Quote Originally Posted by Fenster View Post
Quote Originally Posted by blegit View Post
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?
Exactly, impossible to speculate. Every fighters' mental make up is different and it may very bethat his ability to forget about boxing for a while helped him focus, just as all the seemingly endless distractions Pacman has doesn't phase him in the slightest while it would overwhelm most indiviuals.

It was his focus on conditioning which brought him to the top initially when he overwhelmed fighters with strength and stamina. Probably contributed to his downful at elite level as his answer probably would have been just to train harder for more rounds rather than develop the necesary savy to actually land his punches on Floyd.