Boxing Perspective: Ricky Hatton
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
2007 was a bittersweet year for Ricky Hatton as the wildly popular 140 lb British superstar established himself in the states with a decision over Juan Urango before climbing to the heights of the American boxing scene with riveting KO of Jose Luis Castillo, only to be torn down in style by modern day great Floyd Mayweather in a step up to welterweight.
But what will 2008 hold for “The Hitman” ?
Absorbing a disappointment on the way up, when a fighter is still in the learning process, can obviously help improve the finished article while taking a first loss under the glaring lights of a huge Las Vegas PPV showdown can shatter even the strongest of confidences.
Will Ricky pull a Naseem Hamed, his predecessor as the UK’s top draw, and pack it in after a comeback win against a second tier opponent? Or perhaps we will see the Felix Trinidad method where the previously unbeaten boxer retires for a few years after the modest comeback win but then returns periodically for big money opportunities?
Or will the pride of Manchester simply pull up stakes and enjoy his millions in some sunny climate full of British expiates, never to box again?
While any scenario is as good as the next at this point, here’s saying that Hatton will head back down to light welter and start targeting the current crop of world title holders in order to regain his footing amongst the 10 stone elite.
Talk of a massive bout against Oscar De La Hoya in England seems unlikely for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that Hatton is unconvincing as a top welterweight and it’s a stretch to imagine that the Golden Boy could even get within spitting distance of 147 these days.
But there are plenty of mouth watering pairings for the Englishman at light welter and we could see one of these match-ups as early as summer, 2008.
Paulie Malignaggi: The IBF Champ has a tough defense against underrated challenger Herman Ngoudjo in early January to contend with before he can swap punches with Hatton. While the brash New Yorker has looked good against aging Aussie Lovemore N’dou and lightweight Edner Cherry since his big hearted loss to Miguel Cotto in 2006, Montreal based Cameroonian Ngoudjo should present a far more potent offense for “The Magic Man” to deal with.
Should Malignaggi get past the African, a potential contest with Hatton at Madison Square Garden could be a showcase for Paulie’s solid set of boxing skills but if the light hitting Brooklyn man tires under Hatton’s constant pressure, he’d be forced at a disadvantage into the Brit’s game of trench warfare.
Ricardo Torres: The WBO titlist from Colombia was lucky to escape his most recent defense against American Kendall Holt this past August and could be back in action in February. Waged an all out war during a losing bid in 2005 to unseat Cotto that saw both he and the Puerto Rican icon on the canvas.
While chinny banger Torres isn’t the most fundamentally sound boxer among the 140 lb titlists, he has raw power in either hand and a contest with Hatton almost certainly would not go the distance.
Gavin Rees: WBA titlist meets Andreas Kotelnik in Germany in mid-January and the Welshman will have to mount the same high energy effort that saw him outclass Souleymane M’baye to win the title earlier this year. Many feel that Kotelnik was unlucky to have not gotten the decision over current WBC Champ Junior Witter two years ago when the two fought for the European title and will also have the form to defeat Rees.
If Rees retains the WBA crown during his German holiday, he’d have the disadvantage of being the shorter, stockier man with the shorter reach in a bout against Hatton and given Hatton’s style, that can’t be a good thing for Rees, who is largely inexperienced at top level.
Junior Witter: The WBC Champ has been calling out fellow Englishman Hatton for years. Now that Witter has a world title and Hatton has picked up a loss, it may finally become a reality and could challenge the European record that Calzaghe vs. Kessler set for spectators drawn for a boxing match.
After toiling in relative obscurity for five years following a late replacement loss to then IBF Champ Zab Judah in 2000, Witter has since defeated Vivian Harris, DeMarcus Corley, Lovemore N’dou and Andreas Kotelnik, which gives him a resume that only Hatton can match among the current top light welters.
Witter is Hatton’s most financially viable possible opponent for 2008 but is also the most dangerous option for Hatton to take and wouldn’t likley figure into Ricky’s “first fight back after a loss” plans.
Hatton could also have a tune up fight against any number of potential candidates before going after another world title opportunity but given that he’s most likely in the latter stages of his career, look for the Hitman to fight Malignaggi next if Paulie can turn back Ngoudjo and if not, we could see Hatton against the winner of Rees vs. Kotelnik for the WBA strap.