Why was Ricky Hatton so popular?

In the period when the fight really should have happened, Hatton was fighting the likes of:
Roswell
Smith
Hutchinson
Rios
Pederson

a little later he fought
Vilches
Stewart
Oliveira

All never were's except Oliveira who was well past it. Witter was there and calling him out and was better and brought more interest than any of the above.

 

Nail...Head.

We dare not mention the WBU period. Hatton fans like to either pretend it was for a real world title against huge names where he couldn't possibly fit Witter in, or that it never happened. It must be a massive coincidence that he managed to avoid Witter of all his domestic rivals.

 

So what?

TFFP asked where Witter would rank on Hatton's list of best wins. I answered.

 

I'd be ever so grateful if you could manage to explain how he managed to fight Thaxton and Magee, plus all those above mentioned WBU ******s, yet conveniently slithered away from the one man that actually looked talented, and became a WBC world champion and #1 ranked JW in the world.

Without the use of one of the cringeworthy default excuses I've already highlighted in my thread. I know a grown man can't seriously mention being upset by award ceremonies and not wanting to give somebody you hate a payday without being embarrassed.

 

For me, a win over Witter (who up until recently had only one loss, on PTS to Judah back when Judah was flying high and Junior was a domestic-level fighter) would've ranked up there with Tszyu. Let's say after Witter sparks Harris he fights Hatton.....if hatton wins it's as big as Tszyu given the history between them.

IMO Witter would've sparked Hatton. Not unlike Hatton wanting Tszyu that badly, Witter KNEW he had Hatton's number.

Shame Hatton never gave him the shot, then if you know you cannot win there's no point taking the fight. Hatton knew he couldn't win. He probably didn't think he could beat Pac ir Floyd in all honesty, but the reward outweighed the risk.

All speculation, I'm no Hatton-hater nor am I a Witter-lover, just trying to add something.

 

You also said you dispelled "any ducking nonsense" I'm just pointing out that you didn't.

 

He didn't want to fight him, he thought he was a dickhead and didn't want to give him the limelight / payday.

You, I and everyone else may or may not like it, but that's what it boils down to.

Given Hatton has fought and beat better guys since it's completely irrelevant.

 

A dickhead for calling out the guy that is supposed to be the best in Britain at the time? How dare he aspire to prove himself as the best.

These excuses get funnier and funnier by the day, its a great laugh. He was scared of losing.

 

I did

A guy who fights and beats better men cannot 'duck' someone of lesser quality, in my mind

It's a simple enough point, if you choose to think otherwise then go ahead but it's nonsense as far as I'm concerned

 

Doubtful, or he'd never have fought the half dozen or more guys who were better than Junior

If you said 'the risk of losing against the reward was too great' I'd take you more seriously

But Junior's nothing special, time has proved that, and only a fool would argue he was the same quality as Hatton

'Afraid' of Witter, dearie me

 

Of course you can!

It's a lot easier to lose for a purse of 30 million.

When you know you are getting whipped by somebody that could upset your whole applecart that you've built up on the back of Man City fans there is an investment to protect.

 

But he wasn't fighting and beating better men he was fighting aldo rios and stephen smith

 

He HAS fought better men.

Why would you fear someone of that standard, but fight the very best there are?

 

Because you fear losing to that man, rather than Floyd Mayweather. The reasons for that are extremely obvious.

My theory is Hatton didn't even believe he belonged in that class, the way he fought with nervous energy. He wanted to take his money and get out of there, Hatton's whole career defending his WBU belt and then taking the path of least resistance to big pay days suggests he was only ever about money.

 

And barely won a round against them