Matthew Hatton Moves On After DQ Loss In British Boxing Title Eliminator
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Ray Hatton, father and manager of the fighting Hatton brothers, Ricky and Matthew, was shocked last Friday when his younger son was disqualified from a British Welterweight title eliminator against Alan Bosworth with just two minutes remaining at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield, England.
Referee Howard Foster took two points from Matthew Hatton for low blows in the ninth round and then disqualified the 26 year old Manchester welterweight in the tenth and final frame.
In the days following the disqualification, the elder Hatton has gained some perspective on the loss but still questions whether the youngest of the fighting Hattons should have been tossed from the contest. “Matthew did do a few things that he shouldn’t have,” admitted Ray, “Alan Bosworth was doing a few things he shouldn’t have as well but when it’s all said and done, it’s boxing, isn’t it? I think my son Ricky summed it up by saying that when he fought Kostya Tszyu, both he and Kostya would have been thrown out after five rounds if their fight was refereed like Matthew’s bout with Bosworth was.”
Contrary to published reports, the Hattons aren’t planning to file a protest over the decision. “This is just something that Matthew wants to forget really, he’s just building up his career and it’s one of those things that will make him stronger,” said Ray. “He’ll probably look at his performance and see things that he should have done, things that he shouldn’t have done and hopefully he’ll have learned from it. It’s not the end of the world and he’s still got a lot of improving to do.”
The fact that Hatton was two minutes away from winning the mandatory challenger position for the British Welterweight title does make this disqualification a bitter pill to swallow for the family patriarch but Ray Hatton remains optimistic for the future prospects of his youngest son. “As it stays right now, Matthew isn’t going any further down the British rankings but he’s not going any further up, either,” said Hatton. “Even though Matthew is 26, he’s not had a lot of experience, I think just over 50 fights in total as both an amateur and a pro, which isn’t a lot, so this experience will do him no harm.
“We’re just going to keep him busy and we’re looking forward to him fighting in America in January on Ricky’s card against Juan Urango. Matthew can fight in Sheffield again in November to keep the momentum going because he’s learning all the time. With the two fights coming up, he’s not going to have much rest but that’s the only way for him to carry on learning.
“Matthew was looking like he was on the verge of knocking Bosworth out in the last round and is very, very disappointed about the disqualification; he didn’t have a mark on his face while Bosworth was really busted up with a cut eye and bruised all over. He’ll learn from this; when you get told to cool it a couple of times, you have to calm down. Matthew needs to make sure that he realizes it doesn’t matter what the other fellow is doing, he needs to make sure that he doesn’t do anything that’s going to antagonize anyone. He’s got to look at this as another part of his education.”