Lopez does indeed run hot and cold. I'd still take him over Hatton without hesitation. I'd also take Davis and Matias over Hatton. Hatton was a good fighter but people saying he would hold all four straps is really stupid. There is nothing to suggest Hatton could run over the 140 pound division today.
Tank wouldn't take the fight for us to ever know. But yeah I rate Tank, shame his self belief doesn't match his skills. If only he had Hatton's desire to prove himself. Matias is levels below Hatton, he just stands right in front of guys, he makes Hatton look like Loma he's so basic. Hatton would beat him to the punch and tie him up, it wouldn't be close. The fact Matias is rated as highly as he is just goes to show how bad this division is. 140 has been a wasteland for ages, hence why Haney and Lopez moved up and so easily beat the 2 top ranked fighters. Matias is just another basic fighter in a weak, weak division.
Hatton is basic too if you want to play that game. He came forward and mauled his opponent. Rinse/Repeat. If that didn't work, he struggled or outright lost. I never saw him making adjustments in a fight like an Usyk, Mayweather, or Crawford.
Yeah but just look at the difference in terms of their footwork and use of angles. Look at the difference in punch technique. Yes he mauled but that's a technical skill too, that Matias again doesn't possess. Hatton wouldn't need to make adjustments against Matias or anyone else at 140 right now if I'm honest, even Lopez is a victim of being trapped in one style which is why he struggles against counter punchers who move. Were talking Matias, Prograis here not Aaron Pryor or Alexis Arguello.
Okay, Hatton would probably be a favorite in all of those fights. He steps on a banana peel at least once, if not twice.
Hatton probably gets stopped. Yes his footwork and angles are better but his defense was porous. I guess he can overwhelm Matias but he's fighting someone similar in style, only I think Matias actually has better punching power. I guess we can speculate all day long. I think Hatton was a good but overrated fighter. I don't think he washes this era at 140 pounds.
Yeah he was overrated during his time, it baffles me anyone thought he'd compete, let alone beat Mayweather. But this era is way more overrated than Hatton ever was if you don't think he'd be the top fighter or at least one of the top fighters of this era. Nobody in this era barring Lopez impresses me at all. Haney is solid but he's a Devon Alexander level of fighter, decently skilled but lacks the weapons to really beat the best. Catterall is decent but boring and needs an aggressive fighter to make him look good, same can be said of Lopez. I don't see what you see in Matias, yes he has power it seems, but he lost to Ananyan. I don't expect Matias' reign as IBF champion to last very long even in this awful 140 era.
Lopez would have a chance if he shows up but I think he folds under the pressure. The other two are god awful picks. The fight I wish we'd had at 140 was Hatton vs Cotto. Ricky looked his best at that weight and Miguel his most vulnerable.
Matias has size, a good engine and punching power. His style is a problem for a lot of fighters. Do I think he's a P4P level talent? No. Do I think he could have beaten Ricky Hatton? Yes. Without a doubt, I might be overrating Matias. But I don't think he's an easy fighter to deal with. Maulers usually aren't unless you have prodigious punching power, which Hatton didn't possess.
Cotto-Hatton would have been a war but Cotto is definitely the more skilled fighter. I do think Cotto was draining himself at 140 pounds though, it's possible Hatton grinds him down. Ramirez might be a bad pick against Hatton but I don't think Matias or Lopez are. At worst those are 50/50 fights IMO. I would favor Stevenson and Davis over Hatton, without a doubt.