[Archived] Boxing Thread

[broadsword]

Would that have the same pull as Hatton vs Mayweather?

[T4E]

Of course not - nothing he does for a while now will, if anything ever does again.

[broadsword]

I know, couldn't help posting a rhetorical question.

In that case, retiring would be a tempting option. He doesn't seem the sort to hang around for the cash.

[Alex Rover]

I know, couldn't help posting a rhetorical question.

In that case, retiring would be a tempting option. He doesn't seem the sort to hang around for the cash.

Have you seen his bird? Unfortunately with the world the way it is, in order to keep her hanging around he needs the money coming in to keep her interested.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

He said he felt like he's let down the British public and probably wants to give something back to the British fans and a fight against Junior Witter could be a good one to have in front of a packed out British Arena.

[Roar of the Rover]

I'd like to see Ricky Hatton vs Oscar De La Hoya at Wembley. Calzaghe's looks like he'll be up againts Bernard Hopkins.

[RevidgeBlue]

Fantastic fight, Hatton was completely outclassed from start to finish but showed the heart of a lion. The punches he took in the eighth round would have felled an ox.

As for Mayweather, he picked Hatton off with the precision of a sniper right from the opening bell and I didn't think the scores on the judges cards by the end were untoward at all.

[Eddie]

There is only really one way Hatton can make his career worth while and that is to get a rematch with Mayweather at some point. Either they can set this up now, or there could be a De La Hoya v Hatton fight with the winner fighting Mayweather. If Hatton does anything else then he will simply be the loser of "Undefeated" and really that is all he will be remembered for outside of British boxing circles.

[LeftWinger]

As much as I'd love to see a Mayweather rematch at 140lbs - can you honestly see it happening? What does Floyd have to benefit from one? If there had been a controversial points win - then maybe - but there wasn't. As for Ricky fighting Oscar - I think that he would struggle. Would Oscar come down to Welterweight? He hasn't fought at that since losing to Mosley in 2000 - unless I've missed one - and even at Welterweight we've seen Ricky isn't at his best. I agree with those who'd like to see him fight Witter next.

[Presty On Tour]

Mayweather done his talking with his firsts in the ring, every attack he made he was really hurting Hatton and he was just picking him off through the rounds with his speed.

Hatton had no answer to his defensive qualities, plus with some aid from the ref depending how you look at it.

[T4E]

There is only really one way Hatton can make his career worth while and that is to get a rematch with Mayweather at some point. Either they can set this up now, or there could be a De La Hoya v Hatton fight with the winner fighting Mayweather. If Hatton does anything else then he will simply be the loser of "Undefeated" and really that is all he will be remembered for outside of British boxing circles.

Hatton has already had a very worthwhile career and has beaten some very capable opponents. To say his career is a waste of time just because he lost to one of the all time greats is ridiculous. De La Hoya lost to Mayweather, along with 4 other defeats - was his career worthwhile?

As much as I'd love to see a Mayweather rematch at 140lbs - can you honestly see it happening? What does Floyd have to benefit from one? If there had been a controversial points win - then maybe - but there wasn't. As for Ricky fighting Oscar - I think that he would struggle. Would Oscar come down to Welterweight? He hasn't fought at that since losing to Mosley in 2000 - unless I've missed one - and even at Welterweight we've seen Ricky isn't at his best. I agree with those who'd like to see him fight Witter next.

Even if they declared the Mayweather-Hatton rematch at 140 PBF would still likely come in close to 147. The only way Hatton would have a chance would be to bridge the gap - its more down to natural strength and speed than specific weight on the night. Mayweather is naturally 147, and is quick with it - so when Hatton has gone in at 147 he's looked slower than usual.

I can't see anything positive for Hatton's career in facing De La Hoya either. A win would only have people citing De La Hoya's age, and a loss would be hugely damaging for the same reason. De La Hoya has fought at middleweight many times, and Mayweather actually had to go up to 154 to fight him. Thats a bridge too far for Ricky. For the record, De La Hoya fought Arturo Gatti at Welterweight after the first Moseley fight.

It's got to be Witter next. Unless of course Ricky wants to give up the "between fight" lifestyle that he leads and really give it another go.

[Eddie]

Hatton has already had a very worthwhile career and has beaten some very capable opponents. To say his career is a waste of time just because he lost to one of the all time greats is ridiculous. De La Hoya lost to Mayweather, along with 4 other defeats - was his career worthwhile?

Is it really though? Hatton has had a great career and you are right in the fact that he has beaten some very talented boxers, but this was the fight that was going to define his career. This is the only fight he has fought that has really been on the global stage, all of the others have attracted a massive amount of attention in the UK, but not elsewhere. Now far be it from me to judge the man as he has achieved much more in sport than I ever will, so if he is happy with what he is done then he is well within his rights, but I don't think that anyone can deny that this was his shot at the big time and he didn't get it. He will always be appreciated in the UK and that may be enough for you or, more importantly, for him, but once you step outside his home people will remember him as the loser of undefeated. De La Hoya has lost more fights, but I'd say he's won some bigger ones than Hatton has.

By the way, when I meant worthwhile, I was talking about the rest of his career, not what has gone before. Obviously what he has done before has been more than worthwhile, but if he simply returns to fighting mostly B class fighters over in the UK then I don't really see the point.

[LeftWinger]

Didn't Hatton make a guaranteed £6m from the fight - plus a share of the PPV revenue? What a wasted career! I bet he wishes he'd never taken boxing up from a young age now - and spent so much of his life on it. What about his win over Kosta Tszyu?

[American]

Boxing really needs to go back to fewer weight classes like it had in the past.

[T4E]

What about the brutal knockout of Castillo? I think you're believing what you read a bit too much Eddie - Hatton has had several fights in the States, many high profile. Do you think he would've got a shot at Mayweather in such a hotly anticipated fight if he wasn't respected in the States?

To say his career hasn't been worthwhile is absolute nonsense.

[Eddie]

I'm not saying his career hasn't been worthwile, I'm saying that, in my opinion, unless he is working towards a fight against Mayweather, anything he does after this won't really be worthwhile.

[T4E]

There is only really one way Hatton can make his career worth while

Hmmmm

[Hasta]

The other fight for Hatton, which is very unlikely, would be Cotto. In the interview straight after the bout they were trying to talk Floyd into fighting Cotto as being the next 'big' challenge for Mayweather. For the time being this is unlikely as Mayweather says, again, that he wants to retire.

Cotto should be keen on fighting Hatton as a convincing win would make the clamour for a fight with Mayweather so intense it might smoke PBF out of retirement for another bumper payday.

A win for Hatton would prove that he really is world class and gain back any damage to his reputation done on Saturday night.

The only stumbling block again is the weight. The Hatton camp are making it clear that they don't want to step up to Welterweight again. Cotto was light welterweight champ as recent as Autumn 2006 so he could step down. Either way it's the only 'global' way forward for Hatton. It's just defeat would be a big risk for him.

[nellybc]

I dont think that ricky fancies cotto one bit

Cotto is a big 147 and i think ricky would be struggling as much in that fight as with floyd. I'd like to see cotto vs floyd and see where hatton and de la hoya fit into the mix.

I hope he gets back into it with a fight against witter and shuts him up and then see where it leads.

It did seem though that floyd quite fancied a rematch in england though. He really does want the money!

[M-K]

Maybe Hatton should move into MMA. He might struggle for technique at first but he has more than enough strength.

Also, in MMA they're not so obsessed by inflated unbeaten records. As soon as a boxer loses, he's damaged goods, but in a proper competition like the UFC, it's rare for a fighter to put together a four-fight winning streak.

Boxing is on the way down, but Hatton doesn't have to be.

[LeftWinger]

Boxing is on the way down, but Hatton doesn't have to be.

I disagree - it's been a good year for boxing this - highlighted by the BBC sports personality awards.

[M-K]

Boxers figured in the awards because most other British sports were full of failure, and they couldn't just give it to another royal horse woman.

I know there has been a bit of a British boxing renaissance, but you have to put it in perspective. There aren't many great boxers in the world, and the best ones hardly ever fight each other because getting to 30-0 is far more important than unifying a division.

Mayweather vs Hatton was brilliant because it was such a rarity. I don't know what else is on the horizon that might persuade me to fork out another £15 and wait up until after 5am, which is a shame because I used to really love boxing.

[LeftWinger]

I for one will be looking forward to Calzaghe V Hopkins, and I'll be interested to see who Mayweather fights next, and would like to see Hatton V Witter.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

''I'll retire before boxing retires me''

He gave you a boxing lesson in the ring Ricky it might be wise to take another lesson from Mayweather.With the money you've reputedly made from the fight I'm sure you wont starve!

[M-K]

Calling for him to quit because he lost one fight? That's one of the many things that's rotten in boxing. Why is it so important to be undefeated? For the majority of unbeaten fighters, that basically means they haven't fought anyone any good.