Billy Graham Retires, Will Ricky Hatton Use Floyd Sr.?

[Weebler I]

That is just it! Hatton didn't have a plan B Mayweather on the ther hand had plan B C D E.One can adapt the other can only fight one way,an ilegal way.Floyd was clinching Hatton just to get Cortez to break it up as none the fighters could throw any punches.He used Hattons way of fighting to beat him and he prevailed by knocking out Hatton with a hook Ricky could only dream of throwing.OH wait.. he was dreaming in the tenth round.

In-fighting isn't illegal. Leaning in isn't illegal. Cortez broke it up repeatedly, sometimes even before the fighters got near each other, it was a joke.

Don't you get it, Cortez stopped Ricky's plan A and then let Hopkin do in-fighting.

Can't you see the injustice?

The one way Ricky had to win, the one way that made this an interesting match-up at all and Cortez destroyed it, and the fight and protected the HBO cash cow.

[Flawless]

Hatton wasn't allowed to fight his fight and he didn't have a plan B. That would be acceptable if Floyd stopped his plan A but it wasn't Floyd, it was Cortez.

How **** must Hatton be who doesn't come into a fight with plan B.

[ALT-Assassin]

In-fighting isn't illegal. Leaning in isn't illegal. Cortez broke it up repeatedly, sometimes even before the fighters got near each other, it was a joke.

Don't you get it, Cortez stopped Ricky's plan A and then let Hopkin do in-fighting.

Can't you see the injustice?

The one way Ricky had to win, the one way that made this an interesting match-up at all and Cortez destroyed it, and the fight and protected the HBO cash cow.

No he did not as noone could throw any punches in the clinch,they were smothered you ignorant fool.Mayweather w****d his arms around Hatton so he couldn't throw any punches.Hopkins hates Cortez and didn't even want him to ref the fight.What you don't get is that Ricky hit the canvas twice before his corner threw in the towel.Your making Ricky seem like a one deminsional fighter useing that bull**** excuse.

[mojack]

I'm sorry but it was agreed on both sides of the Atlantic that Cortez was a complete joke.

Saying that Hatton still would have lost on points but Cortez contributed to the KO.

Cortez is the worst ref in boxing at the moment. Even Hopkins dodged Cortez because he was a biased ****.

[squealpiggy]

That is just it! Hatton didn't have a plan B Mayweather on the ther hand had plan B C D E.One can adapt the other can only fight one way,an ilegal way.Floyd was clinching Hatton just to get Cortez to break it up as none the fighters could throw any punches.He used Hattons way of fighting to beat him and he prevailed by knocking out Hatton with a hook Ricky could only dream of throwing.OH wait.. he was dreaming in the tenth round.

Hatton always throws that hook, in every single fight. Basically Hatton had one chance to win, everyone knew that. Cortez made sure that his one chance was taken away from him. Suggesting that Hatton should have a plan B, C, D and E against someone like Mayweather is pretty unfair.

It's true that it was an interesting matchup because of Hatton's pressure and footspeed. It was less interesting once the pressure element was taken away by Cortez splitting them up too much.

Furthermore you are suggesting that Mayweather clinched Hatton deliberately so that the referee would break them up? So what you're saying is that Mayweather CHEATED in order to gain an ADVANTAGE?

It's an interesting approach to applaud the best fighter on the planet for cheating in order to beat an opponent who was apparently an overhyped unskilled hug-machine. Are you saying that Floyd wasn't good enough to win without cheating, or simply stating that Floyd preferred to cheat instead of winning fairly?

[Flawless]

Yes, it was Cortez fault that Mayweather was able to hit him with lead right hand. It was Cortez fault that Hatton only got 17% of his punches were able to hit Mayweather. Cortez fault Hatton lunged at Mayweather and was hit with a left check hook. Hatton fault who not having a defence at all??

[ALT-Assassin]

Hatton always throws that hook, in every single fight. Basically Hatton had one chance to win, everyone knew that. Cortez made sure that his one chance was taken away from him. Suggesting that Hatton should have a plan B, C, D and E against someone like Mayweather is pretty unfair.

It's true that it was an interesting matchup because of Hatton's pressure and footspeed. It was less interesting once the pressure element was taken away by Cortez splitting them up too much.

Furthermore you are suggesting that Mayweather clinched Hatton deliberately so that the referee would break them up? So what you're saying is that Mayweather CHEATED in order to gain an ADVANTAGE?

It's an interesting approach to applaud the best fighter on the planet for cheating in order to beat an opponent who was apparently an overhyped unskilled hug-machine. Are you saying that Floyd wasn't good enough to win without cheating, or simply stating that Floyd preferred to cheat instead of winning fairly?

That is a smart tactic.He knew Hattons gameplan was to get on the inside so he clinched like any smart fighter would have.If Cotto would of clinched more he may have survived.Hatton on the other hand holds and hits rabbit punches and low blows.I like it when people complain about Mayweathers elbows when Hatton is known as a dirty fighter and Mayweather isn't.Ricky got away with everything in the Tyszu and his fans complain when he can't hit and hold.It is hypocracy.

[ALT-Assassin]

Yes, it was Cortez fault that Mayweather was able to hit him with lead right hand. It was Cortez fault that Hatton only got 17% of his punches were able to hit Mayweather. Cortez fault Hatton lunged at Mayweather and was hit with a left check hook. Hatton fault who not having a defence at all??

These people are crazy to think Hatton had a chance in that fight.Even when Mayweather was on the ropes Hatton wasn't landing anyting.Anytime the ref let them fight on the inside Mayweather was doing the better work.How can these people not see the gulf in class+

[squealpiggy]

Yes, it was Cortez fault that Mayweather was able to hit him with lead right hand. It was Cortez fault that Hatton only got 17% of his punches were able to hit Mayweather. Cortez fault Hatton lunged at Mayweather and was hit with a left check hook. Hatton fault who not having a defence at all??

Hatton's gameplan and ONLY chance against Mayweather was to be able to ship some leather on the way in then attack the body and fight out of clinches. Even Hatton's fans acknowledged this, including myself. Mayweather's key to victory was to keep the fight on the outside and keep landing counters while Hatton moved in. So while it wasn't Cortez's fault that Hatton got hit with right hand leads (Hatton expected it as well!) it was Cortez who directly led to Hatton taking more counters than he would have done otherwise.

Furthermore Hatton was relying on being able to smother Floyd's counters and throw a welter of short inside punches in order to wear Floyd down. Hatton was not relying on a hugely accurate punch rate. You should never bring a knife to a gunfight but if you did find yourself in such a predicament you wouldn't hang around on the other side of the room, you would close the distance. Crisp and accurate punches was Floyd's game, Hatton's gameplan was to remove those advantages by turning it into a brawl. Again, Cortez did not allow that to happen.

Finally this "check hook" which is now the most famous punch in boxing apparently was landed after three straight rounds of Ricky running into awful punishment after he clearly abandoned his head movement and feints. Do you think Hatton would have been knocked down if Floyd had landed that punch in the first round?

That is a smart tactic

At what point does deliberately cheating to gain an advantage became a "smart tactic"? Is training on steroids a "smart tactic"? If we can agree that holding is cheating (after all most of the people who dislike Hatton use his holding as the chief reason for it, and any discussion about Ruiz essentially reaches the same conclusion) and we can certainly see that Floyd gained an advantage from holding then it's questionable exactly how it can be described as "smart tactics". Cheating is not the same as tactics.

For me the question isn't whether Cortez cost Ricky the fight. We cannot say whether Hatton would have won or finished on his feet or whether the fight would have been close. It could be argued that Cortez robbed Ricky Hatton but without question Cortez robbed US of a great fight by consistently favouring one fighter.

[squealpiggy]

These people are crazy to think Hatton had a chance in that fight.

So if Hatton had no chance why did Floyd feel the need to deliberately cheat in order to gain an advantage? Did Floyd prefer cheating to winning fairly? I mean Hatton had NO CHANCE right?