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Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
Can Ricky Hatton pull off the upset against Floyd Mayweather this Saturday night in Las Vegas? According to many, no, but Hatton is used to having odds against him, and it seems that his best performances have come when the odds were stacked against him.
So, what is that he needs to do in order to win this fight? As many have said it – key in Hatton’s fight strategy must be intelligent aggression. He also needs to somehow neutralize Mayweather’s defense patterns.
And to do that he must abandon head hunting, at least in early rounds, and go for systematic body attack. Every delivered shot to the body is dollar in a Hatton’s “bank account”, and every shot missed is two dollars out – because not only that he will expand his energy quicker, he will also get mercilessly countered.
In Floyds’ match against De la Hoya – it was difficult to understand why Oscar abandoned his jab, and was reluctant to throw punches when he was in “kill zone”, therefore allowing Mayweather to pick his shots and counter him.
Hatton cannot afford to make same mistake – he needs to use his lead right, which he often uses as substitute for jab – and once he is inside, he needs to have right mix of holding, pivoting, throwing uppercuts, moving head and torso laterally, throwing kidney shots – in short – doing everything to “roughouse” Floyd and stay close to him.
Hatton must not worry about expanding his energy early – as long as he is finding the target. I am convinced that his chances of knocking Floyd out are far greater than getting a decision, simply because current breed of judges seem to be overly impressed by technical aspects of boxing, rather than of overall effectiveness, or what boxing pundits call “effective aggression”.
I have thoroughly analyzed Mayweather’s fight against De la Hoya – literally counting shots on slow motion, and what amazed me was that in my calculation – somewhere between 20 and 30 % of the Mayweather shots were shots at the opponent’s gloves. And the only effect those shots have had – was the effect on scorecards.
Hatton better know that he cannot win a “shoeshine” battle with Mayeather. And, the smaller he makes that ring – the bigger chance he has of winning. And if a win does come – it will not be pretty.
My prediction is win by stoppage for Hatton, or 12 rounds decision to Mayweather.
Best luck for both fighters, and let the better man win!
