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De La Hoya Says Ricky Hatton Should Fight On
by James Slater - No doubt Ricky Hatton, who fell in just two rounds against Manny Pacquiao this past Saturday (as if anyone didn't know), is receiving advice on his future from practically everyone he comes into contact with today. Should he fight on, or should he walk away from boxing after what he suffered inside The MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on May 2nd? It may well be an agonisingly tough decision for the 30-year-old to make. However, if he is to follow the advice of fellow Manny Pacquiao victim Oscar De La Hoya - who was forced to remain on his stool after eight rounds last December - Hatton will indeed fight again..
Talking to Mirror Sport, Oscar said he does not think Hatton should call it quits, even though he has now lost twice in big fights.
"It doesn't have to be the end for Ricky," De La Hoya said of the "Pac-Man" disaster. "Ricky's young. Ricky still has what it takes. He can still have a bright future. Look, I have six losses in my career. Just because you lose, it isn't the end for you. It's about how you come back.
"When Ricky lost to Floyd Mayweather Junior, people thought it was the end. But he came back and beat Paulie Malignaggi in some style. I was surprised how he beat Malignaggi. He cut straight through him. It's just a matter of how you come back and play it smart."
Ricky may well find Oscar's words encouraging, but will he be anything like the same fighter he was before being on the receiving end of a KO punch Ring magazine has called, 'an overhand left for the ages.' Also, is De La Hoya perhaps hoping even now to meet Hatton in a big-money fight in the future? It's possible.
According to the Mirror article, Hatton may possibly decide to fight in a "Farewell" bout against Australian crowd-pleaser Michael Katsidis, who is, of course, a natural lightweight. Such a fight would make sense for "The Hitman," in that he would be favoured, even after what happened to him against the reigning pound-for-pound king, to win.
And you can bet money on the fact that if Hatton were to fight a final, goodbye to the fans type of fight in his native Manchester, it would sell out quickly, no matter who the opponent was.
Richard Schaefer said recently that, "Hatton could generate a bigger gate in Britain than in Vegas." Before adding that the decision of whether to box again or not is Ricky's and his alone.
Don't expect any official announcements from the now 45-2(32) former champion any time soon. As Hatton has made clear, he has much to think about.
by James Slater - No doubt Ricky Hatton, who fell in just two rounds against Manny Pacquiao this past Saturday (as if anyone didn't know), is receiving advice on his future from practically everyone he comes into contact with today. Should he fight on, or should he walk away from boxing after what he suffered inside The MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on May 2nd? It may well be an agonisingly tough decision for the 30-year-old to make. However, if he is to follow the advice of fellow Manny Pacquiao victim Oscar De La Hoya - who was forced to remain on his stool after eight rounds last December - Hatton will indeed fight again..
Talking to Mirror Sport, Oscar said he does not think Hatton should call it quits, even though he has now lost twice in big fights.
"It doesn't have to be the end for Ricky," De La Hoya said of the "Pac-Man" disaster. "Ricky's young. Ricky still has what it takes. He can still have a bright future. Look, I have six losses in my career. Just because you lose, it isn't the end for you. It's about how you come back.
"When Ricky lost to Floyd Mayweather Junior, people thought it was the end. But he came back and beat Paulie Malignaggi in some style. I was surprised how he beat Malignaggi. He cut straight through him. It's just a matter of how you come back and play it smart."
Ricky may well find Oscar's words encouraging, but will he be anything like the same fighter he was before being on the receiving end of a KO punch Ring magazine has called, 'an overhand left for the ages.' Also, is De La Hoya perhaps hoping even now to meet Hatton in a big-money fight in the future? It's possible.
According to the Mirror article, Hatton may possibly decide to fight in a "Farewell" bout against Australian crowd-pleaser Michael Katsidis, who is, of course, a natural lightweight. Such a fight would make sense for "The Hitman," in that he would be favoured, even after what happened to him against the reigning pound-for-pound king, to win.
And you can bet money on the fact that if Hatton were to fight a final, goodbye to the fans type of fight in his native Manchester, it would sell out quickly, no matter who the opponent was.
Richard Schaefer said recently that, "Hatton could generate a bigger gate in Britain than in Vegas." Before adding that the decision of whether to box again or not is Ricky's and his alone.
Don't expect any official announcements from the now 45-2(32) former champion any time soon. As Hatton has made clear, he has much to think about.
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