Saul Alvarez vs Matthew Hatton for the WBC Light Middleweight title

[boxingbantz]

Being fought at a catchweight of 150lbs. Again.

What an absolute farce. Goldenboy have obviously sent a few envelopes full of cash to the WBC in exchange for them giving Canelo a world title. That is what they have done - given him a title, it's been dripfed to him. The fact he is fighting Matthew Hatton confirms this as there is absolutely no risk of him losing this fight. Another example of what a shambles the governing body are. Goldenboy obviously knew, before the fight was announced, that this fight was going to be for the WBC title. Just wish they had've given it, even a little, credibility by having him fight an actual light middleweight.

I feel a bit sorry for Ryan Rhodes. Worked his way back up the rankings for the past couple of years and being leapfrogged yet again. This time by a fellow cueball-headed Brit who, even as a welterweight and with no disrepect, is European level at best.

WBC - World Boxing Cancer. Slowly killing the sport.

[Otley]

It's official De La Hoya is the new Don King...totally corrupt and will do any thing to simplify his strong hold on World Boxing...shame on u Golden Boy

job biscuit (its a circle that cannot b broken)!!!

eh eh!!!

[El Kabong]

It doesn't really matter about the catch weight.....Canelo takes out Hatton EASY.

The big question is when will Canelo and JC Jr fight?

[paddy448]

Crazy

[TheMacMagician]

Total and utter fuckin joke. Nothing more to add.

[fan johnny]

I was planning to watch this fight at the Honda Center but who is on the undercard?

Welterweight
Matthew Hatton 41-W 4-L 1-D (15 KOs_ vs.Saul Alvarez 35-W 0-L 1-D (26 KOs)
Super Featherweight
Daniel Ponce de Leon 41-W 2-L 0-D (34 KOs) vs.Adrien Broner 18-W 0-L 0-D (16 KOs)

Daniel Jacobs vs tba

[Mar]

Hard to bitch about one crook in a sport full of them. This sham is no worse than pac hopping over damn near the whole boxing world to fight margo at a stupid catchweight in a division neither of them were in. Or andre dirells miracle brain restoration, or them with a straight face charging tickets to watch haye fight harrison. Why wouldn't they do crap like this when everyone is still buying tickets and watching the fights ? No reason for them to stop. Don't really blame them actually.

[superheavyrhun]

Fair play to Hatton, I don't think he's done too badly to get himself to European level, and made reasonable work of those put in front of him, and stepped up his game since Ricky went out of the picture. No doubt that Alvarez is in a different league, but Hatton's worked hard over recent years and deserves a nice paycheque for a fight, which will most likely see him try hard but eventually will be found to be out of his depth.

As for Alvarez, it's clever management, but it's a world title in name only until he beats some real world class opposition.

[erics44]

Fair play to Hatton, I don't think he's done too badly to get himself to European level, and made reasonable work of those put in front of him, and stepped up his game since Ricky went out of the picture. No doubt that Alvarez is in a different league, but Hatton's worked hard over recent years and deserves a nice paycheque for a fight, which will most likely see him try hard but eventually will be found to be out of his depth.

As for Alvarez, it's clever management, but it's a world title in name only until he beats some real world class opposition.

i agree with the first bit, hatton is more deserving than some who get a shot, perhaps not as deserving as ryan rhodes but how often do things ever go the fair way

i dont agree with the second bit tho, it is a world title fight, both men deserve to be there and it will be more of a fight than most are saying

you cant start saying - well you arent a proper world champ coz you only fought him or you arent a proper world champ coz this happened - who ever wins is world champ and the man to beat

[HattonTheHammer]

Fair play to Hatton, I don't think he's done too badly to get himself to European level, and made reasonable work of those put in front of him, and stepped up his game since Ricky went out of the picture. No doubt that Alvarez is in a different league, but Hatton's worked hard over recent years and deserves a nice paycheque for a fight, which will most likely see him try hard but eventually will be found to be out of his depth.

As for Alvarez, it's clever management, but it's a world title in name only until he beats some real world class opposition.

i agree with the first bit, hatton is more deserving than some who get a shot, perhaps not as deserving as ryan rhodes but how often do things ever go the fair way

i dont agree with the second bit tho, it is a world title fight, both men deserve to be there and it will be more of a fight than most are saying

you cant start saying - well you arent a proper world champ coz you only fought him or you arent a proper world champ coz this happened - who ever wins is world champ and the man to beat

exactly

you can only ever beat whats infront of you, if the guy isnt getting the best fights possible made for him it 9/10 isnt his fault

this should be an absolute cracker while it lasts, i fully expect magic matthew my new favourite boxer to be crowned WBC light middleweight champion of the world

[bzkfn]

you cant start saying - well you arent a proper world champ coz you only fought him or you arent a proper world champ coz this happened - who ever wins is world champ and the man to beat

I disagree entirely. If this was at Welterweight, for a Welterweight World title, then maybe I'd agree with you. However, for the second time in a row, rather than look at their list of contenders who are career light-middleweights, the WBC have bypassed them to sanction 2 pretty much career Welterweights (who's biggest wins have been at Welterweight) to fight for the 154lb title at a 150lb catchweight. Neither of these guys could be considered the man to beat at light-middle, because besides this fight they'll have proven nothing at the weight. The likes of Rhodes, Martirosyan, Angulo etc. have the right to be pissed off. What is the point of working your way up the rankings in that weightclass if you're just going to be bypassed by 2 guys who've proven nothing? It makes a complete mockery of the sport and the WBC should be ashamed of themselves.

[HattonTheHammer]

you cant start saying - well you arent a proper world champ coz you only fought him or you arent a proper world champ coz this happened - who ever wins is world champ and the man to beat

I disagree entirely. If this was at Welterweight, for a Welterweight World title, then maybe I'd agree with you. However, for the second time in a row, rather than look at their list of contenders who are career light-middleweights, the WBC have bypassed them to sanction 2 pretty much career Welterweights (who's biggest wins have been at Welterweight) to fight for the 154lb title at a 150lb catchweight. Neither of these guys could be considered the man to beat at light-middle, because besides this fight they'll have proven nothing at the weight. The likes of Rhodes, Martirosyan, Angulo etc. have the right to be pissed off. What is the point of working your way up the rankings in that weightclass if you're just going to be bypassed by 2 guys who've proven nothing? It makes a complete mockery of the sport and the WBC should be ashamed of themselves.

but that very scenario happens in a variety of sports

the winner of footies champions league, the outright winner of a golf/tennis major - there probably were/are better teams or players more deserving of the tournament itself but it just happens that the eventual winners become the ones that own the titles

if alvarez or hatton arent up to the task of being champion they will be found out in time, but either one deserves a chance to be the MAN in the division

[erics44]

you cant start saying - well you arent a proper world champ coz you only fought him or you arent a proper world champ coz this happened - who ever wins is world champ and the man to beat

I disagree entirely. If this was at Welterweight, for a Welterweight World title, then maybe I'd agree with you. However, for the second time in a row, rather than look at their list of contenders who are career light-middleweights, the WBC have bypassed them to sanction 2 pretty much career Welterweights (who's biggest wins have been at Welterweight) to fight for the 154lb title at a 150lb catchweight. Neither of these guys could be considered the man to beat at light-middle, because besides this fight they'll have proven nothing at the weight. The likes of Rhodes, Martirosyan, Angulo etc. have the right to be pissed off. What is the point of working your way up the rankings in that weightclass if you're just going to be bypassed by 2 guys who've proven nothing? It makes a complete mockery of the sport and the WBC should be ashamed of themselves.

i hear what you are saying but it just doesnt work that way

manny fought for a light-middleweight title in his first light middleweight fight, his best win had been at light welterweight, and a catchweight a bit below welterweight, was he a worthy challenger?

if governing bodies stood around waiting for fights to be made things would get a whole lot more annoying for the fans

this fight is happening and it is an opportunity to get a worthy champ, nothing else is yet organised

[boxingbantz]

Anyone who can't see this is in wrong is in the minority. Everyone else can see it.

[bzkfn]

but that very scenario happens in a variety of sports

the winner of footies champions league, the outright winner of a golf/tennis major - there probably were/are better teams or players more deserving of the tournament itself but it just happens that the eventual winners become the ones that own the titles

if alvarez or hatton arent up to the task of being champion they will be found out in time, but either one deserves a chance to be the MAN in the division

Yes but the outright winner of the Champions League in Football would have earned the right to win the title by beating other teams involved in the competition. Same with Tennis/Golf. Somewhere along the line, one of the other participants would have made a mistake in order for the eventual winner to be crowned champion.

In this scenario Alvarez & Matthew Hatton have done absolutely nothing to warrant a shot at a Light-Middleweight Title. They haven't beaten a top 10 contender at 154lbs. I wouldn't even say they should be first in line for a crack at a Welterweight Title. The fact that guys like Ryan Rhodes, who has been beating WBC Top Ten Ranked fighters for a while now is consistantly overlooked is just plain wrong. At least with Pacquiao, he was considered the best at Welterweight before moving up for a title shot.