: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:22 pm  

Mayweather v Hatton II needs to happen. Ledgends are formed by 2nd and 3rd fights. Mayweather will come to Manchester - and win. But - as another poster said - if anyone can beat Flloyd - its Ricky.

: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:50 am  

upthecats wrote:

It could depend on how much foul play and cheating Mayweather would be allowed to get away with. If he isn't allowed to get away with the things he got away with in Vegas and Hatton does get away with a bit more, then he's an outside chance IMO.

I'm not sure how much greater "cheat" Mayweather is than Hatton. You can't tell me that Hatton's roughouse ractics against Zoo (head, elbows and even rabbit punching) are the epitome of fair play.

I remember when Hatton was an exceptional technical boxer, not the grappling, holding, brawling fighter he's become since Zoo.

As I said earlier, if he can persuade Mayweather to come down to 140, then I believe his chances increase greatly.

Why? Mayweather will be just as strong at 140. He might even be quicker.

: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:31 am  

Matt23 wrote:

Mayweather is the best boxer I've seen in my lifetime, and he must be up there with all of the all time greats.
Mugwump, I think you do Hatton a slight injustice in that fight. Firstly let me say that Hatton isn't in the same league as Mayweather, and never will be. Natural talent like that doesn't come around very often.

However, the refereeing in that fight favoured Mayweather so much he may as well have been reffing himself. Of course, the only difference that made to the fight IMO would have been Hatton still standing at the end, probably 9 or 10 rounds behind on the scorecards, but I think with the amount of heart he showed in that fight, he deserved to get to the end, and some absolutely shocking refereeing denied him that IMO.

I can sympathise - a bit - with Hatton over Cortez's refereeing (although it’s worth remembering that the judges at the end of the fight gave Hatton ONE round). Hatton could only win by getting in Mayweather's face (whilst taking two or three shots in the mush coming in) and Cortez was just a bit too eager to separate them. Mayweather mugged Hatton for the point deduction. He deliberately allowed himself to get turned on the ropes banking on Hatton clocking him one over the back of the head. It was a nothing punch, but Hatton should have known better. After the point deduction he panicked, rushing in at every opportunity to try and win points back.

I've watched that knockout clip over and over. It's a work of pure genius practiced time and time again in the gym. They had Hatton figured out completely; knew more about him than he did. Mayweather keeps backing up and backing up, inviting a desperate Hatton to come and chase him. Just as Ricky backs him into the corner and throws the left he rolls out of the way and plants one firmly in his mush. Intelligence, timing (not power. Mayweather has never been about power) and reflexes.

Hatton could fight Mayweather a dozen times at any weight – the result would be the same. He doesn’t have the tools to trouble Floyd – namely an excellent jab and good head movement. If anything he’s made for him.

: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:44 pm  

There's clips floating about the internet that show just how unfairly the contest was refereed, when broken down and shown in slow motion clips.

Floyd can be seen...

Ducking his head below Hatton's waste (illegal) about 20 times.

Elbow into Hatton's face at least 6 times.

Forearm into Hatton's throat numerous times.

Floyd initiating plenty of holding in the clinches.

Despite all this Cortez only ever spoke to Floyd once while all the time being on Hatton's case, leading to his clear frustration and change of gameplan.

Going back to the Tyszu fight, It's obvious to anyone who watched it that Rick won because of what Dave Parris let him get away with. Cortez allowed nothing though, whilst at the same time allowing Floyd to continually break the rules and get away with it.

What I was saying, is that if Hatton was allowed to get away with similar to what he got away with in the Tyszu fight then I'd give him a chance. Team Mayweather got to Cortez though and never allowed that to happen last time out.

Agree on the head movement though, It's something Rick really needs to work on. His speed and footwork and boxing ability are really under-rated IMO, but I do agree his head has always been too still and too easy to pick off for anyone with a bit of class.

: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:12 pm  

As I said - Hatton did get a raw deal from Cortez. But even with an English ref, I can't see him winning more than three rounds. In any case, when you're on foreign soil you've got to expect and plan for a home ref. Certainly you can't afford to even **think** about swinging spectacularly at a man on the ropes facing the outside of the ring. It's a point deduction waiting to happen and Ricky fell for it like a mug.

I agree that Hatton's footwork - especially - is underrated. But he didn't use it in the Mayweather fight. Even in the early rounds he seemed like he was on his heels instead of his toes.

I just don't like what Ricky's become since the Zoo fight. He was an excellent technician beforehand, who could mix his game up with a lot of variety and distances. Now all he wants to do, seemingly, is plant his head on the shoulder of his opponent and stay there for twelve rounds. It's like watching Bernard Hopkins (although he has the excuse that he's 43).

: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:51 pm  

Can't think of a better photo to sum up the Heavyweight division right now.

: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:54 pm  

All the papers will be full of the Khan fight this weekend but the other lightweight fight sees Thaxton v Romanov tommorow,could be a classic imo.With Casamayor and Cambell holding the main belts,even though Khan is in a title eliminator (?)i dont think he will fight one of those 2 just yet,so could Thaxton or Romanov get a shot?Sad to hear about Scott Brookes passing away this week,20 years old.Gym-mate and sparring partner of Clinton Woods.

: Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:49 am  

Mugwump wrote:

Can't think of a better photo to sum up the Heavyweight division right now.

You really need to be able to do the business to wear pink gloves.

Valuev looks like Frankenstein’s ugly brother.

: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:09 am  

Derek Acorah wrote:

All the papers will be full of the Khan fight this weekend but the other lightweight fight sees Thaxton v Romanov tommorow,could be a classic imo.With Casamayor and Cambell holding the main belts,even though Khan is in a title eliminator (?)i dont think he will fight one of those 2 just yet

The Khan fight is an eliminator for Campbell's WBO(?) title IIRC.

Thaxton has a lot on the line here IMO - he's been giving it large in the press about what he's going to do to Khan and will probably lose any opportunity to back that up in the ring if he gets battered by Romanov. It would seal his reputation as a decent domestic scrapper but nothing more.

: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:43 am  

Mugwump wrote:

Can't think of a better photo to sum up the Heavyweight division right now.

David Haye's after him I believe in time.