Most people around here are aware of Laing's rise and fall, and the drug and alcohol problems that ruined what could have been a stellar career. Ricky's another one who likes a drink when there isn't a bout coming up but he seems to have a much stronger support system than Kirkland and it's helped him reign in a lot of excesses and stay at the top for longer. Prime v Prime, at welter, who would come out on top in the battle of the big boozers?
At welter - I think Hatton has showed his vulnerability at that weight already. Pound for pound - prime for prime - I'd say Hatton but then Laing does have Duran on his resume (sorry thinking out loud as I type!). No I'd go Hatton, no real longevity in Laing as a dominant boxer. Although able on his night (and if the same Laing was to fight Hatton that fought Duran he wouldnt have a problem with a Hatton who fights similar - albeit but more limited - to Duran) I think Hatton would probably have too much for him and would beat him 9 times out of ten. The same way Duran would beat him 9 times out of ten, he just happened to catch Laing when he was on song!
Hatton does have a much stronger support network, and to give him credit, lives like a monk for three months prior to getting into the ring. I would imagine that he boozes less than many other boxers, but he is a rather honest chap and won't bother lying because some arsehole could exploit and sell pics of him with a pint to the Sun for a few quid. If he didn't live the way he does, he would have probably retired by now, as he would have been fed up with the game full stop!
The Kirkland Laing that beat Roberto Duran would`ve run rings round Hatton and would`ve beat Colin Jones another great welterweight from Britain.Welshman Colin Jones sparked Laing twice which spelt the serious downward slope in his career which he never regained.I think Hattons on the slide now aswell.
I've always wondered how Hatton would fare against Jones, I see certain similarities in them. I asked one of Hatton's fans in the Brit Forum and he said Jones would be the favourite as he was a genuine WW who was competitive in a strong division at the time.
hatton! ..kirkland was way too unbalanced mentally to keep hatton off him !.. they squabble back and forth for the first 3 or 4 rounds .. kirkland loses focus and then hatton starts tagging him with the hooks.. till about the 9th or 10th...then he gets him good and its over
I seem to remember Colin Jones was miles behind in both those fights with Laing but may be wrong, I was only a kid at the time. I'd give Laing a damn good chance against Hatton to be honest, but he'd have to be at his best obviously. Sad that Laing and 'Laings best' never crossed paths too often, he was magnificent when he was on form.
I'm too young to remember them but I believe both fights followed the same script - Laing way ahead and then gets nailed.
That's how I remember it too but it is a very distant memory and people who were a few years older tell me that Laing was the most naturally gifted fighter they ever seen but just struggled to concentrate for 12 rounds and that, combined with his chin, spelt bad news. Hatton doesn't have the power to 'nail' Laing like Jones had though, so Laing could quite easily take a decision in this one.
both fights with jones followed a remarkably similar pattern.laing basically boxed jones' head off,however jones was a strong determined so and so with great power and was never out of the fight.eventually he caught up and nailed laing with big punches,both times in the 9th and i believe both fights ended at the same time almost to the second.
