hot day.

OMG, somebody who finally sees the same thing as me.

Floyd wanted that fight bad. I've always said that fight with Tszyu pissed off the Mayweathers, which is why Floyd offered him that fight, twice, but of course we heard, "Ricky isn't ready." What??? the 140 pound Champion who just beat Tszyu, isn't ready for Floyd? Now why would that be?

Floyd was better physically in those years. The injuries, the extra weight, maybe a change in mentality like he mentioned in one of his interviews, maybe age, led him to adapt and change to who he is now.

Chico-Floyd, Gatti-Floyd, would have whooped that ass so bad.

The only reason this fight was even somewhat close early on is because Floyd's style is to fight relaxed, patient, and cautious early on...then he will come on as the fight goes on. Much different from the prior version.

Plus, if anybody listened to what Atlas said afterwards, he even thinks the same thing, It wasn't even close, despite what some may say...Floyd was in control the entire time.

[Ray*]

Hatton can avoid Witter because he generates more fans who will back him regardless, Most of them are in denial..They all see hatton like a god and would question why anyone would dare call him out, Witter is the WBC champion and the Number 1 guy on the ring magazine ratings..If the Champ(Hatton) isnt going to fight him then Ring magazine should demote him from the ranking...Since Hatton became the champ in 2005 he has only fought twice at 140..Maussa and urango who are probably the worst title holder at 140, He has never fought any of the top guys at 140...NONE

[El Jesus]

Hatton can avoid Witter because he generates more fans who will back him regardless, Most of them are in denial..They all see hatton like a god and would question why anyone would dare call him out, Witter is the WBC champion and the Number 1 guy on the ring magazine ratings..If the Champ(Hatton) isnt going to fight him then Ring magazine should demote him from the ranking...Since Hatton became the champ in 2005 he has only fought twice at 140..Maussa and urango who are probably the worst title holder at 140, He has never fought any of the top guys at 140...NONE

To be fair, Tszyu went inactive for a long ass time barely defending his title and he was never stripped, at long as Hatton defends it against a Paulie someone like that, they wont take it away, same with hopkins, who has only figuratively defended his title against wright.

But i do agree, that Hatton doing what Mayweather did to margarito gets him virtually a free pass, the difference is that Witter has been at this **** for years and has done more than enough to get a fight.

[Ray*]

To be fair, Tszyu went inactive for a long ass time barely defending his title and he was never stripped, at long as Hatton defends it against a Paulie someone like that, they wont take it away, same with hopkins, who has only figuratively defended his title against wright.

But i do agree, that Hatton doing what Mayweather did to margarito gets him virtually a free pass, the difference is that Witter has been at this **** for years and has done more than enough to get a fight.

I agree but i dont want to see Hatton fight anymore bums, He has padded his record enough..If he fights Paulie M over Witter i wouldnt be upset but if he fight some bum over Witter then he needs to be strip of the ring magazine belt.

[Benny Leonard]

I didnd't say the fight would happen IN America. I want it to be SHOWN on American TV. Which would still require build-up.

Furthermore, Tszyu had slipped. True. Mayweather? No. He has gotten BETTER, if anything, especially with in-fighters. He's not throwing combinations due to his move up in weight, it could leave him open to bigger punchers. And he doesn't use his jab because he hasn't had to, mostly. Mayweather is at that point in his career, RIGHT after you peak, where you kind of settle for a year or two, then start to decline. But declined, he has not.

Ah, I think it will. HBO likes what they see in Hatton so they want to keep him around, at least that's the last thing I heard.

I could see him fighting Paulie to regain the IBF belt, then if he wins, he should fight Witter.

I don't think Floyd has gotten better. How can you get better when you barely throw early on, just pot-shot. Not putting together combinations. Not able to consistently move, instead, opting to just stand there, usually on the ropes, taking shots, even if the ones to the head are mostly slipped and rolled. Decrease of the jab, instead, lead left hook. WTF, this is sounding like Roy Jones Jr. in his 30's.

Roy, Ali, Floyd, what do they have in common? They both started to hang on the ropes as they got older and opted to absorb punches instead of moving around. Not sure what Roy said of this, but Ali said it was because his body changed, he was bigger, which decreased his stamina to move around for the full fight, so he opted to just stand there.

How many big punches did Ali take prior to exile when he was moving around constantly, popping the jab, moving in and out with combinations? Now compare that with the post-exile. Same with Roy, before he went to the ropes, than afterwards.

The advantage for Floyd is that he has a better defense than both Ali and Roy when sitting in the pocket, which is why he still holds the name "Pretty Boy."

Ricky pointed out two things, (1) Floyd is not a lightweight anymore, he has extra weight on his frame. (2) Floyd likes to "close up shop" which means, he stops throwing during rounds.

All this was right before there match. He wasn't saying that when Floyd offered the fight years ago.

It took the Oscar fight to get Ricky in the ring.

[THe TRiNiTY]

He throws less, due to more risk. He's not a REAL 147 pounder. That's all. More he throws, more he's open, more he can get countered. The more HURT, he can get.

Furthermore, he doesn't absorb punches. He rolls them off. Hardly getting hit. His face is never really even bruised or bloodied.

I can honor your opinion, I just don't think he's declined. He will soon, especially with a long Kostya Tszyu-like layoff. But, he's at that flat level, so to speak, in my personal opinion.