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I'm a decent-sized fan of Ricky Hatton.
Decent guy, decent boxer. Nothing really to hate. However, the one problem I have with him (or perhaps his fans) is that they think that beating the number one guy makes you the number one guy. It doesn't.
You can look at recent history if you'd like some proof. Jermain Taylor beat Bernard Hopkins, and he wasn't number one. Antonio Tarver beat Roy Jones in a much more impactful way then Ricky will ever beat Manny Pacquiao and he wasn't number one. It's just not how the game goes.
You get higher on the list, and by natural order, you will rank higher then the former 'king', but you don't go to the top. Just doesn't happen. Generally, number two would go to number one, and that would be Juan Manuel Marquez. Or Joe Calzaghe to some, which raises another point. Realistically, Ricky might still be number two p4p in the U.K. Let alone the world.
Think about it within other sports. Right now, the number one team in the NBA is the Boston Celtics, now they are currently going to be facing the Detroit Pistons, who arewhere within the top 10, or so. If the Pistons win, it's a GREAT win and they will improve their standing to a degree, but they don't automatically become number one.
Now, basketball and boxing are different, in the sense that boxing is more decisive, event to event. However, if one truly wanted to, one could make the argument that Manny could still reasonably be HIGHER than Hatton if Hatton wins in a close, boring, controversial fight. Because p4p isn't about who wins, persay. It's about who you beat, but also how you beat them. When did you beat them? Were they intheir natural weight class? What type of upside do you have and what are your passed accomplishments?
You can tell this type of thinking goes into play when a fighter can lose a close fight people expected him to lose and his rating still goes up.
I'd rank Hatton higher, because he is already within the p4p top 10. But, the case could respectably be made.
Nonetheless, higher doesn't mean number one. He could go from number 9, to about number 5 or so, Manny would/could drop to about number 6, pushing out Celestino Caballero. Because to push him above Vazquez, Hopkins, Calzaghe and Marquez for ONE fight would be a bit ridiculous in my book. Especially since the guy who WOULD be in number one gave Manny the toughest challenge did it at Manny's most promising weight, atleast by what we can tell.
Hatton would go higher, but not higher than 5 in my opinion. Just the way it goes.
Vote. Discuss.
Decent guy, decent boxer. Nothing really to hate. However, the one problem I have with him (or perhaps his fans) is that they think that beating the number one guy makes you the number one guy. It doesn't.
You can look at recent history if you'd like some proof. Jermain Taylor beat Bernard Hopkins, and he wasn't number one. Antonio Tarver beat Roy Jones in a much more impactful way then Ricky will ever beat Manny Pacquiao and he wasn't number one. It's just not how the game goes.
You get higher on the list, and by natural order, you will rank higher then the former 'king', but you don't go to the top. Just doesn't happen. Generally, number two would go to number one, and that would be Juan Manuel Marquez. Or Joe Calzaghe to some, which raises another point. Realistically, Ricky might still be number two p4p in the U.K. Let alone the world.
Think about it within other sports. Right now, the number one team in the NBA is the Boston Celtics, now they are currently going to be facing the Detroit Pistons, who arewhere within the top 10, or so. If the Pistons win, it's a GREAT win and they will improve their standing to a degree, but they don't automatically become number one.
Now, basketball and boxing are different, in the sense that boxing is more decisive, event to event. However, if one truly wanted to, one could make the argument that Manny could still reasonably be HIGHER than Hatton if Hatton wins in a close, boring, controversial fight. Because p4p isn't about who wins, persay. It's about who you beat, but also how you beat them. When did you beat them? Were they intheir natural weight class? What type of upside do you have and what are your passed accomplishments?
You can tell this type of thinking goes into play when a fighter can lose a close fight people expected him to lose and his rating still goes up.
I'd rank Hatton higher, because he is already within the p4p top 10. But, the case could respectably be made.
Nonetheless, higher doesn't mean number one. He could go from number 9, to about number 5 or so, Manny would/could drop to about number 6, pushing out Celestino Caballero. Because to push him above Vazquez, Hopkins, Calzaghe and Marquez for ONE fight would be a bit ridiculous in my book. Especially since the guy who WOULD be in number one gave Manny the toughest challenge did it at Manny's most promising weight, atleast by what we can tell.
Hatton would go higher, but not higher than 5 in my opinion. Just the way it goes.
Vote. Discuss.
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