Is this the end of Ricky Hatton

**sparked_85** · 11-21-2008, 04:19 AM

I think Hatton is a very good fighter,world class fighter.

But I stop short of calling him an elite fighter. There are a fair few guys that would just be too good for him. A true elite is a guy who you wouldn't pick against with confidence.

Hatton's crowning glory came against Tszyu, you can say that was an inactive Tszyu, but come on now, Ricky Hatton is Ricky Hatton and Tszyu is Tszyu. You can window dress it, ***** about anything you like regarding that fight, but Ricky Hatton beat him.

I think a bit of a beatdown against whoever he faces after Paulie will be the end. I don't think Hatton has slipped that much, he is what he is, and to beat him you need to be able to hurt him. At 140 pounds he is a very strong fighter, with good footspeed, deceptively good handspeed, decent power, and a high workrate. Should be too good for a guy who relies almost exclusively on a nice fast jab and has no real pop.

After Paulie, Hatton gets smashed.

**MANGLER** · 11-21-2008, 04:20 AM

If he loses decisively, I think his big fight days are over.

**Thread Stealer** · 11-21-2008, 04:23 AM

No, I think he gets past Malignaggi, then loses to DLH next Cinco De Mayo.

And it'll take place at the MGM Grand in Vegas, not Wembley.

**trfcdan86** · 11-21-2008, 04:40 AM

I have never considered Ricky Hatton to be an elite fighter, after the Tsyzu fight the thought crossed my mind that maybe he would be able to go on to bigger and better things. Unfortunatley he has been very unimpressive since that fight. Maussa (who!),Collazo (he lost that fight), Urango (who!), Castillo (a shot to pieces Castillo), Mayweather (comprehensively beat! wasn't fit to share a ring with Mayweather) and Lazcano (who had been inactive for a while and was never really that good anyway, though caused Hatton problems). Ricky Hatton is perhaps the sports most overatted fighter.

I don't buy into this bull**** either of "Ricky Hatton's a normal guy" and "Ricky Hatton is a man of the people". Please tell me what normal person refers to themselves in the third person. What normal person wears his name all over his own clothing. What man of the people fights all off his big fights away from his public, what man of the people fights in a meaningless fight (Lazcano) and has it broadcast on Pay-Per-Veiw.

I also think it is terrible how he and his father have treated Billy Graham I really do. He proved his cowardice by telling the public that "it was for his own good, I was hurting him during training etc etc". When we all now deep down he blames him for the Mayweather defeat.

**sparked_85** · 11-21-2008, 04:45 AM

Originally posted by trfcdan86

I have never considered Ricky Hatton to be an elite fighter, after the Tsyzu fight the thought crossed my mind that maybe he would be able to go on to bigger and better things. Unfortunatley he has been very unimpressive since that fight. Maussa (who!),Collazo (he lost that fight), Urango (who!), Castillo (a shot to pieces Castillo), Mayweather (comprehensively beat! wasn't fit to share a ring with Mayweather) and Lazcano (who had been inactive for a while and was never really that good anyway, though caused Hatton problems). Ricky Hatton is perhaps the sports most overatted fighter.

I don't buy into this bull**** either of "Ricky Hatton's a normal guy" and "Ricky Hatton is a man of the people". Please tell me what normal person refers to themselves in the third person. What normal person wears his name all over his own clothing. What man of the people fights all off his big fights away from his public, what man of the people fights in a meaningless fight (Lazcano) and has it broadcast on Pay-Per-Veiw.

I also think it is terrible how he and his father have treated Billy Graham I really do. He proved his cowardice by telling the public that "it was for his own good, I was hurting him during training etc etc". When we all now deep down he blames him for the Mayweather defeat.

true, this is painful. Painful!!

It's the prime reason why I've never really liked him that much. His personality is also that of an 80 year old pensioner.

**Pugilistic�** · 11-21-2008, 05:10 AM

i don't see how losing to the best fighter in the world makes you past it. By you saying he has been on the decline for 3 years is discrediting Mayweathers win over him.

Hatton has never that good at 147. At 140 Hatton is able to bully and hurt his opponents but at 147 the advantages he has at 140 are not the same because the fighters are bigger and stronger. The proof is his performances at 147.

In his fights against Urango and Lazcano he was ill and wasn't able to do full training which affected him in the ring.

Hatton may not be a elite fighter but he is a good fighter.

**The Gully Gad** · 11-21-2008, 05:11 AM

No way is it the end..
Paulie isnt the one to make that happen...

**Nacho_Analstain** · 11-21-2008, 05:18 AM

The weight definately had something to do with it, many fighters have done it in the past without issues i agree but not everybody can do it and not everybody bloats up inbetween fights like Ricky does, his own fault but still a factor in his decline.

I haven't seen this huge decline people speak of though, he got knocked out by the best fighter in the world in a losing effort then battered a tough veteran in Lazcano for 12 rounds, winning nearly every round. You could say his chin has declined as Lazcano hurt him late on, or maybe Lazcano just landed a decent punch that could have rocked any 140lb fighter? nobody knows the answer.

He hasn't used his boxing ability in his last few fights though I can agree to that, other than the Urango fight he has bull rushed his opponents and tried to take them out ... Understandable ... he was under a lot of pressure in the Mayweather fight and extremely pumped up and he knew he had to win so badly in the Lazcano fight infront of ALL his fans in an important comeback bout.

I think we will see a different Ricky in this fight, if he loses, retire.

**Thread Stealer** · 11-21-2008, 06:01 AM

Originally posted by Precision

i don't see how losing to the best fighter in the world makes you past it. By you saying he has been on the decline for 3 years is discrediting Mayweathers win over him.

Hatton has never that good at 147. At 140 Hatton is able to bully and hurt his opponents but at 147 the advantages he has at 140 are not the same because the fighters are bigger and stronger. The proof is his performances at 147.

In his fights against Urango and Lazcano he was ill and wasn't able to do full training which affected him in the ring.

Hatton may not be a elite fighter but he is a good fighter.

Hatton was quicker of hand and foot in his younger days. I'm not sure if his increased clinching from 2005-on has to deal with the step up in opposition, a sign of decline/lessened stamina, or just a strategic move (it worked against Tszyu, so why not lesser fighters?). He doesn't jab as much as he used to. I thought he jabbed and used the ring nicely against Tackie, for instance. Again, a step up in opposition or a change in style? What bothered me the most about his performance against Lazcano was him leaping in with that left hook. It got him hurt in the 8th against Mayweather. It got him laid out in round 10 against Mayweather. It got him stunned against Lazcano, then he did it again and he got hurt from it. All from counter left hooks when Hatton leaped with that telegraphed left hook. I sure hope if he gets past Malignaggi and fights DLH, that he definitely does not do that. His defense overall, seems leakier than before.

I'm not really sure what to make of it when fighters talk about having illnesses or injuries. You hear it so often that it's hard to really know when it's true or when it's just an excuse.

Is this the end of Ricky Hatton