Richard John Hatton, MBE - has enough time passed to fairly rate "The Hitman"?

I don't think a real argument can be made for anything more than 7/10, that itself is pretty generous to Ricky.

 

I'm not saying hatton was a great but people knocking his win over Tszyu Is a bit low, from what I remember he was highly rated at the time.

 

Indeed. Tszyu was a top five p4p fighter at the time, unbeaten in eight years and had just knocked out the consensus second best fighter in the division, Sharmba Mitchell, in three rounds. People were picking him to demolish Hatton. Nobody but nobody was claiming he was past it before the fight. Suddenly, a few months later, all the haters become wise after the event. Now was Tszyu at the absolute top of his game? Probably not, but we're talking 5-10% or so. The idea of him being past it is simply haters trying to rewrite history. That was a fantastic win.

 

Overachieved, gave people a good night out, and we'd all have a pint with him.

 

I haven't read all of this but all I have to say about Ricky Hatton is that he did better than 99.9% of other professional boxers. He did very very well and actually gave Mayweather a shock early on. Ultimately he didn't have enough against the very cream of the crop but both Floyd and Manny are two of the greatest boxers of all time. Great career, did things that most could only ever dream of doing.

 

Imo one of the best wins by a British fighter ever.

 

More like 10 out of 10

 

Hatton was an absolute beast in his prime. Sadly much of his prime was wasted defending the WBU trinket under Frank Warren against fringe contenders. By the time he really stepped up against Kostya, he was already on the slide himself, partly due to the partying in between fights. Hatton v Cotto at 140 would have been a great fight but sadly it didn’t come to fruition. Peak Hatton at 140 would be a nightmare for anyone. He had a great chin and incredible engine. He was an ATG body puncher. His highlight reel of body shot knockouts is testament to that.

 

Slightly over the hill Tszyu? The man never fought again after that fight, was very inactive in the years prior to that fight! Nothing slight about that!

 

It’s amazing how long the Tszyu whinge has gone on.
Not from the fighter I might had.

 

His peak was against a 99% Tszyu - do not make Kostya out like some totally shot fighter out for one last hurrah. He was P4P number 3 behind Hopkins and Floyd.

Plus Tszyu got paid a career record 5 million GBP to come to the UK. This was no shot fighter. I had it level after 9.

However for Ricky that was it.

He looked terrible against Maussa who cut him to ribbons with head and hand.

Hugged for 6 rounds against Urango.

Lost against Collazo and was out of the ring for a year at the age of 27 ?

Then got dismantled by Floyd one fight after the Castillo farce.

Cut to B grade fighters in Lazcano & Paulie - which he looked OK doing but not great.

Then Pacquauio did the 'perfect Hat Trick' on him a total embarrassment at this level.

A gifted athlete with some seriously underrated speed however with some seriously flawed fundamentals.

 

Very good and the number one at light welter but not elite... No shame in that at all.. I loved Ricky and to say he caught tszyu on the slide is bollocks .. Tszyu was knocking on.. But he'd just anialated Mitchell and was a pound for pound fighter .. He didn't fight at all like a shot fighter either. He just lost out in a war of attrition where Hatton mauled him..... Only people I remember picking Hatton were casuals who didn't know who kostya tszyu was . ... I sure as **** didn't think he would pull it out

That's a very good win and should be regarded as such.. Did his best to unify light welter and didn't say no to a challenge How can you dislike a fighter like that .. At welter I can see him getting absolutely twatted off a fair few around that time .. I'm glad he didn't fight margarito or moseley . But I really would loved to see him in with cotto and gatti at light welter . Potentially great fights there

 

Sadly many people these days would have a line with him