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The more I think about it and the more I watch of these two guys, the more I think their styles are perfect foils for one another. Let's examine it a bit closer.......
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Undoubtedly the best boxer in the world today, with speed and finesse to spare. Mayweather has built his reputation on being able to utilize his superior boxing skill, speed and counterpunching ability to frustrate and even embarass his opponets. From seasoned pros like Carlos Hernandez, and Jesus Chavez to gritty tough guys like Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales, and even living the living legend Oscar De La Hoya Mayweather's resume is one of the best in boxing today.
Ricky Hatton
Hatton is a legend in his own right in his home town of Manchester England. Hatton has built his reputation on his tough guy mentality and his "take two to land 1" style of boxing/brawling. From seasoned vets like Tony Pep, and Mikhail Krivalapov to to tough guys like Carlos Maussa and Luis Collazo, and even a legend in his own right Kostya Tszyu. Hatton's resume, while lacking in highly recognizable names, is loaded with some tough competition as well.
Records
Clearly Floyd Mayweather Jr has the better record here than Hatton, with a better list of standout names and solid fighters than Hatton's.
Styles
Floyd Mayweather Jr is a masterful boxer and tactician. Mayweather is mainly a "bob and weave" and counterpunching fighter. He uses his small stature to the highest advantage, utilizing his shoulders and torso to avoid contact while maintaining a high level of head movement and faking. Mayweather's speed is second to only Zab Judah's IMO. His counterpunching ability is pinpoint and thrown with laserlike precision. While his jab and hooks are often thrown multiple times to confuse his opponets.
Ricky Hatton is mainly an inside fighter/brawler with a slight bit of boxing ability thrown in on occasion. Hatton is a big puncher for someone in his weightclass and has built that reputation on having a great strategy of ripping the body with vicious hooks, then focusing upstairs almost immediately. Recently Hatton has employed a clinching gameplan in order to get inside and wear the body down on opponets whom he normally may not be able to get inside on very easily.
Fightplan - Mayweather
Mayweather knows exactly what he must do to keep Hatton at bay. He must linger just outside of Hatton's reach, wait for him to fire and then counter him with his straight right hand. Mayweather may decise to fight off the ropes because he's the best in the sport at doing so, but I don't think that would be a very smart move considering Ricky's body work.
If I were Mayweather I would employ a similar gameplan to the one he used on Carlos Baldomir. Mayweather's punches are not going to be able to hurt Hatton, so he needs to employ the strategy he always employs and that's boxer/counterpuncher. Mayweather's strategy in fights is always flawless, so I can't really pick out much for him to do other than box, box, box.
Fightplan - Hatton
If I were Ricky Hatton I would come out of the corner in the first round with my eyes fixed on Mayweather's arms and shoulders. Floyd likes to avoid contact inside by using his shoulders to "roll" or lean away from incoming punches. If I were Ricky I'd use my decent head movement (which he has shown against Urango) to get inside. Once there I would unload bombs on Mayweather's arms and shoulders, to try to weaken them for later in the fight.
The idea would be to break down Mayweather's arms and shoulders over the course of several rounds, and essentially break his defensive shell. Once that was accomplished, I would target the body relentlessly. Hatton is know to have a serious punch downstairs and Mayweather has shown he is vulnerable to a sustained body attack in his first fight against Jose Luis Castillo.
The idea for Hatton would be to get inside to target the arms and shoulders first, then attack the body. hatton needs to be quick about this because his stamina only holds up for around 10 rounds, so he needs to start making it his type of fight once the bell rings.
Summary
This fight is a classic example of boxer vs brawler at it's highest level. Both fighters are undefeated Champions who are masters of their particular styles. I'm not saying Ricky Hatton can beat Floyd Mayweather Jr, because I'm still betting on Floyd to win. However I beg you all to rethink this fight a little bit and stop writing Hatton off so quickly.
There's no doubt that Mayweather has every advantage possible over Hatton, except for power. But I think some people aren't thinking of how close or tough this fight actually could be if Hatton were to be able to get inside of Mayweather's amazing defense.
I'm still picking the "Pretty Boy" to win a unanimous decision, but there is a possibility Hatton could pull an upset. Anything can happen in boxing, and I just wanted to go on record saying that win, lose or draw, I think Ricky Hatton will no doubt be Mayweather's toughest fight to date.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on anything I have said here, agree or disagree.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Undoubtedly the best boxer in the world today, with speed and finesse to spare. Mayweather has built his reputation on being able to utilize his superior boxing skill, speed and counterpunching ability to frustrate and even embarass his opponets. From seasoned pros like Carlos Hernandez, and Jesus Chavez to gritty tough guys like Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales, and even living the living legend Oscar De La Hoya Mayweather's resume is one of the best in boxing today.
Ricky Hatton
Hatton is a legend in his own right in his home town of Manchester England. Hatton has built his reputation on his tough guy mentality and his "take two to land 1" style of boxing/brawling. From seasoned vets like Tony Pep, and Mikhail Krivalapov to to tough guys like Carlos Maussa and Luis Collazo, and even a legend in his own right Kostya Tszyu. Hatton's resume, while lacking in highly recognizable names, is loaded with some tough competition as well.
Records
Clearly Floyd Mayweather Jr has the better record here than Hatton, with a better list of standout names and solid fighters than Hatton's.
Styles
Floyd Mayweather Jr is a masterful boxer and tactician. Mayweather is mainly a "bob and weave" and counterpunching fighter. He uses his small stature to the highest advantage, utilizing his shoulders and torso to avoid contact while maintaining a high level of head movement and faking. Mayweather's speed is second to only Zab Judah's IMO. His counterpunching ability is pinpoint and thrown with laserlike precision. While his jab and hooks are often thrown multiple times to confuse his opponets.
Ricky Hatton is mainly an inside fighter/brawler with a slight bit of boxing ability thrown in on occasion. Hatton is a big puncher for someone in his weightclass and has built that reputation on having a great strategy of ripping the body with vicious hooks, then focusing upstairs almost immediately. Recently Hatton has employed a clinching gameplan in order to get inside and wear the body down on opponets whom he normally may not be able to get inside on very easily.
Fightplan - Mayweather
Mayweather knows exactly what he must do to keep Hatton at bay. He must linger just outside of Hatton's reach, wait for him to fire and then counter him with his straight right hand. Mayweather may decise to fight off the ropes because he's the best in the sport at doing so, but I don't think that would be a very smart move considering Ricky's body work.
If I were Mayweather I would employ a similar gameplan to the one he used on Carlos Baldomir. Mayweather's punches are not going to be able to hurt Hatton, so he needs to employ the strategy he always employs and that's boxer/counterpuncher. Mayweather's strategy in fights is always flawless, so I can't really pick out much for him to do other than box, box, box.
Fightplan - Hatton
If I were Ricky Hatton I would come out of the corner in the first round with my eyes fixed on Mayweather's arms and shoulders. Floyd likes to avoid contact inside by using his shoulders to "roll" or lean away from incoming punches. If I were Ricky I'd use my decent head movement (which he has shown against Urango) to get inside. Once there I would unload bombs on Mayweather's arms and shoulders, to try to weaken them for later in the fight.
The idea would be to break down Mayweather's arms and shoulders over the course of several rounds, and essentially break his defensive shell. Once that was accomplished, I would target the body relentlessly. Hatton is know to have a serious punch downstairs and Mayweather has shown he is vulnerable to a sustained body attack in his first fight against Jose Luis Castillo.
The idea for Hatton would be to get inside to target the arms and shoulders first, then attack the body. hatton needs to be quick about this because his stamina only holds up for around 10 rounds, so he needs to start making it his type of fight once the bell rings.
Summary
This fight is a classic example of boxer vs brawler at it's highest level. Both fighters are undefeated Champions who are masters of their particular styles. I'm not saying Ricky Hatton can beat Floyd Mayweather Jr, because I'm still betting on Floyd to win. However I beg you all to rethink this fight a little bit and stop writing Hatton off so quickly.
There's no doubt that Mayweather has every advantage possible over Hatton, except for power. But I think some people aren't thinking of how close or tough this fight actually could be if Hatton were to be able to get inside of Mayweather's amazing defense.
I'm still picking the "Pretty Boy" to win a unanimous decision, but there is a possibility Hatton could pull an upset. Anything can happen in boxing, and I just wanted to go on record saying that win, lose or draw, I think Ricky Hatton will no doubt be Mayweather's toughest fight to date.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on anything I have said here, agree or disagree.
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