Originally Posted by
KostyaTszyuTeam
Yes...you missed alot. Alot of guys were fought in between these top opponents, spanning a long long title reign. The overall body of work beating top opponnets is deeper and longer than Hattons. He also fought actively until he was 32-33, so Hatton did fight more guys, but he ceratinly wasnt taking on former world champions in his fourth pro fight, because nobody could match up with him. Should check out some of Tszyus earlier fights, you win notice his considerable speed in comparison to when older, and dynamic buzz saw attack.
Of note, he also beat alot of future world champions as an amateur, most notably Vernon Forrest for the Amateur World Title
Fourth fight as a pro - former world champion, Juan LaPorte
Former world champion, Livingstone Bramble
Former world champion - First Pro World Title, Jake Rodriguez
x2 World Champion Roger Mayweather, first title defence 12th or so Pro fight! (went hard with Whittaker)
Hugo Pineda, Sydney, Australia, TKO 11
6'1 Undefeated at the time, very dangerous. ONCE THESE GUYS ARE BEAT, never the same
Jan Bergman
Calvin Grove, Australia, Former World Champion
Rafael Ruelas, Former World Chmapion
Diobelys Hurtado, Former World Title holder, who was atop draw fighter who gave Whittaker all he could handle, then wore down later in his career
Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Long reigning Lightweight Champion, and Jnr Welterweight champion, One of Mexicos best ever, and was finished as a fighter after Tszyu DESTROYED him, far more easily than a Prime De La Hoya
Destroyed the Great Julio Cesar Chavez
Beat top champion in his prime, Sharmba Mitchell
Massacred future Undisputed Welterweight champion Zab Judah when he was at his most dangerous weight 140. Never quite the same after it
Pitched an absolute shutout, when Ben Tackie was actually good as the no1 challenger. Never the same fighter again
Beat former world champion Leija who had just disposed of the then up and coming Hector Camacho jr.
Signs of slowing down against Leija, THEN 2 YEAR INJURY LAYOFF
DESTROYED Sharmba Mitchell, when rated inside the top 10, being the top active fighter in boxings then current strongest division. Tszyus power covered up the fact he hadn't fought more than 3 rounds in 2 years
35 - Defeated by Ricky Hatton in a fight that didn't go his way.
Most notable wins, Rodriguez, Ruelas, Hurtado, Gonzalez, Chavez, x2 Mitchell, Judah WHEN THESE GUYS COULD ACTUALLY FIGHT, with the exception of the faded legend, though still active no1 contender, Julio Cesar Chavez.
The number of other contenders dispatched, OVER TIME, was an impressive reign
Kosta Hatton
JCC Snr - Phillips (Philips beat Tszyu when he was at his nest, and was much faded when fought Hatton.
these two shouldnt be in the same sentence, and Chavez was actually the no1 mandatory
challenger, unlike Phillips)
Gonzalez - Maussa (Gonzalez was one of Mexicos best ever, and a LONG reigning Lightweight champion. Again,
Maussa beat an overated Harris, and hadn't done anything since)
Mitchell twice - (Mitchell in his PRIME was an excellent boxer, significantly better than Collazo, and has been a top
ten fighter, unlime Collazo)
Urkal - Uranga (Urango is good, curent titlist, in somewhat weak division. Urkal was pretty good,
similar talent but edge to Urango for being a titlist)
Judah - Castillo (Castillo never did anything to be considered great.He lost a cose fight to PBF Judah is a two
weight former Undisputed champion. In those days, at 140, he was a more damgerous opponent,
to Castillo, who I think is a touch over rated. Hatton dealt with Castillo accordingly.)
Tackie - Lazcano (Tackie was probably more dangerous when the no1 contender, got beat up by Tszyu, never was
dangerous again - alot of huys who got beaten by Tszyu were never the same again)
Leija - Mallinaggi (Leija did more in his career, but he was older when Tszyu fought him, and Malinaggi was a good
current top opponent)
Hatton fought two p4p no1 fighters, unlike Tszyu, but lost badly both times. So I don't know if you want to include that in comparisons, coz Tszyu was never dominated ever, even when he lost, he still made a tough fight ouyt of things - a mute footnote then
In Hattons favour, he did beat an older Tszyu who could still fight, but had slowed alittle. x1 Hall of famer in Hattons favour.
Kostya beat more guys who were champions, in Kostyas favour