Hattons' flaws and wide punches.

He doesn't punch straight on a regular basis. And all his punches come from below. Example: he throws body punches which are low and thrown from the waist. He brings the punches from underneath, then finishing to the head. And someone who can fire punches straight down the pipe like Mayweather will exploit openings up the middle in Hatton's defense. No question about it in my mind.

Hatton's enthausiasm and over-eagerness will not allow him to focus on defense the way him and his camp would like before the first bell rings. I can mind watching his fight with Tszyu. When the bell started for the start of each round, him and Tszyu met in the middle of the ring and he was caught with an overhand right every single time. This happened at the start of around 3 or 4 rounds. It was like this. Ding ding!! off his stool, rush towards Tszyu, bang, nailed with an overhand right. Thats sloppy defense, especially as it happened consecutively over a number of rounds.

I heard Teddy Atlas talk about the body belt Hatton's trainer, Billy Graham uses. Two hand pads and the massive belt. Atlas said something interesting. The belt sticks out and obviously its entirely different from hitting a normal fighter. Hatton launches his punches (winds them up) from too far back as the belt sticks out. And when Hatton works the belt and pads on Grahams hands, no punches are straight as I said at the start of my post. Everything comes from underneath. Its all hooks and hook/uppercuts.

 

Yeah, I know that. He's still open up the middle.

 

Mayweather's left hook and straight right hand. Those are the tools.

 

Well. Hatton feints pretty well, and he does have a bit head movement. But he's defensively nothing like Roberto Duran.

Want to know something. The most non-talked about weapon in this entire fight, Hatton's jab. I have had this in my mind for months. He needs to use the jab often while backing up Mayweather. IMO, Mayweather doesn't defend jabs too well. De La Hoya's jab was his main weapon over the first 7-8 rounds. Mayweather pulled back in a straight line and was caught with it often it must be said.

When Hatton's on the outside, and advancing on Mayweather, the jab is the key. He needs to keep Mayeather occuppied with the most basic tool in boxing when closing the range. Not used as a point scoring jab, thus becoming a boxer at long range like the Mayweathe uses it. But rather using it as he looks to get inside, and let his hooks/uppercuts flow off it. He can't be predicatble and load up without the jab.

I would actually go as far to say, Hatton's jab may well be the most important weapon in his arsenal to be successful against Mayweather.

I prefer Mayweather's style more than Hatton's, but my views and predictions are done with the head, not the heart.

 

Hatton used the jab effectively against Tackie. The jab is there, but not used enough as its not really a tool he employs often. I'm simply saying he can use it often against Mayweather, and he need to IMO.