I understand Hatton fans now

If he could be arsed coming up with a decent excuse for not fighting Witter I would...seriously.

I don't particularly want to look like a barefaced hater.

He did? That's news to me.

I don't normally follow the ins and outs of who has ducked who..it's just so blatant with Hatton.

 

Witter was offered a fight with Cotto a while back, albeit on short notice. I think he was in training, as he always is, and should have took the fight. Even if he had lost, it would have gained him more exposure than beating someone like Corley, just like the Judah fight.

As for Hatton "ducking" Witter, he has his own personal reasons. Like I've said before, if I was in Hatton's shoes I wouldn't fight Witter either. Would you?

 

In all fairness short notice is a lot different than repeatedly...over the best part of a decade.

Plus the ill-advised Judah loss probably cost Witter massively in terms of cash and kudos, he can't be blamed too much for not going up against another excellent fighter in less that prime condition.

It's a question of how he wants to be remembered, All time British great or extremely wealthy former boxer.

And also of how good he thinks he is, I think he fears Witter, I don't blame him either, Witter is his equal I think and can take it all away from him legacy wise.

Either way, squatting on his title and refusing to face him is shithouse behaviour, he'd have been ****ed if Tszyu had the same attitude.

 

Jaysus, you think a win over Witter is the difference between being ATBG and not being ABTG?

You know the biggest possible realistic win for Hatton? Pac.

Look at the credit Hopkins gets for wins over Trinidad and De La Hoya, Hatton would get similar for Pac as he's an ATG and #2 P4P.

 

Hatton was able to offer Zoo 3 Million quid that he couldn't have got anywhere else. Can Witter make the same offer to Hatton?? Zoo didn't come over to Manchester because he likes to fight hungry, young contenders. He came over because Warren gave him a shitload of money. How much monry can Witter offer Hatton that he can't get fighting someone else?

 

No.

A loss to Witter is though.

And I think Witter has earned the right to a crack at him...and a crack at the massive paydays and the legacy fights too if he wins.

It's supposed to be a sport, I know cash runs it but I don't have to like it.

 

When you have one chance at massive paydays and legacy defining fights, you really shouldn't bite that hand as often as Witter does......

 

It's pretty much the accepted way of getting fights.

If fighters didn't fight people who'd badmouthed them they'd be defending their titles against etiquette teachers.

Hatton spent years bitching at Mayweather, it didn't stop Mayweather getting in the ring with him.

 

Well it isn't at that level. Its a business first and sport second, thats why Zoo came over to fight in Manchester at 2am. Sorry if I'm shattering your illusions...

 

The thing is, when Hatton started criticising Mayweather, the fight was already agreed in priniciple so it was about creating interest and heat.

And of course, the man at 140 Vs the man at 147, both undefeated, USA Vs UK etc....it was the biggest fight in boxing.

Whereas Hatton has many options, I have no doubts Hatton could even fight ODLH if he wanted to.....and Witter has no options, he wanted Malignaggi, but Hatton took him away from him. Witter has one big fight and constantly criticising Hatton isn't the way forward.

Hatton gets all this criticism for supposedly ducking Witter as it's a high risk, low reward fight.....but if Witter was to move up to WW, do you think any of the top 10 would fight him? Of course they wouldn't, he brings absolutely nothing to the table and is an unnecessary risk.

 

Well ultimately it's Malignaggi's choice.

And if you get offered a fight on the Hatton undercard on PPV in Britain followed by a fight with him headlining at MSG and a career high pay day....

Or

A fight against Witter at the Doncaster Dome in front of all the Witter fans who came in the same taxi for a hundred grand or so....

I know which I'd take....

 

Over that decade Witter should have pursued other options when it became clear that Hatton interested and made the fight happen at a later stage. Witter has done himself no favours by fighting small names. If he wanted Hatton, he should have done what Hatton did to get Mayweather - Force the fight. Hatton could have stayed n nManchester making big money beating people with no chance and if he had done, he would never have fought Mayweather. He wanted to prove himself however, so went to America and the fight was eventually made. Compare that to what Witter has done. He's stayed in his fighting guys with little chance. He should have fought better people, without any doubt.

I disagree. The Judah fight was seen by more people than probably any other Witter fight, ever. He made good money on the night and gained exposure.

If he had fought Cotto, then he would have been on a big stage in America. Win or lose, he would have been a bigger name had the fight happened.