Saul Alvarez vs Matthew Hatton for the WBC Light Middleweight title

[Violent Demise]

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.

Alvarez wrecks Rhodes just as easy as he's gonna wreck Hatton. I mean come on now

[boxingbantz]

Alvarez wrecks Rhodes just as easy as he's gonna wreck Hatton. I mean come on now

At least he's wrecking a legitimate light middleweight in a fight for the world title for said weight...

[erics44]

you know the more i think about it and the more i read watch the build up and look at their records the more i think hatton has a chance of winning this fight

We all know how people like to build up young boxers, hes the next mexican great and all that, you watch a boxing show what he is on and all you hear is how great he is or is gonna be, its bound to influence

he looks good dont get me wrong but his record isnt amazing, I dont think there is anything hatton couldnt have handled in the same way in his current form

Alvarezes best win on paper is the baldomir KO, but what stage of his carear was baldomir at?

I think this fight will be a lot closer than people are suggesting

[Kev]

you know the more i think about it and the more i read watch the build up and look at their records the more i think hatton has a chance of winning this fight

We all know how people like to build up young boxers, hes the next mexican great and all that, you watch a boxing show what he is on and all you hear is how great he is or is gonna be, its bound to influence

he looks good dont get me wrong but his record isnt amazing, I dont think there is anything hatton couldnt have handled in the same way in his current form

Alvarezes best win on paper is the baldomir KO, but what stage of his carear was baldomir at?

I think this fight will be a lot closer than people are suggesting

Seeing as Alvarez had to go to decision against recent Hatton oppponent Lovemore N'dou in his last fight I don't think we are witnessing the emergence of a p4p star just yet.

I expect Alvarez to win, and I'm certainly no fan of Matthew Hatton but if he believes in himself and doesn't freeze he can make this a competitive fight.

My guess is Alvarez wears him down and stops him late but it's a good matchup for Alvarez at this stage in his career, only twenty years old after all.

Whether it should be for a light middleweight title is debatable but the belt is vacant, and they don't mean a lot these days anyhow.

At the end of the day Golden Boy believe in Alvarez and think he could be the next big Mexican star. The WBC presumably also think he is a better champion elect for them than Ryan Rhodes and who can really disagree?

Alvarez is good for boxing. He's popular, he's exciting, he may well be one for the future. Ryan Rhodes offers what to world boxing exactly?

Boxing isn't a meritocracy, and personally I'm ok with that.

[erics44]

I agree, alvarez will mean more to the world of boxing than rhodes

ideally tho what i would most like to happen is Hatton win in a cracker and the brings the belt home to fight rhodes

maybe that is a bit far fetched like

[boxingbantz]

Your missing the point about Ryan Rhodes.

The point was people like Ryan Rhodes, Vanes Martirosyan and Alfredo Angulo have been after the belt for a couple of years and they see someone else, this time cue ball head, jump ahead of them and get a shot at the light middleweight title.

[bzkfn]

Boxing isn't a meritocracy, and personally I'm ok with that.

Bilbo, honestly how can you be ok with fighters not getting what they deserve. Boxing is an unforgiving business, and really isn't helped by a corrupt sanctioning body that bypasses their own rankings just to attempt to give their belt to a Mexican? All they want to do is push Mexican fighters. My argument is not with Alvarez or Hatton, but with the WBC, for once again giftwrapping a title to 2 fighters who have done absolutely nothing to warrant a world title shot in this division. It saddens me that both you and Eric would accept this. As fans of Boxing, don't you want to see fighters earn their way to a World Title? If this was for a vacant 147 title, I'd have less of a problem, but what is the point of having weightclasses, rankings, elimanators etc. if you're just going to give 2 guys who are undeserving at the 154lb weightclass a free pass ove those who are winning elimanators? Fans accepting this is just going to lead to more bullshit from idiots like Suliaman.