Which is the better victory?

That was Hatton obvious way of winning but it was also thought to play into Zoo's hands by getting caught with his right cross on the way in. Thats why a lot of people called an early win for Zoo, Hattons way to win was thought to play right to Zoo's strengths.

 

People are going over the top with the Tszyu win the manner that he did it in was more impressive and it was a big night for British boxing and Hatton probably had the bigger mountain to climb

BUT

The Calzaghe win was away at a new weight and Hopkins has gone on to show he was far from past it but was over the hill. Surely Hopkins rates higher than Tszyu p4p?

 

Hattons was the more decisive win.

 

I think The Ring had them both around #5 at the time of the fights. TBH I don't think using the ill-defined P4P rankings is a good way to settle this one. There are too many other factors in the fights that are far more important IMHO.

 

Thats true. I wasn't really posting about the fighters, more P4P rankings.

Outside of them being a bit of fun making and debating lists I'm not a big fan of them being used for much more than that.

 

It's really a two sides of the coin fight. Hatton IMO had the bigger task in a fighter who was supposed to blow him away. He also had all the advantages of home territory and a ref doing him a few good turns. At the time though the golf in class between Ricky and Kostya was very far apart. Hatton also won very convincingly.

With Joe though he was already an established top fighter after the Kessler win at least. He had a great fighter infront of him who had shown a few weaknesses. Joe had nothing going his way though away from home, a ref not doing to much to help. Then on top of that having to come back from an early knockdown to win the fight close but clear in my opinion after I took the B-Hop goggles off.

Tough fight to separate

 

I know what you mean but i agree pretty much with what D-MAC says Hopkins is clearly on a different level to Tszyu. IMO the nature of the two fights one a close contested decision over a fighter he was betting favourite the other a stoppage victory over an opponent people didnt expect him to beat.

 

No argument there.:good


Has anyone mentioned Calzaghes fear of flying yet? Another massive obstacle for him to overcome.....

 

I've gone for Hattons win over zoo...He dominated his opponent while JC only just beat B-Hop (imho).

Referring to an earlier comment about zoo's right hand being the killer punch...Hatton took 4-5 huge right hands when he was on the way in and he walked right through every one. Back then Ricky could take a punch. Sadly no more lol

 

DO you think if Hatton had faced Maussa, Collazo, Urango and Castillo before he fought Tszyu he would be anymore of a betting favourite? Possibly but i doubt he would ever have been favourite going into that fight.

IMO people often overrate victories and their significance because of the circumstances surrounding it the thread i recently did on the greatest single victories of Brits over top opposition many had Honeyghans victory equal with Turpins win over SRR

Whilst both were big underdogs people seem to get remember the Honeyghan win because it was such a shock victory and it became an "event" and a great away day for British boxing though there is no denying it was a great night it cant rank above Turpins SRR scalp

 

Calzaghe was at a 'fake' weight to begin with. I don't buy into these modern weight classes. And he was hardly fighting a beast of a light heavy either (if he was he'd probably have got spanked)

However; he showed how formidable his awkward style was in that fight. Then again, Hop showed how formidable his cagey, textbook style was.

Hatton walked through Tszyu; dangerous tactics. But Hop is ten times the fighter Kosta ever was, and I'd say Calzaghes victory was more impressive overall.

I gave it to him by one point. Scrappy fight, but for the purist, the chance to see a styles clash we rarely see.

 

Tough choice - perhaps Calzaghe based on the career stage of their opposition but i'm not sure