Ricky Hatton Light Welterweight Champion

[ProfessorFart]

Hatton/Tszyu wasn't a great fight in my eyes in the sense of a Benn/Mclelland type of fight, but it was a true clash of real warriors yet one was on the way up and one on the way down.

One rather poignant note is that Hatton's victory speech was somewhat akin to Tszyu's speech after he beat Julio Caesar Chavez (another obscure fighter I found on the internet Siam SF) in that it signalled the end of an era.

At the end of the day all of those who backed Tszyu have massive amounts of egg on their faces. sadly this includes 99% of all American and Australian boxing writers and about 50% of British ones too.

It just shows how little some people really do underestimate the Englishman in sport, yet to make Hatton a big underdog was an insult not only Hatton but to those he has beaten.

No one had really seen him fight. No one knew his power and intensity, least of all Tszyu and his people.

Johnny Lewis should be hammered for his lack of homework on the way Hatton fights. No wonder there are no Aussie champs if he is the best coach in Aus. He may be humane but he is a tactical imbecile.

Hatton will have a long reign as he is really the best pound for pound fighter in the world today.

The Yanks won't buy it but who the <deleted> have their boys beaten?

Hatton is 39 -0 and has beaten the best thrown at him.

He is the best Pound for pound fighter in the world.

Dispute it if you can!

[roscoe]

I cannot, and could not of put it better

Three victories one weekend Boxing ,Cricket (more like practice ),Rugby agood weekends sport

[soi lurker]

Now now, no need to keep on gloating.......

[soi lurker]

Dispute it if you can!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think your being too harsh on Johnny Lewis, theres no way he is a tacticle imbecile. How can he be? remaining on top with one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world today.... one loss and hes a tacticle imbecile just because he was beaten by a fighter you favour. I dont think so. Underestimation by him dosent arise because his fighter lost does it? The better man won. Thats all. At the moment Hatton is now the best pound for pound in his weight. I would wait to see him reign for a time before i would say something like "in the world". I dont know you but you sound like a proud Englishman. Sounds like you really dislike Australians in boxing..... well thats how i read it any way, My opinion from the fight is he has fitness and skill. Just wondering what his k/o record is? I dont know and would like to know what his power is like.

[ProfessorFart]

Lewis underated Hatton. End of story. You have pretty much shown the disregard that Lewis showed for Hatton in your post. He had no idea how Hatton fought.

Any decent trainer would have been aware that a 26 year old unbeaten in 38 fights must be something a bit special. The Tszyu camp were caught out in their faith in their own hype. Always a dangerous thing in boxing.

I have no problems with Aussies in the fight game apart from their perpetual under acheivement and clueless handling of their stars.

Jeff Harding was a real talent and what did they do with him? Threw him right back in with Andries despite a lack of experience. Result? Harding got a thrashing from a guy 12 years older than himself and well on the slide.

Only Jeff Fenech would be in anyones hall of fame from down under and that was only because he was hard as nails.

That for me is a poor return for such a sporting nation.

[soi lurker]

If i were in the Zu camp, i gotta tell you, i would have had faith too. Im sure they did not underestimate Hatton. Ive got the feeling something was not right in the Zu camp before the fight. Dont ask me why, just a gut feeling. As soon as i heard he was overweight, i new something was not right. Its just not like Kostya, hes a pro...nothing goes unchecked. Maybe time will tell, I dont know... \

As for Fenech, sure, he was a hard bastard in the ring, but an absolute knucklehead outside....

As for disregarding Hatton, he has a good record and i didnt underestimate that, but no, just have a lot of faith in Zu, still do too... even if he retires now he is still a champion to me.

[ProfessorFart]

Tszyu went out the way he would have wanted I'm sure. After a ###### of a fight.

I just reckon the Tszyu camp bottled it. Only really piss poor man management can see your man on the scales overweight.

I met Jeff Fenech in Bangkok at a celebration of Charlie's career and found him an astute and smashing bloke.

I know you lads are hard on your losers but I think some of the &lt;deleted&gt; he had to put up with was rough.

[soi lurker]

Tszyu went out the way he would have wanted I'm sure. After a ###### of a fight.

I just reckon the Tszyu camp bottled it. Only really piss poor man management can see your man on the scales overweight.

I met Jeff Fenech in Bangkok at a celebration of Charlie's career and found him an astute and smashing bloke.

I know you lads are hard on your losers but I think some of the &lt;deleted&gt; he had to put up with was rough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fair enough with Zu, lets see what becomes of him.....

Fenech's public life appears to be completely different to his personal life, he appears to be in and around trouble here in Australia...... but yeah, a great fighter.

[leftcross]

Hatton/Tszyu wasn't a great fight in my eyes in the sense of a Benn/Mclelland type of fight, but it was a true clash of real warriors yet one was on the way up and one on the way down.

You could argue McClellan wasn't a real super-middle too.....

I'm not sure about Tszyu being on the way down either, the way he dispatched Mitchell in his previous contest was probably his best ever performance

One rather poignant note is that Hatton's victory speech was somewhat akin to Tszyu's speech after he beat Julio Caesar Chavez (another obscure fighter I found on the internet Siam SF) in that it signalled the end of an era.

Agreed, but Hatton still has plenty of fights to win before history will judge him anywhere near as good as Tszyu

At the end of the day all of those who backed Tszyu have massive amounts of egg on their faces. sadly this includes 99% of all American and Australian boxing writers and about 50% of British ones too.

That's a bit harsh. Tszyu was the number one at the weight and was an excellent champion. Hatton was relatively untested and the rightful underdog before the fight.

It just shows how little some people really do underestimate the Englishman in sport, yet to make Hatton a big underdog was an insult not only Hatton but to those he has beaten.

Hatton has hidden behind his WBU belt for five fights too long IMO. If he hadn't the world would have taken him more seriously so he only has himself to blame on that front. Look at how Cotto is revered in fewer fights.

No one had really seen him fight. No one knew his power and intensity, least of all Tszyu and his people.

Johnny Lewis should be hammered for his lack of homework on the way Hatton fights. No wonder there are no Aussie champs if he is the best coach in Aus. He may be humane but he is a tactical imbecile.

Tszyu was widely quoted beforehand as saying he had watched every single Hatton fight and that he had got his sparring partners to emulate him. The Tszyu camp weren't underprepared, they were just beaten by the better man. I don't think any preparation would have prevented the outcome.

Hatton will have a long reign as he is really the best pound for pound fighter in the world today.

It's a big win, yes but he isn't the best yet by a long way. Better than Barrera/Morales/Mayweather/Hopkins???? I don't think so.......

The Yanks won't buy it but who the &lt;deleted&gt; have their boys beaten?

Who has Hopkins, Winky Wright beaten (among 100s of others)?? Everyone who matters, that's who.

Hatton is 39 -0 and has beaten the best thrown at him.

But most have been poor opposition. Now we will really get to see how good he is.

He is the best Pound for pound fighter in the world.

Dispute it if you can!

I just have!

[soi lurker]

Good points brought out Left Cross....

[Siam_superfly]

Here here Leftcross....

[ProfessorFart]

Hatton has hidden behind his WBU belt for five fights too long IMO. If he hadn't the world would have taken him more seriously so he only has himself to blame on that front. Look at how Cotto is revered in fewer fights.

If Hatton 'hid' behind his WBU belt, why was he on th everge of switching from Frank Warren to Frank Maloney in order to get some better fights? Hatton's frustration at not getting more meaningful fights was well reported.

I think Cotto's respect is more due to the fact that he is an American based fighter tied in with the big networks.

For American fighters to be considered amongst the best in the world takes far less than those from overseas and it takes the likes of Saturday night for them to take notice. Just look at how long it took the Americans to give Lennox Lewis the credit he deserved.

Tszyu was widely quoted beforehand as saying he had watched every single Hatton fight and that he had got his sparring partners to emulate him. The Tszyu camp weren't underprepared, they were just beaten by the better man. I don't think any preparation would have prevented the outcome.

Tszyu sacked Johnny Lewis today so that would seem to back me up here.

Only Tszyu and Lewis will know what went wrong for sure however I wonder if he put too much faith in videos and sparring instead of some of the more basic training needed for a fight of this magnitude. For Tszyu to sack Lewis must show he was unhappy in his preparation. I said Lewis should be accountable and it seems Tszyu thought the same.

Best Pound for Pound?

OK I was a little carried away as Hopkins has the claim to that title.

I would love to see Hatton mix with the best Americans however I wonder how many will want to face Hatton now?

[chonabot]

I'm thinking a unification fight with Vivian Harris ( WBA ) could be happening in a few fights time. The Light Welter division is probably the strongest in boxing at the moment.

With names like Cotto,Gatti,Mayweather and ( for now) Tsyzu things are looking up for boxing.

Good stuff!

Edited June 7, 2005 by chonabot

[chonabot]

Just wondering what his k/o record is? I dont know and would like to know what his power is like.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

His record is 39- 0 ( 29 by way of KO )

[soi lurker]

Just heard on Aussie News the sacking of Lewis by Tszyu was a hoax.....