Ricky fought bravely.

[KostyaTszyuTeam]

If he wants to avoid the argument that his win over an OLD Tszyu wasn't beating a man at the right time, and beating a p4p top 3 guy doesn't make you a p4p top 3 guy, he needs to do some more. Forget the p4p no1 fighter fantasy, beat some other good guys and get back some respect, as most the boxing world think he had a lucky night with an old man now. Show some guts and pride and get off the floor. I think he can win some good fights still, if he has the drive as you say.

[skel1983]

If he wants to avoid the argument that his win over an OLD Tszyu wasn't beating a man at the right time, and beating a p4p top 3 guy doesn't make you a p4p top 3 guy, he needs to do some more. Forget the p4p no1 fighter fantasy, beat some other good guys and get back some respect, as most the boxing world think he had a lucky night with an old man now. Show some guts and pride and get off the floor. I think he can win some good fights still, if he has the drive as you say.

Who has said that beating Kosta made him number 3? Have you still not got over the fact Kosta lost it was four years ago, please get over it.

Hatton who i dont like that much to be honest had the guts to fight the best, Kosta never came back, i dont like to disrespect Kosta as he is a great fighter and guy but he never re matched Vince Phillips quit on his stool, you could maybe go and give some of your advice to your man about comig back and gaining some respect. At the end of the day he quit.

[KostyaTszyuTeam]

He QUIT. The thing is he knew when to Quit. De La Hoya on the other hand quit with a whimper, at least Tszyu put up a fight. Look at Tyson, quit like a jelly fish, and sat on the floor. Mosely needed steroids to beat De La Hoya in the rematch.

I'd take Quitting at 35 anyday over being smashed by a flyweight. Look I was just stirring the pot. I hope Ricky has a couple of more fights, and wins a title and retires with abit more respect. I think he can do better, and gthe gameplan Mayweather had fpor him was a disgrace. I actually blame the trainer, not Hatton. What a joke of a gameplan was that. The man was trying to turn him into a comoletely different fighter. Infact, it was Mayweather who got KOed inside 2. Ricky just happened to be Mayweathers victim. Pacquiao KOed Mayweather and his dumb ass theories inside 2

[ElTerribleMorales]

He QUIT. The thing is he knew when to Quit. De La Hoya on the other hand quit with a whimper, at least Tszyu put up a fight. Look at Tyson, quit like a jelly fish, and sat on the floor. Mosely needed steroids to beat De La Hoya in the rematch.

I'd take Quitting at 35 anyday over being smashed by a flyweight. Look I was just stirring the pot. I hope Ricky has a couple of more fights, and wins a title and retires with abit more respect. I think he can do better, and gthe gameplan Mayweather had fpor him was a disgrace. I actually blame the trainer, not Hatton. What a joke of a gameplan was that. The man was trying to turn him into a comoletely different fighter. Infact, it was Mayweather who got KOed inside 2. Ricky just happened to be Mayweathers victim. Pacquiao KOed Mayweather and his dumb ass theories inside 2

DLH was 36 and had gone down in weight, and was already showing signs of decline, Tszyu on the other hand had just blasted out Mitchell in 3, and then when Hatton whooped him he was labeled "old and shot" , give me a break quitting is quitting and if anything Tszyu quitting is worse for the same reason that it was a competitive fight and going into the final round he just said, fuck it, DLH was way behind and had a long way to go, way not to show favoritism buddy

[CGM]

He QUIT. The thing is he knew when to Quit. De La Hoya on the other hand quit with a whimper, at least Tszyu put up a fight. Look at Tyson, quit like a jelly fish, and sat on the floor. Mosely needed steroids to beat De La Hoya in the rematch.

I'd take Quitting at 35 anyday over being smashed by a flyweight. Look I was just stirring the pot. I hope Ricky has a couple of more fights, and wins a title and retires with abit more respect. I think he can do better, and gthe gameplan Mayweather had fpor him was a disgrace. I actually blame the trainer, not Hatton. What a joke of a gameplan was that. The man was trying to turn him into a comoletely different fighter. Infact, it was Mayweather who got KOed inside 2. Ricky just happened to be Mayweathers victim. Pacquiao KOed Mayweather and his dumb ass theories inside 2

Agree. Props to Tszyu for knowing when to quit. he had a great career, in no way does he deserve any less respect for not coming back.

[THE THIRD MAN]

If he wants to avoid the argument that his win over an OLD Tszyu wasn't beating a man at the right time, and beating a p4p top 3 guy doesn't make you a p4p top 3 guy, he needs to do some more. Forget the p4p no1 fighter fantasy, beat some other good guys and get back some respect, as most the boxing world think he had a lucky night with an old man now. Show some guts and pride and get off the floor. I think he can win some good fights still, if he has the drive as you say.

Who has said that beating Kosta made him number 3? Have you still not got over the fact Kosta lost it was four years ago, please get over it.

Hatton who i dont like that much to be honest had the guts to fight the best, Kosta never came back, i dont like to disrespect Kosta as he is a great fighter and guy but he never re matched Vince Phillips quit on his stool, you could maybe go and give some of your advice to your man about comig back and gaining some respect. At the end of the day he quit.

The rematch with Phillips was on but Phillips lost to Millett!!! Then Tszyu fought Gonzalez instead, don't go throwing the QUIT word around to lightly as you will have to include fighters like Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Frazier, DLH and Roberto Duran in with Tszyu. He was 36 in 2005, had fought only twice since January 2003 and he had injury problems.
He retired at the right time, he had nothing more to prove to anyone. Tszyu gave Hatton many concessions in that fight, home turf, English ref (who was blind and ignorant of the rules of boxing by the way) no rematch clause and travel and time factor. It was something he should not have done and you won't see Mayweather or Pacquiao giving up that much that's for sure.
It's history now and it should be forgotton, Hatton won and he was a worthy victor, now he knows what it is like to be on the receiving end, Mayweather will find out too in due course.

[skel1983]

If he wants to avoid the argument that his win over an OLD Tszyu wasn't beating a man at the right time, and beating a p4p top 3 guy doesn't make you a p4p top 3 guy, he needs to do some more. Forget the p4p no1 fighter fantasy, beat some other good guys and get back some respect, as most the boxing world think he had a lucky night with an old man now. Show some guts and pride and get off the floor. I think he can win some good fights still, if he has the drive as you say.

Who has said that beating Kosta made him number 3? Have you still not got over the fact Kosta lost it was four years ago, please get over it.

Hatton who i dont like that much to be honest had the guts to fight the best, Kosta never came back, i dont like to disrespect Kosta as he is a great fighter and guy but he never re matched Vince Phillips quit on his stool, you could maybe go and give some of your advice to your man about comig back and gaining some respect. At the end of the day he quit.

The rematch with Phillips was on but Phillips lost to Millett!!! Then Tszyu fought Gonzalez instead, don't go throwing the QUIT word around to lightly as you will have to include fighters like Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Frazier, DLH and Roberto Duran in with Tszyu. He was 36 in 2005, had fought only twice since January 2003 and he had injury problems.
He retired at the right time, he had nothing more to prove to anyone. Tszyu gave Hatton many concessions in that fight, home turf, English ref (who was blind and ignorant of the rules of boxing by the way) no rematch clause and travel and time factor. It was something he should not have done and you won't see Mayweather or Pacquiao giving up that much that's for sure.
It's history now and it should be forgotton, Hatton won and he was a worthy victor, now he knows what it is like to be on the receiving end, Mayweather will find out too in due course.

Mate listen i respect Kosta one of my favourite fighters, i was replying to your fellow Aussie poster who was basically giving Hatton a hard time about getting knocked out and says he needs to gain some respcet by coming back, so i simply said well maybe you should have a Word with Kosta who quit in a fight where he was one point behind on two scorecards. Hatton doesnt need to prove shit.

Oh and you forgot to mention the biggest factor in Ricky having all the advantages in the fight Ricky was paid $2 million and Kosta was paid $6 million, so there is valid reason to why it was in England and therer was an English ref, Hatton made all the sacrafices to make the fight and Kosta was paid a career high by quite a margain.

[KostyaTszyuTeam]

English Ref was IBF rules. Tszyu underestimated Hatton, as every post Tszyu opponent had prior knowledge. Tszyu treated him like a Tackie type, and way underestimated Hatton.

Look...I don't dislike Hatton, I was just stirring you. But if you would like to see the actual list of opponents in comparisons, i posted it on the other thread in reply to you, and I can post it here. It's quite clear Kostya fought longer as a champion, so fought more top guys. If say Ricky had a belt, and wanted to do what Tszyu did, which was be happy to be the best in 1 division, and unify and keep defending his title, that's fine.

True, he got paid alot, and made 5 million odd. He gave up all these conncessions, as I he never expected such a hard fight, one where he would come close to losing. Hatton surprised the world and was named fighter of the year as a result.Hatton was actially his second preference, his first was to cash in against Gatti, but Gatti chose Mayweather.

On Kostya Tszyu being p4p no3.......It's subjective. Hopkins, prior to beating Trinidad wasn't THAT highly regarded anywhere post Trinidad. He beat a much smaller guy in De La Hoya. What he has done since, keep going on as an old guy, thats remarkable. The other guy, p4p no1 at the time, said this about Tszyu. Although I'm p4p no1, I would except being number 2 at 140 behind Tszyu, and if he can beat Hatton, which he thought he would, he wanted to fight Tszyu.

The p4p rankings mean what? Not that much. Tszyu always wanted De La Hoya, then found himself losing to Phillips. He was set to face Mayweather, then lost again. He seemed to have fate interveining just when he was set to be the big attraction if he fought and beat De La Hoya etc. I would choose Tszyu over De La Hoya, at 140, but it depends who you liked. He was quite different the earlier part of his career.

I'll post a link of Tszyu boxing the sh#t out of Terron Millet, and you see the speed and skills. The stupid commentator says, the only thing Tszyu lacks is power.

[KostyaTszyuTeam]

These are what I would call Kostya Tszyus best wins. His first being in 1995, his last 2002, when he was 32!! He was starting to visibly slow against Leija, and when he fought Hatton at 35, he had fought 3 rounds in two years.

The Roger Mayweather fight is Nowhere near the list. The reason I dumped that in was because a name you may know. Also it was Tszyu First worl titke defence, after only like 12 pro fights or something, and he won ALL 12 rounds.

Tszyus best performances to me.
Rodriguez: Good solid champ Dominated
Pineda: 6'1 Undefeated, never the same afterward
Bergman: Mandatory, wicked KO
Grove: Former world champ mowed down in round 1
Ruelas: One of Mexicos better fighters, got thrashed in 8
Hurtado: Former world titlist, never quite the same afterwards
Gonzalez: Arguably Tszyu best win, destroyed a then great boxer
Chavez: One of the few men to EVER drop Chavez, mandatory no1 def
Mitchell X2: Excellent boxer in prime, top ten p4p when beat again
Judah: Former Undisputed Welterweight champ, at best first time 140
Tackie: Mandatory no1 contender, 12 rd shut out, never the same again.

I would say those are Tszyus best fights. Julio Cesar Chavez was the mandatory no1 challenger, not the garbish man, as much as you dislike the fact.

True Kostya doesnt have a prime hall of fame opponent to his list, but you take Chavez anyway, as they fought, and one of onlt two guys to EVER drop him.

The quality of opponnets goes from year 1995,96, 98,99,2000,2001,2002. It was a significant reign, with other guys fought between these times. I mean if you look up Pineda now, he was shot and going down after that fight, but up until then, a great challenger. That was the case for many of Tszyus opponents, when they lost, never the same. How you rate them, personal prefernce. Tackie was not the same guy fighting Hatton when he fought Tszyu etc.

Since Hatton doesnt like southpaws, how would he go with Mitchell and Judah. We may have a chance to see Judah, past both guys best before they're both done. A great career, and top3 alltime 140 punds, with Pryor, and i'd have Chavez behind them based on actual work at that weight.

TSZYU - Hall of fame fighter, one of the greatest 140 pound fighters all time, near 36 when lost
CASTILLO - Past his best. NEVER did Anything to be called Great. Good fighter, big difference to Tszyu
COLLAZO - Not a great boxer won a belt through circumstance, never seen since, lost title first or second defence.
URANGO - Solid fighter
MALIGNAGGI - A good fighter
MAUSSA - Beat a trashed Harris, doesnt everyone, like Witter. Not a great fighter
LAZCANO - Never a World Champ. A nobody on the alltime list
PHILLIPS - WELL past his best

v

Rodriguez:
Pineda:
Bergman
Grove
Ruelas
Hurtado
Gonzalez
Chavez
Mitchell
Judah
Tackie


Kostya has a better resume..He fought better guys, and some opponents in common when they were at their best, not faded. It was a long and distinguished record, and thats why he is a hall of fame fighter. Hatton is a good fighter, and I was surprised how badly he lost to Pacquiao. Top ten p4p on his day. Struggles badly against Southpaws, as evident against Collazo prior to Pacquiao. Still has a chance for a title and a good win before he retires

[skel1983]

English Ref was IBF rules. Tszyu underestimated Hatton, as every post Tszyu opponent had prior knowledge. Tszyu treated him like a Tackie type, and way underestimated Hatton.

Look...I don't idslike Hatton, I was just stirring you. But if you would like to see the actual list of opponents in comparisons, i posted it on the other thread in reply to you, and I can post it here. It's quite clear Kostya fought longer as a champion, so fought more top guys. If sau Ricky had a belt, and wanted to do what Tszyu did, which was be happy to be the best in 1 divisio, and unify and keep defending his title, thats fine.

I know your list ive posted mine and you have your opinion and i have mine but the level of compitition when theey have won are not much different.

[KostyaTszyuTeam]

That's cool then...Ricky did win the fight though, and that's how it is when looking at the Tszyu Hatton fight, whoever you think is better for whatever reason.

An amatuer clip of Tszyu anhilating future world champion Terron Millet, the guy who beat Phillips for the belt. You will see, how fast and varied his skills were staright from the beginning, so it's little wonder he was fighting former world champions like La Porte in his 4th Pro fight, which is almost unheard of.

The evidence....Look at the commentators last comment, everything except power Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WpRNmFTgQM

[THE THIRD MAN]

Who has said that beating Kosta made him number 3? Have you still not got over the fact Kosta lost it was four years ago, please get over it.

Hatton who i dont like that much to be honest had the guts to fight the best, Kosta never came back, i dont like to disrespect Kosta as he is a great fighter and guy but he never re matched Vince Phillips quit on his stool, you could maybe go and give some of your advice to your man about comig back and gaining some respect. At the end of the day he quit.

The rematch with Phillips was on but Phillips lost to Millett!!! Then Tszyu fought Gonzalez instead, don't go throwing the QUIT word around to lightly as you will have to include fighters like Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Frazier, DLH and Roberto Duran in with Tszyu. He was 36 in 2005, had fought only twice since January 2003 and he had injury problems.
He retired at the right time, he had nothing more to prove to anyone. Tszyu gave Hatton many concessions in that fight, home turf, English ref (who was blind and ignorant of the rules of boxing by the way) no rematch clause and travel and time factor. It was something he should not have done and you won't see Mayweather or Pacquiao giving up that much that's for sure.
It's history now and it should be forgotton, Hatton won and he was a worthy victor, now he knows what it is like to be on the receiving end, Mayweather will find out too in due course.

Mate listen i respect Kosta one of my favourite fighters, i was replying to your fellow Aussie poster who was basically giving Hatton a hard time about getting knocked out and says he needs to gain some respcet by coming back, so i simply said well maybe you should have a Word with Kosta who quit in a fight where he was one point behind on two scorecards. Hatton doesnt need to prove shit.

Oh and you forgot to mention the biggest factor in Ricky having all the advantages in the fight Ricky was paid $2 million and Kosta was paid $6 million, so there is valid reason to why it was in England and therer was an English ref, Hatton made all the sacrafices to make the fight and Kosta was paid a career high by quite a margain.

The $2 million Hatton received was all he deserved at the time, both Mayweather and Pacquaio still would have made Hatton travel for that split. I am sorry i see no sacrifices by Hatton with the Tszyu fight, Tszyu was undisputed champion and got paid his due. The Tszyu camp underestimated Hatton and also underestimated the ability of the offical in charge of the fight! They should never have agreed to fight in England and they paid the penalty. As soon as i saw the weigh in i thought Tszyu was doomed and for him not to make the weight first up, I knew he had a problem. He looked awful on the scales.

[skel1983]

The rematch with Phillips was on but Phillips lost to Millett!!! Then Tszyu fought Gonzalez instead, don't go throwing the QUIT word around to lightly as you will have to include fighters like Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Frazier, DLH and Roberto Duran in with Tszyu. He was 36 in 2005, had fought only twice since January 2003 and he had injury problems.
He retired at the right time, he had nothing more to prove to anyone. Tszyu gave Hatton many concessions in that fight, home turf, English ref (who was blind and ignorant of the rules of boxing by the way) no rematch clause and travel and time factor. It was something he should not have done and you won't see Mayweather or Pacquiao giving up that much that's for sure.
It's history now and it should be forgotton, Hatton won and he was a worthy victor, now he knows what it is like to be on the receiving end, Mayweather will find out too in due course.

Mate listen i respect Kosta one of my favourite fighters, i was replying to your fellow Aussie poster who was basically giving Hatton a hard time about getting knocked out and says he needs to gain some respcet by coming back, so i simply said well maybe you should have a Word with Kosta who quit in a fight where he was one point behind on two scorecards. Hatton doesnt need to prove shit.

Oh and you forgot to mention the biggest factor in Ricky having all the advantages in the fight Ricky was paid $2 million and Kosta was paid $6 million, so there is valid reason to why it was in England and therer was an English ref, Hatton made all the sacrafices to make the fight and Kosta was paid a career high by quite a margain.

The $2 million Hatton received was all he deserved at the time, both Mayweather and Pacquaio still would have made Hatton travel for that split. I am sorry i see no sacrifices by Hatton with the Tszyu fight, Tszyu was undisputed champion and got paid his due. The Tszyu camp underestimated Hatton and also underestimated the ability of the offical in charge of the fight! They should never have agreed to fight in England and they paid the penalty. As soon as i saw the weigh in i thought Tszyu was doomed and for him not to make the weight first up, I knew he had a problem. He looked awful on the scales.

Not a chance, Hatton was the one bringing all the PPV from the uk, dont get me wrong Kosta was a big name and contributed to that but Hatton was already on UK PPV, Hatton had to sacrafice alot of the purse and demands of Kosta $6 million was the reason Kosta came to the Uk, he had never seen anywhere near that amount of money in his life, your telling me Mayweatehr would of agreed to a 75/25 split in Kostas favour in his own backyard?? Please!!!

Kosta like said was given way above what any other fighter would of gave him to travel to the challangers backyard.

[KostyaTszyuTeam]

Hatton always said he beat the p4p no2, others rated Hopkins no2, and Tszyu 3. You are saying Kostya earnt 6 million, I heard 5 million. Either way, Kostya got his biggest payday. Since he was the dominant 140 pounder in his second reign, he was being paid million dollar purses, and definetly 2 million purses after unifying. Hatton was his biggest payday.

He earns FAR more outside of boxing. He has contracts to build roads in Russia derived through being famous, and putting in the time with his connections $$.

If Hatton was earning 2 million a fight befor a world title, it was because the market and population in the UK is bigger, with home fights. As for Mayweather coming to the U.K like Kostya did, forget that. Kostya underestimated Hatton. If Kostya had prior knowledge and Hatton beat the Mitchell Kostya beat, instead of Tszyu rematching Mitchell with Hatton fighting himand winning (a southpaw, so not easy for Hatton) Tszyu would NEVER have come to the U.K. He would've maximised his advantages for less pay, and bettered his chance of fighting on for another purse. As it was, he wanted Gatti first, and Hatton was his second pick

[Andre]

If he wants to avoid the argument that his win over an OLD Tszyu wasn't beating a man at the right time, and beating a p4p top 3 guy doesn't make you a p4p top 3 guy, he needs to do some more. Forget the p4p no1 fighter fantasy, beat some other good guys and get back some respect, as most the boxing world think he had a lucky night with an old man now. Show some guts and pride and get off the floor. I think he can win some good fights still, if he has the drive as you say.

Those people who chose that line are detractors from boxing and from their own ex heros.
Kostya said he had never felt better comming into fight Ricky Hatton. Ask him, hes still an honest man.
We could rehash Kostyas win over the ageing Mexican great too, but why go there? He took the risk and payed for taking on the strongest up and commer of the time as did Kostya.
Ricky fought the fight of life the night he beat Kostya.

You know when Kostya fought the fight of his life?
It was against the German Urkal cause that fight held his whole future against Zab. Zab got the easy draw and won a one sider. He was lucky Kostya eventually finished him early or he would of been in a fight simular to what Urkal experienced and would have been busted up beyond belief.

Hatton is the same here, a lucky man, he got let off from a massive beat down.

Thats why you have to like Kostya too when men fought his fight but were stronger and beat him at his own game he went as long as he could ,no holding on to survive no dancing and boxing a different fight (that we knew he was capable of from his amature dismateling of people without getting hit): Kostya just wanted to know who was best at the bang up and fought that way to the end.

His dad stopped him from refighting Phillips by the way.
Phillips also fought the fight of his life that night.
Kostya knew that the score was exactly the same (as did his corner) when he fought Ricky. Age had a little bit to do with it, but so did hunger and the grit to bite it for the future. Ricky wasnt lucky that night he just fought the best fight of his life too; he took some massive shots that had stopped other no so large 140's dead in their tracks.
Thats life.