Best of British - Ricky Hatton

There’s only one Ricky Hatton! So the song tells us. As do his fantastic achievements in the ring, as well as his unparalleled support. The stories of his humble upbringing are plentiful and if he had more skill with a Stanley knife he may have found his calling as a carpet fitter. Thankfully for him, and those fortunate enough witness him in action, his hands were more suited to boxing gloves. As a youngster his love of Bruce Lee took him to kickboxing but when it was noted that his legs were mainly used for standing on, he decided to pursue the noble art. It’s fair to say he didn’t look back.

Hatton turned pro under Billy Graham at the age of 18, following a brief stint in the amateurs. It was with Graham that “The Hitman” would reach the top, capturing multiple world titles and sharing a ring with the best in the world. His boxing fundamentals are often overlooked in comparison to his amazing travelling fans and all action style but without solid skills he wouldn’t have reached anywhere near the heights he did. In one defence of his much maligned WBU title, he was dropped for the first time as a pro. Yet, with a combination of his trademark determination and his superior skills he outboxed Eamon Magee to win a unanimous twelve round decision.

The fact he made so many apparently routine defences of the WBU belt (15 in total), left him open to a lot of criticism and was regularly used as a means of diminishing his achievements. This all changed on 4th June 2005.

Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton turned in the performance of his career against long time dominant force Kostya Tszyu. More recent fans of the sport may well need reminding that the Brit was a significant underdog going into this fight and would need to produce a near perfect performance to get the win. Australian Tszyu was a fearsome puncher with tremendous power. If you haven’t seen this encounter, and decided to do so, don’t expect a boxing masterclass or an action packed war. This was a lesson in how to unsettle a top class fighter. How to press and maul consistently over the championship distance. Following an absorbing 11 rounds, Tszyu retired on his stool (and from the ring) and a new IBF Light-Welterweight champion was crowned.

From that point on, Hatton didn’t take a backwards step either in the ring or in choice of opponent. His ascent to the top of the 140lb division was cemented in his very next outing. A devastating ninth round knockout of Carlos Maussa cemented his place as the man to beat. Rather than hang around, Hatton would actively pursue a clash with pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather. Solid wins over top level contenders Luis Collazo and Juan Urango preceded a spectacular body punch stoppage over Jose Luis Castillo did enough to persuade Mayweather face Hatton in November 2007. The build up to this fight was as enthralling as the fight itself. US network HBO would show the fight and include both boxers on their emerging 24/7 series. The contrasting lifestyles of the combatants was highlighted and a world-wide press tour ensured the event was very much in the public eye. Thousands of British boxing fans would proceed to the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, to produce an atmosphere that is seldom seen in today’s offerings (specifically referring to British fighters travelling abroad, not those who pack out home arenas and receive fantastic support locally).

In a bout almost symbolising his career, Hatton pressed forward bravely, produced some fantastic moments but was unfortunately unable to capture that elusive pound for pound crown. While that may appear patronising, it is intended to be anything but. There are hundreds of thousands of professional boxers who won’t win a domestic or regional title. There are many more who won’t win European or World level honours. Ricky Hatton won world titles in two of the fiercest divisions in boxing at the time and was mythically ranked in the Pound for Pound top 10 for the peak of his career. Following what would ultimately be a 10th round TKO defeat, Hatton rebounded with victories over Juan Lazcano (a much debated split decision) and a late TKO of Paulie Malignaggi.

These victories led to his second crack at an all-time great in the Philippine icon Manny Pacquiao. Without revising history too much or looking through rose tinted glasses, this was not the same Ricky Hatton that had gone into the Mayweather event full of confidence and apparent invincibility. The problems experienced in the build-up and since have been widely publicised and undoubtedly contributed to the one-sided nature of the contest. Not to detract from “Pacman” who was devastating on the night and, in truth, has beaten better boxers than Hatton over the course of his epic career.

Retirement and a comeback both followed, yet it is for his peak (and overall achievements) that Hatton should be revered. The comeback can all too easily be dismissed as “ill conceived” however the man himself admitted he just needed to know whether he still had it or not. He wasn’t the first and won’t be the last boxer to face that particular decision. Yes, the unbelievable ability he had to captivate audiences far and near also contributes to his popularity but it worth remembering just what he accomplished inside the ring too. His success is arguably a more important part of his legacy as his popularity.

#Hatton #MGM #Mayweather #Graham #Vegas #Manchester #Magee