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Boxing Perspective: Clean Sweep For UK Elite?By Simon Shaw November 1st, 2007 All Boxing ArticlesNever in my lifetime have us Brits had it so good in the fight game as we'll have in the next few months with David "Hayemaker" Haye vs. Jean Marc Mormeck, Joe Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler and finally the biggest fight out there for me, Ricky "Hitman" Hatton vs. Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather. This is my take on how I see these three potential classics panning out. Haye vs Mormeck in Paris on November 10 is going to explode into life from the first bell, matching World Cruiserweight Champion Mormeck's rugged, bullish style against former European Champ and WBC number one challenger Haye.s explosive KO power. I don't see Haye changing much about his style here, which may be his downfall, and think he'll go looking for the Hayemaker KO within minutes of this one kicking off. I personally don't think he'll get the iron chinned Mormeck out of there as soon as he'd like and see a brutal war unfolding early on with Mormeck soaking it up and trying to bully and smother the Londoner's work in the first three rounds. The thing is, if Haye catches Mormeck flush with that right hand then who knows how he'll take it? I don't think Mormeck will have ever been hit as hard as Haye is going to hit him. My verdict? Haye by stunning KO around the sixth round and I firmly believe Haye's best chance is to get him out of there early as the old stamina issue could and will play into Mormeck's hands two thirds of the way into this, if it goes that far. Calzaghe vs. Kessler is a purist's dream and one I personally have been looking forward to for years now. Absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is by far Joe's toughest test against a bigger and naturally stronger man in Mikkel Kessler. But for me, Joe has too much in every department for him, with speed and the better ability to fight on the inside a massive advantage. I like Kessler and recently he has been made to look good against pedestrian opposition, Liberado Andrade for one. The Dane strikes me as one dimensional at times and just comes forward in straight lines with little or no lateral movement at all, firing in the odd left to the body. Kessler has power but Joe has a granite chin and I don't see any way at all that Calzaghe simply doesn't box his head off with super fast combos and footwork that would have James Brown grinning in his grave! I think Kessler is tailor made for Calzaghe's style and although I don't see either man forcing the stoppage, I do see Joe winning by a big points margin and unifying the belts. Hatton vs. Mayweather is undoubtedly the fight everyone is talking about across the planet and looks set to be fight of the year, depending on whether Floyd comes to fight or rack up points and run. The clash of styles is what should make this the fight that we all want it to be and one thing I know for certain is that "The Hitman" will give 110% and grab this opportunity with both hands. Floyd has never faced anyone with the same intensity as Ricky and will find this out after a few minutes in there with him, but on the other hand, Hatton has never faced anyone remotely as skilled or defensively brilliant as the Pretty Boy; this fact alone is what really makes this matchup so intriguing to me personally. I see the Hitman coming out like a maniac early on and trying to cut the ring off and drive Mayweather back while firing off brutal, bone breaking body shots and if, IF he can get under Floyd's elbows, employing excellent lateral movement in the process and get through that incredible defence, then we are in for a top drawer fight. Being a patriotic Englishman, I want nothing more than Hatton to shut Floyd's mouth up once and for all, but anyone who doubts the Pretty Boy's skills is either a plastic fan or a fool. I keep visualising Ricky late in the fight, covered in a mask of blood having given it his all but sliced to pieces by Floyd's super fast slashing punches as the ref waves it all off for the Hitman's own protection. I may be, and hope I am, wrong but I see Ricky possibly chasing shadows as early as round four with Floyd simply firing off super fast combos, racking up the points, then keeping his distance with his speed and footwork and seeing off the fight on the backfoot or turning Hatton's face into a mask of blood, forcing the ref to stop the fight. But having said that, if Hatton is in the sort of shape he was when he beat Castillo, then we have a totally different story as Ricky could, and needs to in my opinion, get in Floyd's face and bulldoze and bully a bemused Mayweather from pillar to post and force a stoppage himself! This really is a pick-em for me and anything could happen during this bout. One thing I can guarantee to everyone who reads this, is that win, lose or draw, Hatton will go out on his shield and fight his ass off for Queen and Country in that ring. Let's get ready to rumble...! Related Boxing Articles...
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