If Hatton had not blown up in weight between fights...

[BIG H]

...would his career have been any different/better? I say 'Yes' and 'No'.

I still think he would've lost to PBF and Pac, but maybe not so badly and therefore may still have enough to come back and be competitive at 140.

Looking at the state of him now and knowing the way he has treated his body throughout his career, I can't see him coming back - hope he doesn't!

Thoughts?

[Howlin Mad Missy]

yes he would have still lost, he possibly would have faired better, you can't be a pro athlete for 8/16weeks a year then burger Barry for the rest without it having an effect.

[Memphis]

Burger Barry

[Howlin Mad Missy]

It's £1.50!!

[Fenster]

I think Hatton showed all that "living the life" stuff to be entirely down to the individual.

He showed he was able to be a fat pisshead but totally dedicate himself to boxing/training/work when it was needed. Most that don't "live the life" their hearts probably not really in the boxing. Hatton's obviously was, so great career.

[ono]

No i don't think it would have mattered.

By fight night he was always in tip top condition (maybe apart from Collazo fight) and he normally had 12 solid weeks of living like a monk behind him. At the end of the day so long as he had enough in the tank come fight night, what he does with the rest of his life is entirely up to him.

The only thing you could say is that maybe it led to him over-training during camp as he had to spend a good 3 - 4 weeks shifting the weight, before he could even properly start camp.

To be honest, he probably got much further than his talent should have allowed him.

[blegit]

This is a very good topic that needs addressed. I think people who think it didn't matter are only looking at his success. No one is perfect but anybody who is human can always be better at something they do. The goal is to minimize that gap. Shedding that much weight that many times is never not bad. That is inarguable. How Hatton showed up doesn't excuse the fact that he could be better. Hatton was/is a good boxer who was great for how he treated his body. Actually, Hatton did exceptionally well considering the lengthy period of time he would blow up to the 170s in between fights. No trainer would want to or allow their fighter do this for more than once or twice a career. 30 something pounds for a small guy to drop is asking for danger. BHop is a very good example of what usually happens when a fighter absolutely takes care of himself in between fights. Hopkins doesn't drink, party, let his weight get up there, or break from the gym for more than a week. Mayorga would drink and smoke throughout the year but he became a champ. Can anyone really say that he wouldn't have been better had he quit that lifestyle? Your body is going to react to everything you put into it. But it doesn't mean you won't have success it just means that you could be better than you allow yourself to. I know boxers who are drunks/drug users who beat up their sparring partners everytime out. Antonio Tarver was on crack all the way up to the first few fights of his career. Hatton probably would've lost to both Pac and PBF because of technical flaws but he would've gave both, especially PBF, more trouble and been more durable. Even though it seems obvious it should be said. Hatton would've been a significantly better equipped fighter had he took better care of his body.

[BIG H]

This is a very good topic that needs addressed. I think people who think it didn't matter are only looking at his success. No one is perfect but anybody who is human can always be better at something they do. The goal is to minimize that gap. Hatton was/is a good boxer who was great for how he treated his body. Actually, Hatton did exceptionally well considering the lengthy period of time he would blow up to the 170s in between fights. No trainer would want to or allow their fighter do this for more than once or twice a career. 30 something pounds for a small guy to drop is asking for danger. BHop is a very good example of what usually happens when a fighter absolutely takes care of himself in between fights. Hopkins doesn't drink, party, let his weight get up there, or break from the gym for more than a week. Hatton probably would've lost to both Pac and PBF because of technical flaws but he would've gave both, especially PBF, more trouble and been more durable. Even though it seems obvious it should be said. Hatton would've been a significantly better equipped fighter had he took better care of his body.

Agree with everything you said.

I also actually think Hatton's talent is underestimated. I'm not saying he was ever going to be an ATG, but it's easy now for people to say that he was just a holder/dirty fighter etc, but that is doing him a disservice. I watched his whole career and he had huge talent and didn't always fight how he did against Tszyu (which worked and was the right tactic) His speed, movement and body punching were awesome in his pomp imo.

[Fenster]

This is a very good topic that needs addressed. I think people who think it didn't matter are only looking at his success. No one is perfect but anybody who is human can always be better at something they do. The goal is to minimize that gap. Hatton was/is a good boxer who was great for how he treated his body. Actually, Hatton did exceptionally well considering the lengthy period of time he would blow up to the 170s in between fights. No trainer would want to or allow their fighter do this for more than once or twice a career. 30 something pounds for a small guy to drop is asking for danger. BHop is a very good example of what usually happens when a fighter absolutely takes care of himself in between fights. Hopkins doesn't drink, party, let his weight get up there, or break from the gym for more than a week. Hatton probably would've lost to both Pac and PBF because of technical flaws but he would've gave both, especially PBF, more trouble and been more durable. Even though it seems obvious it should be said. Hatton would've been a significantly better equipped fighter had he took better care of his body.

And yet everyone agree's he would have still lost to Floyd and Pac. So living as a fat pisshead outside the ring didn't harm his career in the slightest.

What about the mental side? Some people may benefit from being able to totally seperate themselves from the sport and then give it 100% focus when needed?

[DatsiK]

Wow.. we get of 'what if?' threads about Hatton around here. I kind of disagree with some people in this thread, getting so out of shape between fights encouraged him to work harder to get into shape, hence why he was always in top condition come fight night.

[blegit]

This is a very good topic that needs addressed. I think people who think it didn't matter are only looking at his success. No one is perfect but anybody who is human can always be better at something they do. The goal is to minimize that gap. Hatton was/is a good boxer who was great for how he treated his body. Actually, Hatton did exceptionally well considering the lengthy period of time he would blow up to the 170s in between fights. No trainer would want to or allow their fighter do this for more than once or twice a career. 30 something pounds for a small guy to drop is asking for danger. BHop is a very good example of what usually happens when a fighter absolutely takes care of himself in between fights. Hopkins doesn't drink, party, let his weight get up there, or break from the gym for more than a week. Hatton probably would've lost to both Pac and PBF because of technical flaws but he would've gave both, especially PBF, more trouble and been more durable. Even though it seems obvious it should be said. Hatton would've been a significantly better equipped fighter had he took better care of his body.

And yet everyone agree's he would have still lost to Floyd and Pac. So living as a fat pisshead outside the ring didn't harm his career in the slightest.

What about the mental side? Some people may benefit from being able to totally seperate themselves from the sport and then give it 100% focus when needed?

Yeah, as far as wins and losses I don't think he would have a different career. But I did say probably would've lost to Pac and PBF. Because against PBF I think we may have seen a close decision. Its difficult to predict. Were just guessing using what we know is good and bad. Hatton lost to 2 world beaters and I just don't think even the best Ricky Hatton would've beat either one of them because you still have to correct his glaring technical flaws. Had Hatton had another notch to step up we may have seen PBF step it up one or two more also. You have to push PBF to see his best he doesn't push the envelope himself very well anymore. Though the PBF fight would've been more interesting.

[blegit]

Wow.. we get of 'what if?' threads about Hatton around here. I kind of disagree with some people in this thread, getting so out of shape between fights encouraged him to work harder to get into shape, hence why he was always in top condition come fight night.

Yeah, but the more out of shape you come into training camp the more you have to focus on it being a cutting weight training camp. That may be why he never fixed his technical flaws or adjusted very well in his 2 losses.

[Dizaster]

This is a very good topic that needs addressed. I think people who think it didn't matter are only looking at his success. No one is perfect but anybody who is human can always be better at something they do. The goal is to minimize that gap. Hatton was/is a good boxer who was great for how he treated his body. Actually, Hatton did exceptionally well considering the lengthy period of time he would blow up to the 170s in between fights. No trainer would want to or allow their fighter do this for more than once or twice a career. 30 something pounds for a small guy to drop is asking for danger. BHop is a very good example of what usually happens when a fighter absolutely takes care of himself in between fights. Hopkins doesn't drink, party, let his weight get up there, or break from the gym for more than a week. Hatton probably would've lost to both Pac and PBF because of technical flaws but he would've gave both, especially PBF, more trouble and been more durable. Even though it seems obvious it should be said. Hatton would've been a significantly better equipped fighter had he took better care of his body.

And yet everyone agree's he would have still lost to Floyd and Pac. So living as a fat pisshead outside the ring didn't harm his career in the slightest.

What about the mental side? Some people may benefit from being able to totally seperate themselves from the sport and then give it 100% focus when needed?

Maybe if he couldn't enjoy a beer and have a burger in between fights and be himself, and just trained hard and was a full blown professional athlete, his heart wouldn't have been in his boxing...

As someone said, he wasn't the most tallented fighter we've ever seen.. Made he made the most of everything he had, and then some...

You could argue on a pure athletic and physical level, the weight shifts between fights may have affected scientific numbers when it comes to his punch output or whatever else could be measured...

But Hatton fought with his heart and mind and did more than 99% of other people would do with the same skills and a near perfect diet..

Getting to relax in between fights, be who he wants to be and eat what he wants, but integrate that into shifting into a gruelling camp where at the end he's in the ring in prime shape about to go to war,,,
I personally don't think he could have achieved what he did any other way...
Science would prove a healthier diet throughout would lead to a better performance, but human's have a nature that science doesn't account for..

And Hatton entered the ring in his entirety every time.. Beer's, burgers, and all.. And didn't do half bad.

[TheBranMan]

This is a very good topic that needs addressed. I think people who think it didn't matter are only looking at his success. No one is perfect but anybody who is human can always be better at something they do. The goal is to minimize that gap. Hatton was/is a good boxer who was great for how he treated his body. Actually, Hatton did exceptionally well considering the lengthy period of time he would blow up to the 170s in between fights. No trainer would want to or allow their fighter do this for more than once or twice a career. 30 something pounds for a small guy to drop is asking for danger. BHop is a very good example of what usually happens when a fighter absolutely takes care of himself in between fights. Hopkins doesn't drink, party, let his weight get up there, or break from the gym for more than a week. Hatton probably would've lost to both Pac and PBF because of technical flaws but he would've gave both, especially PBF, more trouble and been more durable. Even though it seems obvious it should be said. Hatton would've been a significantly better equipped fighter had he took better care of his body.

And yet everyone agree's he would have still lost to Floyd and Pac. So living as a fat pisshead outside the ring didn't harm his career in the slightest.

What about the mental side? Some people may benefit from being able to totally seperate themselves from the sport and then give it 100% focus when needed?

Yeah, as far as wins and losses I don't think he would have a different career. But I did say probably. Because against PBF I think we may have seen a close decision. Its difficult to predict. Were just guessing using what we know is good and bad. Hatton lost to 2 world beaters and I just don't think even the best Ricky Hatton would've beat either one of them because you still have to correct his glaring technical flaws. Though the PBF fight would've been more interesting.

I don't think that's fair. I think that as usual, people don't give Floyd any credit for his win. I've heard some Hatton fans state that the fight was "close" until Floyd KOed him in the 10th. They couldn't be more wrong. In terms of clean, hard punches I saw Ricky land a few of his sloppy jabs. That was it. Watch the fight closely. Floyd put on a boxing clinic despite the pressure-filled, nearly 'wrestling' style of Hatton. He knocked him out (with 10oz gloves I might add), including an embarrassing head-first knockdown into the padding on the corner of the ring. I'm sorry, but he is light-years ahead of Ricky in terms of skill. HBO and their British counterparts were having a difficult time making the fight seem competitive. For a non-puncher (as a lot of people call him), Floyd sure did make Hatton look bad. Yet no one questions Pacquiao's KO two years later...

For the record, I think Hatton is a very likable guy. I like his every-man persona and I think that if he didn't blow up in weight, he probably would've been a slightly better fighter. But at the same time, I've seen the early fights of both fighters and there were never glimpses of super-talent like Floyd or a few other top fighters. A good fighter with a successful career, but by no means great. I'm sorry but I couldn't just let you question a one-sided win and put Floyd in Ricky's boat.

[Dizaster]

And yet everyone agree's he would have still lost to Floyd and Pac. So living as a fat pisshead outside the ring didn't harm his career in the slightest.

What about the mental side? Some people may benefit from being able to totally seperate themselves from the sport and then give it 100% focus when needed?

Yeah, as far as wins and losses I don't think he would have a different career. But I did say probably. Because against PBF I think we may have seen a close decision. Its difficult to predict. Were just guessing using what we know is good and bad. Hatton lost to 2 world beaters and I just don't think even the best Ricky Hatton would've beat either one of them because you still have to correct his glaring technical flaws. Though the PBF fight would've been more interesting.

I don't think that's fair. I think that as usual, people don't give Floyd any credit for his win. I've heard some Hatton fans state that the fight was "close" until Floyd KOed him in the 10th. They couldn't be more wrong. In terms of clean, hard punches I saw Ricky land a few of his sloppy jabs. That was it. Watch the fight closely. Floyd put on a boxing clinic despite the pressure-filled, nearly 'wrestling' style of Hatton. He knocked him out (with 10oz gloves I might add), including an embarrassing head-first knockdown into the padding on the corner of the ring. I'm sorry, but he is light-years ahead of Ricky in terms of skill. HBO and their British counterparts were having a difficult time making the fight seem competitive. For a non-puncher (as a lot of people call him), Floyd sure did make Hatton look bad. Yet no one questions Pacquiao's KO two years later...

For the record, I think Hatton is a very likable guy. I like his every-man persona and I think that if he didn't blow up in weight, he probably would've been a slightly better fighter. But at the same time, I've seen the early fights of both fighters and there were never glimpses of super-talent like Floyd or a few other top fighters. A good fighter with a successful career, but by no means great. I'm sorry but I couldn't just let you question a one-sided win and put Floyd in Ricky's boat.

I don't think he was suggesting the Hatton Floyd fight was close, more that it would have been closer, and more interesting, if Hatton could have carried his athleticism and sizzle that he had in some of his best earlier fights, into the PBF fight..

I saw absolutely NO Floyd bashing or discrediting at all from anyone in this thread..

All I see is people saying, perhaps if Hatton had stayed in better shape, he may have been able to perform better against Floyd...

You're precious PBF was not getting attacked, don't stress...