Lockett says WBU made him more money than British title fights.

At least he had fought a 7-8 years past his prime former IBF World Lightweight Champ Freddie Pendleton

Vince Phillips - Former IBF World Light Welterweight Champ,

Ben Tackie - Two time World Light Welterweight Title Challenger

Plus a few other Former World, European, NABF or USBA Challengers or Title holders.

Lockett's only decent opponent has been Ryan Rhodes and although he was well past his prime, he still floored him and almost beat him. Lockett has faced no-one in Pavlik's league and for good reason. His people know that if he fought Zuniga, Miranda or even Asikainen he would likely be beaten so they held out for a good opportunity and it has finally arrived, he can have his payday and go back to obscurity.

 

I didn't really have anything against Lockett before but after reading that bollocks I hope he gets starched about 20 seconds into the fight.

 

glad he got wasted, the guy will not get close to earning that amount of money again. Back to fighting stiffs for the WBU.

 

Lockett the sort of person who might retire after that.

 

Well, it's good that he has a handy revenue stream still available to him.
Back to the WBU and the Warren-brand easy touches.

 

No one else except Warren promotes WBU fights.

Sky Sports won't touch WBU title fights any more (and it has a lot to do with the above and the quality of fights that were served when they were in contract with Warren).

Setanta don't seem to encourage it, which Bunce hinted at last night.

So what does that leave? Not much. ITV - But Khan is Commonwealth champ and WBO #1 so he hardly needs one. These sub WBO belts could slowly get pushed out.

Titles that have been made up in the last 10-15 yrs, that begin with W or I, may sound like world titles but when you look at the fights, it's plain that the action is not in the slightest world class. It may have given fighters more chance to make money, but it worked wonders causing fan alienation. There is now a massive rift between what is good for fans and what is good for fighters. This rift needs repairing. Boxing is better than it was now, but the quality domestic fights we see aren't for really good money unless the combatants are squaring off for some version of a world title.

 

Well, the WBA belt is the very original one...after that, the WBC came along, then the IBF, then the WBO.

The IBF gained tremendously by having Larry Holmes champion it, followed a little while later by Tyson.

While the WBO has had a longer tougher road, it's only really during this decade that its become more accepted, due to better fighters holding and competing for it.

 

Doesnt bother me what he says, he has a right. If one of you had a game of tiddly winks next week and found you where **** hot at it and could make some dosh wining contests...u saying you wouldnt dive in and try and milk it for a financially secure future for a few years? Who says you have to love tiddly winks and the history of it etc

 

This ain't tiddlywinks we're discussing here. I honestly think if Lockett had any desire for glory then he would have put on a reasonable show, and maybe he wouldn't have got quite the pounding he ended up getting.
In my opinion Gary Lockett has shown a lack of self respect over this. If he doesn't mind, then good for him, but I won't be supporting him any more.

 

Aye, i suppose u gotta keep the fans happy too :/

 

yea.long live the king!
who with this post has confirmed that his total knowledge of boxing you could write down on the back of a postage stamp!

 

Not all of Hatton's WBU fights were against chumps - about half if you ask me. The trouble was that Hatton was so far in front of even the best ones in class that they looked 'chumplike'.

They would, however, stand more 'credibility' (in some eyes) had they been for either traditional belts, or staged over ten rounds as tune up fights often are in the US - but over here every fight seems to be for a belt, even graveyard bouts and show openers, which is rather silly IMO.

 

agree:good

 

Summary of Hatton's WBU career:

23. Tony Pep 42-7-1 - Worthwhile
24. Jason Rowland 25-1 - British/Euro title??
25. John Bailey 19-7-2 - Chump
26. Freddie Pendleton 47-25-5 - ???? Should have been earlier ????
27. Justin Rowsell 31-1-2 - Past prime
28. Mikhail Krivolapov 34-2 - Good opponent - step up needed
29. Eamon Magee 23-2 - Decent opponent, learning curve - step up needed
30. Stephen Smith 31-1 - Padded record, chump.
31. Joe Hutchinson 25-3-2 - Average fighter - time to step up!!
32. Vince Phillips 44-7-1 - Good opponent, learning curve - progress
33. Aldo Rios 35-2 - Decent lightweight, sideways step
34. Ben Tackie 24-4 Good gatekeeper, slight step forward
35. Dennis Pedersen 44-2 Total chump, ten steps backward - wtf is going on?
36. Carlos Vilches 41-4-2 Ditto
37. Michael Stewart 36-2-2 Average opponent, possibly good five fights previous (32)
38. Ray Oliveira 47-9-2 Decent tune up although past prime, possibly ok earlier in career (30)

Basically mostly decent fighters, but the step up was confusing in that it was not gradual, peaks and troughs.