Tszyu Hatton@WW:would love to see it.....

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=6956&more=1

Tszyu vs. Hatton At Welterweight? I'd Like To See That!

16.05.06 - By David Douse: If Hitman Hatton does not want his reign as welterweight champion to be a short one he will need to think most carefully about who he steps into the ring with next time around. Now that Hatton has had the eye opener that was undoubtedly provided to him in the form of the underrated Luis Colazzo, [hands up, I was guilty too!] the question must now be considered as to just who he might fight next and what weight he will fight at.

A whole new world was shown to Ricky on Saturday night in terms of what it really means to take on fighters who are naturally so much bigger and physically stronger than he has experienced at light-welter, and fight fans and other fighters alike have had the opportunity to understand that Hatton is possibly not the irresistible force at the higher weight that he has been at 140lbs.

There must now be a number of natural welters who would more than fancy their chances of outgunning and out muscling a man who is probably now fighting at something above his most effective fighting weight, and Hatton’s management team must be careful to make the right decision as to exactly whom should be next. An unwise decision might well mean his reign as a welterweight title holder will be only brief.

Perhaps that should mean that it might now be a good idea to look backwards and think about once again fighting the man whose 140lb title he took, Kostya Tszyu, but at 147lbs this time and with Hatton’s new belt on the line as the incentive. Of course, the really big money would be made from a match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. but with talk of Floyd now fighting Oscar De La Hoya later this year that might well not be a possibility.

Money aside, is Ricky really ready to risk his new title so soon against the man universally acknowledged as the best in boxing before he has had a chance to make some big money from lower risk opposition first?

Certainly Hatton could take on Collazo in a Manchester based rematch but, here again, does the Hitman really want to take on a man he has only narrowly edged out in what would certainly be a high risk war? Despite losing the decision Collazo would not have lost his confidence and is readily identifiable as a dangerous prospect. And if Hatton has experienced this much trouble against Collazo then would he not be jeopardising himself so much more if he were to fight the likes of an Antonio Margarito? Before he is certain that he is comfortable at the weight, and has made some money as well, he might prefer to take on someone with a lower risk attached to a still worthwhile payday and that is why a rematch against the Russian born Aussie makes sense to me.

Fighting Tszyu might well be a good option from Hatton’s perspective that might have perceived advantages for him that could prove both tempting as a marketable commodity and beneficial as a fight, on the way to possibly meeting PBF in the not too distant future thereafter. Of course this presupposes that Kostya Tszyu still has it in him to fight again, but assuming that his long rest since he fought Hatton is just that, and not simply a retirement waiting to be confirmed, I would see this as a highly appealing fight with incentives for both men.

If Tszyu does want to fight again he would be able to go for an opportunity to square the ledger in terms of avenging a defeat and take something away from Hatton in the way Hatton took something from him, as well as being able to become a dual weight title holder. It was obvious to all that Tszyu struggled weight-wise in their June 2005 meeting and many have offered the view that it might have been different if Kostya had not had to get rid of just a bit more weight than his body was prepared to allow. At 147lbs I have no doubt that Tszyu would be a much stronger fighter and Kostya might well feel that Hatton does not have the strength and relentlessness at the higher weight to trouble him to the same extent as first time round.

From Hatton’s perspective he would probably feel that he can certainly beat a man who has been inactive since they last fought, is untested at welterweight, and is that much older again, so presenting a relatively safe opportunity to make money before taking serious risks with fighters he sees as genuine threats to his title. Especially when he knows that he was hard pressed by Collazo and might be even harder pressed by other fighters at the top of the welterweight tree. This is a fight I would dearly love to see and it would certainly go a long way to answering the questions that Tszyu fans had regarding their hero’s loss and provide Tszyu with the further opportunity for glory that perhaps he is still seeking.

If Kostya still has the hunger, and the willingness to go to the wall again, I have no doubt that he would be in with a fair chance of victory at the higher weight despite the layoff, particularly if the fight could be staged in Australia in front of his adoring fans. Tszyu has always carried himself in the most admirable manner, both in and out of the ring, and I have little doubt that he would give it his all if the match were made, just as Ricky Hatton would if he were to once again face the man he beat last year.

Tszyus can not deal with the pressure of Hatton for 12 rounds, period. And at his age he cant fight at that pace. Now Tszyu-Judah II would be a different story ;)

After Kostya inactivity a first comeback fight against hatton would be a disaster for him, he should stay retired....he has nothing else to prove.

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Originally Posted by cockey cockney

After Kostya inactivity a first comeback fight would be a disaster for him, he should stay retired....hes has nothing else to prove.

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Agreed.