Hatton speaks..

[GunStar]

In all honesty Ricky is already past his best, he's taken a tonne of punches 40 times in eight years and is 28 this year! His style means that he's take risks, and his out-of-the-ring habits means that his body will sooner or later hit breakdown. He's already had his career-defining fight, and after that he has nothing left to prove to anyone anymore. Now, he's just living the American dream while he can.

And Ricky wants to fight Mayweather no matter what, win or lose, it doesn't matter to him as long as he gives the fans what they want and makes it exciting. Ofcourse, he'll be trying to win. But even if he gets destroyed by Mayweather, atleast he's given the fans a good fight and given it his best shot - that's his mindset.

Lol, JuyJuy you consider every fighter you like to be passed his prime by the age of 28. Hatton is only 27 in he's already past his prime.

[JuicyJuice]

Lol, JuyJuy you consider every fighter you like to be passed his prime by the age of 28. Hatton is only 27 in he's already past his prime.

A boxer reaches his physical peak between the age of 22 and 26.

These last five years though, people have been fooled by the Bernard Hopkins debacle (who wasn't half the fighter he was in the 90's anyway).

[GunStar]

A boxer reaches his physical peak between the age of 22 and 26.

These last five years though, people have been fooled by the Bernard Hopkins debacle (who wasn't half the fighter he was in the 90's anyway).

Can you please name all the big current fighters that are not in prime???

[DiegoFuego]

Is Mayweather not in his prime?

[JuicyJuice]

Well, how do you define 'prime'? A fighters prime for me is when they are at the best stage of their career, not at their best physically. Look at Marco Barerra, he's not half the fighter he was in 1995. Eric Morales, he's washed-up at 28/29. Gatti and Ward wrecked eachother with their wars. Nigel Benn looked absolutely awful after the McClellan fight (one too many wars).

Ricky Hatton takes risks and takes punches, he made that choice in 1999 and stuck to it. Somebody like Mayweather has never taken punches, which means he's far, far fresher than a Hatton, although at 28 he's already looking past his best. Roy Jones didn't take punches, but even he looked far better in his 168 days than he did at 175. Naseem Hamed didn't take punches, he wasn't half the fighter he was in 1995 from the Kelley fight onwards.

[JuicyJuice]

Barry McGuigan, like Hatton an intense pressure fighter, but he had nothing left after Pedroza. He was a shadow of his former self after Pedroza because that fight took too much out of him.

[DiegoFuego]

Well, how do you define 'prime'? A fighters prime for me is when they are at the best stage of their career, not at their best physically. Look at Marco Barerra, he's not half the fighter he was in 1995. Eric Morales, he's washed-up at 28/29. Gatti and Ward wrecked eachother with their wars. Nigel Benn looked absolutely awful after the McClellan fight (one too many wars).

Ricky Hatton takes risks and takes punches, he made that choice in 1999 and stuck to it. Somebody like Mayweather has never taken punches, which means he's far, far fresher than a Hatton, although at 28 he's already looking past his best. Roy Jones didn't take punches, but even he looked far better in his 168 days than he did at 175. Naseem Hamed didn't take punches, he wasn't half the fighter he was in 1995 from the Kelley fight onwards.

so basically once you fold to the first strong opponent you've faced in years, you're out of your prime, right?

[JuicyJuice]

so basically once you fold to the first strong opponent you've faced in years, you're out of your prime, right?

No, when you fight like Hatton you can't go fighting into your 30's. Mayweather just doesn't take punches.

And Hatton has always been a binge-drinker and heavy junk food eater between fights, whereas Mayweather has always trained all year round and has never even touched alcohol!

[elgaringo]

Well, how do you define 'prime'? A fighters prime for me is when they are at the best stage of their career, not at their best physically. Look at Marco Barerra, he's not half the fighter he was in 1995. Eric Morales, he's washed-up at 28/29. Gatti and Ward wrecked eachother with their wars. Nigel Benn looked absolutely awful after the McClellan fight (one too many wars).

Ricky Hatton takes risks and takes punches, he made that choice in 1999 and stuck to it. Somebody like Mayweather has never taken punches, which means he's far, far fresher than a Hatton, although at 28 he's already looking past his best. Roy Jones didn't take punches, but even he looked far better in his 168 days than he did at 175. Naseem Hamed didn't take punches, he wasn't half the fighter he was in 1995 from the Kelley fight onwards.

I agree with that, some fighters get shot phisically and some mentally. I believe with Naz it was a combination of the two

[JuicyJuice]

I agree with that, some fighters get shot phisically and some mentally. I believe with Naz it was a combination of the two

He just stopped training. And as the years progressed, his reflexes were fading.