Hatton and Mayweather- strikingly similar amateur careers! Thee fight of the era

[WWatt]

HATTON

The Hitman made his debut in 1990 (after a few years of competing in kickboxing), beating Danny Reynolds. He won the 1991/92 British ABA Schools, his first amateur title I believe.

(He really struggled to get fights because he was such an animal in the ring and big puncher for his age that other kids coaches or parents wouldn't let their kids in with Ricky!)

The Hitman's first loss was an apparent robbery against Bobby Beck in the 1993 Junior ABA Featherweight semi-final at York Hall. He beat Beck though in January '94 in Newcastle, stopping him in the final of the 1993/94 NABC Class A tournament. Also in January '94 he won the British version of the 'Golden Gloves' and the 1993/94 British ABA Schools. He 'lost' in December '94 to arch-rival Beck again in the Junior ABA Featherweight final which was resulted a 'walkover' in favour of Beck because Ricky had missed with a left hook that accidently hit the referee!

He beat Albert Coates ('93 Junior ABA light-welter champ, '94 Junior ABA light-welter champ, and later '95 Junior ABA light-middle champ) in the final of the 1994/95 NABC Class B tournament at light-welter in January '95, and won the 1994/95 British ABA Schools (at light-welter). In May '95 at the Bracknell Leisure Centre he won the Junior ABA Welterweight title. He also represented Great Britain in Russia and Bulgaria at light-welter in '95 and won all his fights against the Russian's and Bulgarian's - showing skills he hadn't needed to show at national level (but had been forced to hone in the gyms since he was 15 to hang with the likes of Andy Holligan and Pat Barrett) because he was often able to just blow everybody away.

He won the Junior ABA Welterweight title again in '96 (in Birmingham), but lost in one round to Jurgen Brahmer at welterweight in Blackpool at an England v. Germany dual, and lost to Brahmer (at welterweight) again on points in June '96 in a junior multi nations tournament in Italy. He then moved back down to light-welter and went to Cuba in November for the Junior World Championships where he won his first fight in the first-round, then out-pointed the Cuban, then out-pointed the American, but then by all accounts was robbed blind in the semi-final against the Russian who went on to win Gold. He beat Kevin McIntyre in one round up in Scotland in Dec '96 at an England v. Scotland dual.

He won the 1997 ABA light-welterweight title, beating Michael Hall in the final, before deciding to turn pro rather than wait for the Sydney Olympics.

That's all I know of Hatton's amateur career. I don't know his exact record but 70-5 has been thrown about.


(He first sparred at Billy 'The Preacher' Graham's gym in the summer of '96 and apparently made Ensley Bingham and Steve Foster Sr look silly with his footspeed, he got together with Billy in early '97 and Billy worked his corner for the ABA's. He had been to see lots of trainers but said something felt 'right' about Billy G)

[WWatt]

MAYWEATHER

Mayweather was another supreme amateur, the youngest-ever winner of the National Golden Gloves at just 16 years old in 1993 - at 106lbs! He beat Eric Morel in the final, Morel went on to win the 1994 National Golden Gloves at 106. Mayweather won the National Golden Gloves again in 1994 at 112, and again in 1995 at 125.

He won the US Olympic Festival in '94 at 112, but lost to Arnulfo Bravo in the semi-final of the '94 US Jr Championships (112) and lost to Martin Castillo in Las Vegas in November '94 at a US v. Mexico dual (112).

He lost to Carlos Navarro at a '95 Pan-American Games qualifier (119), and lost to Juan Carlos Ramirez in May '95 at a US vs. Mexico dual (119). He also lost to Nouredine Medjihoud in Germany in May '95 at 126 at the senior world championships. He then won the '95 US Jr Championships (126) and the '95 US PAL tournament (126), before 'losing' to Trigran Ouzlan via 'walkover' in Russia in Dec '95 - I'm not sure how/why.

Then came the Olympics Trials and Olympic Box-Offs in '96, going 2-1 against Augie Sanchez to qualify for the Atlanta Olympics at 126. He won fights in duals against Germany and Russia respectively in the US, at 126, in preparation for the Atlanta Olympics.

He reached the semi-final of the Atlanta Olympics, losing a controversial decision to Bulgarian Serafim Todorov, having beaten the Cuban on a controversial decision in the quarter-final.

His record was 64-8 according to one record keeper.


Floyd Mayweather Sr was his trainer.

[WWatt]

So there are striking similarities, Hatton winning the Bronze at the '96 Junior World's but losing controversially to an Eastern European and Mayweather winning the Bronze at the '96 Olympics but losing controversially to an Eastern European.


Their pro careers, the paths they took, though, are polar opposite. Arum rushing Mayweather in with the great Hernandez, while Warren chose to milk Hatton (Hatton could of went the European route and had a world title shot at Terron Millett before the New Millenium, but Warren chose to use him as a cash cow instead).

Mayweather's trademark became the shoulder roll and Hatton's trademark was almost instantly his body punching.

People at Sky Sports said Hatton was special in 1998, likewise people at HBO said Mayweather was special in 1998. Their common opponent, Tony Pep, gave Mayweather a good workout, while Hatton blowed him away with bodyshots.

Mayweather's style was and is to avoid being hit first and foremost while Hatton's style was and is to take risks and excite the fans first and foremost.


Hatton is the king of the 140lb division, then considered to be the best in boxing, beating the legendary Kostya Tszyu, which is a greater win than any Mayweather can boast. But Mayweather is widely considered the #1 lb4lb boxer in the business.

Both are undefeated, Hatton has the style and tools to beat Mayweather, and both must fight!

[WWatt]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/6141112.stm

[amat]

Yeah you can get all of the flavor of the months you want, the fight to be made after DLH-PBF is PBF-Hatton imo. Always has been to. I remember, I think it was before Judah even lost to Baldomir, the Ring ran a cover with PBF and Hatton with the title "Forget Judah." It's off and on but in the end I think the fight has to be made. I think a lot of people underestimate Hatton because of the Collazo fight. There's not really the clamoring for that fight like their was before but I beleive once DLH is done away with and Hatton gets a solid victory that the fight will be made late 07 early 08. Maybe that's wishful thinking but I don't see Mayweather as the type of guy to let a big fight slip away.

[WWatt]

Anybody who took the Collazo fight seriously is a fool! Hatton could barely move!

[amat]

Well you have to take every fight seriously. But I don't think it should be to degrading, everyone has off nights, Hatton's just happened to be against Collazo.

[WWatt]

Well you have to take every fight seriously. But I don't think it should be to degrading, everyone has off nights, Hatton's just happened to be against Collazo.

Kayes having just six weeks to put 7lbs onto Ricky's frame (due to HBO forcing him to move up, he was preparing to fight Juan Lezcano at light-welter until HBO changed their minds) may of had something to do with it.. and if Hatton didn't bulk up like that he wouldn't of been able to stand up to a natural welterweights punches, but because he had to bulk up like that in such a short space of time it slowed him down ridiculously.

He can still make 140 easily.

[amat]

I know all that but it still..it wasn't just his mobility, it was also his aggresiveness, punch output, punch selection among other things.

[AdamGB]

His punch out put was lower because he hadn't developed into the weight, he had the mass but not the energy system to support the extra energy that he was burning.

Like putting a ford escort engine in a monster truck.

[jbirdy]

if these boys don't fight at some point it is gonna piss me off for the rest of my life and be one of those fights that got away. never happened but should have done. lets hope it does happen and sooner rather than later. it should have happened already in my opinion.
and good point on waren using hatton as a money maker, he was managed well in the the beggining of his career and hatton may have left it a bit too late to part ways.
and yeah the people at sky have known hatton was special form the very beggining really. i've got the PPV tape from the naz vs kevin kelly fight and hatton is on the undercard in his second pro fight. he's only a spotty 19 year old but darkie is already comentating on how he's gonna be a world champ and could be one of the best fighters to come out of england. knows his shit does old darkie.

[WWatt]

I know all that but it still..it wasn't just his mobility, it was also his aggresiveness, punch output, punch selection among other things.

What do you expect when your body fails you, and you can't move like usual?

[WWatt]

if these boys don't fight at some point it is gonna piss me off for the rest of my life and be one of those fights that got away. never happened but should have done. lets hope it does happen and sooner rather than later. it should have happened already in my opinion.
and good point on waren using hatton as a money maker, he was managed well in the the beggining of his career and hatton may have left it a bit too late to part ways.
and yeah the people at sky have known hatton was special form the very beggining really. i've got the PPV tape from the naz vs kevin kelly fight and hatton is on the undercard in his second pro fight. he's only a spotty 19 year old but darkie is already comentating on how he's gonna be a world champ and could be one of the best fighters to come out of england. knows his S*** does old darkie.

It was obvious to anybody who had seen Ricky as an amateur that he was something!


When accused of lacking boxing skills a few years back... "I beat the best Russian's in Russia, the best Cuban's in Cuba, the best Bulgarian's in Bulgaria - I out-pointed them all! I think that alone shows I'm not just a brawler, I can box when I need to.. but the thing is I've not even needed to!"

[Taeth]

Unfortunately the amateurs means litte when it comes to proffesional boxing.. I think Mayweather would beat Hatton fairly easily at this point.

[WWatt]

Watch Hatton fight Tackie and Oliveira, and absolutely box their heads off showing sublime skills.

But he'll be looking to swarm Mayweather, clinch well and get bodyshots off.