Hatton Cotto at catchweight 143/144??

[CGM]

Boxing history is littered with champions who were able to deal with more than one weight division. If Hatton is so great why is it that he can't deal with it? Or is it just that there are so many more good fighters at welterweight than there are at junior welterweight.

Because he's far too small. He aint really a big light-welterweight. Sure he balloons up between fights but he doesn't add any lean mass. It's all body fat. I actually think he could probably have fought at 135 for some his career....quite comfortably.
Add that to the fact that his style wouldn't allow him to use his main advantages at welter. His strength and punching power wouldn't have much effect on natural welters. His reach is also very very short so the jab goes out of the window (check how many he landed against Collazo and Mayweather - granted they were both slick fighters).

If you look at the sort of champions who have won titles at different weight classes the majority of them have probably been supremely gifted athletes who rely on speed and technical ability (Mayweather, Roy Jones, Mosely etc) or they are fighters who have continually outgrown their own weight class.

Ricky Hatton simply isn't that fighter. It doesn't make him any less of a champion....it just means he's always going to be one of those fighters who probably has to concentrate on their natural weight division.

Perhaps you are right, though I wouldn't have thought the size difference between junior welterweight and welterweight was all that huge, or insurmountable. He's taller than Cotto, for whatever that's worth. But if it is too much for him, then maybe he shouldn't be thinking about challenging DLH or Mayweather again.

There's a huge difference in talent between the two divisions, it'd make a big difference to his legacy if he could be successful among the elite welterweights. He doesn't really seem to be challenged at JWW. But maybe he just have the drive to make that move. It'd probably take a lot of work. He certainly doesn't need the money.

It'll be real interesting to see how PAC does at welterweight.

[ono]

Boxing history is littered with champions who were able to deal with more than one weight division. If Hatton is so great why is it that he can't deal with it? Or is it just that there are so many more good fighters at welterweight than there are at junior welterweight.

Because he's far too small. He aint really a big light-welterweight. Sure he balloons up between fights but he doesn't add any lean mass. It's all body fat. I actually think he could probably have fought at 135 for some his career....quite comfortably.
Add that to the fact that his style wouldn't allow him to use his main advantages at welter. His strength and punching power wouldn't have much effect on natural welters. His reach is also very very short so the jab goes out of the window (check how many he landed against Collazo and Mayweather - granted they were both slick fighters).

If you look at the sort of champions who have won titles at different weight classes the majority of them have probably been supremely gifted athletes who rely on speed and technical ability (Mayweather, Roy Jones, Mosely etc) or they are fighters who have continually outgrown their own weight class.

Ricky Hatton simply isn't that fighter. It doesn't make him any less of a champion....it just means he's always going to be one of those fighters who probably has to concentrate on their natural weight division.

Perhaps you are right, though I wouldn't have thought the size difference between junior welterweight and welterweight was all that huge, or insurmountable. He's taller than Cotto, for whatever that's worth. But if it is too much for him, then maybe he shouldn't be thinking about challenging DLH or Mayweather again.

There's a huge difference in talent between the two divisions, it'd make a big difference to his legacy if he could be successful among the elite welterweights. He doesn't really seem to be challenged at JWW. But maybe he just have the drive to make that move. It'd probably take a lot of work. He certainly doesn't need the money.

It'll be real interesting to see how PAC does at welterweight.

I agree on the talent aspect but i think on a level playing feel Hatton would fit in quite nicely with the talented bunch of fighters at welter (if the weight/size wasn't an issue). He wouldn't be able to dominate it like he does at 140 though.

Come fight night he probs weighs around 150-153 ish whereas some guys at Welter are going to be at 160+. It's a massive difference especially if you don't have the edge in technical ability.

I don't think he should fight Oscar or Mayweather again. Oscar = too big, Mayweather = too good (at any weight). I think Pac at 140 would be hugely competitive.