The next few minutes after referee Kenny Bayless waved the fight off were frightening. Right there in the middle of the boxing ring, Britain’s face of boxing lied motionless on the canvas, eyelids shut, and body stiff while his worried crew hustled around him trying to bring his senses back. Hatton’s parents Ray and Carol and his fiancée Jennifer Dooley who painfully witnessed the entire event at ringside were visibly distraught, the fiancée most especially.
Thankfully, Hatton’s senses came back a few minutes later and managed to sit on his stool. His face displayed a look of a shocked fighter rather than a beaten one. His dream of beating the best boxers in the world had fallen short twice - the second time more convincing, if not more devastating.
The shocking defeat of Ricky Hatton reverberated swiftly throughout the boxing world. Articles about the little fighter from the Philippines and his captivating one-punch knockout of a guy who had previously never lost as light welterweight populated boxing websites. Along with this news however, were talks about the Manchester, Lancashire native’s possible retirement. A knockout of that fashion almost often has lasting damaging effects on boxer’s health, several boxing experts opined.
“I would suggest he retire… He tried twice, he failed twice. He lost to my son (Floyd Mayweather Jr) and to lose to someone below that (Manny Pacquiao), it's time to leave the ring. He made a good profit. Sometimes you have to go when your prime is still there," said Hatton’s trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr in an interview a couple of days after the fight - a complete reversal to what the cocky trainer had said before the fight, that “Hatton will beat the f**king socks off of Pacquiao”.
But no matter how droll Mayweather Sr sounded, the option of finally hanging up the gloves was not at all senseless for Hatton. Indeed, he had it all. He had the love of his parents, his son, and lovely fiancée. British fans adored him. He had brought boxing back to Britain and paved the way for upcoming stars like Amir Khan and David Haye. Most of all, he had made himself rich and he had nothing else to prove.
But less than a year since he had traded blows with the great Pacquiao, Hatton came out from what he called “a good rest” and officially expressed his desire to fight anew. “I've decided to make a comeback and have another fight this year - probably round about the summertime…I'm going to have one more fight, maybe two more fights - it all depends on the performance of the first fight… I'm not going to have too many more fights. At the minute I'm definitely just going to have one more,” the Brit said.
Perhaps no one is happier about this news than Oscar De La Hoya. De La Hoya, who surrendered on his stool after eight rounds of terrible beating to the very same fighter who gave Hatton the worst defeat of his boxing career, was one of those very few people who had urged Hatton to fight on. “Ricky’s young, Ricky still has what it takes. He can still have a bright future. Look, I have six losses in my career. Just because you lose, it isn’t the end for you. It’s about how you come back,” De La Hoya once said. Interestingly though, De La Hoya is Hatton’s promoter under the American’s company Golden Boy Promotions.
It’s apparent that Hatton’s intention to lace gloves again is not about money. It’s about pride and legacy. Understandably, no proud boxer would want to go out on a losing note. But none would on a winning streak either.
But then again, the decision is The Hitman’s and no one else’s. It’s his body and he knows pretty well the risk he’ll face. Whether or not he’ll do his legacy a favor, we just have to wait and see.
I asked the opinion of some boxing experts whether or not Hatton should continue to fight. Here’s what they had to say.
Adam Pollack, Cyber Boxing Zone
Completely up to him. I am a modified libertarian and believe that people should have the choice to do with their bodies as they see fit. No one owns you but you. If Hatton continues to fight, I do think he needs better matchmaking advice. If I was managing him, I would be a bit more cautious with whom I put him in there with for a while. He's still an entertaining guy to watch.
Geoff Poundes, Ringside Report
I think Ricky deserves one more big payday before his home fans, and to purge the Pacquiao defeat from his memory. After that I’d like to see him hang ‘em up.
Mark Whicker, Orange County Register
No.
Thomas Hauser, SecondsOut
I think that Ricky Hatton should retire because his best days are behind him.
Amy Green, BoxingInLasVegas
Hatton could continue to fight with serious attempts being made to amend his training and or trainers. And efforts made to see he doesn't let himself go so much as he's rumored to between fights.
Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times
No. I think both Floyd and Pacquiao hurt him. He had his big paydays. He achieved a lot for a guy who wasn't a great fighter and lived on walking forward and having huge guts. Don't get hit anymore. Be around for the grandkids.
Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science
His decision is the only one that matters.
Tony Nobbs, Eastside Boxing
Ricky Hatton should fight again because he still has a lot to offer but he should stay away from punchers at least until he gets his timing and confidence back. I wouldn't fight Juan Manuel Marquez first up.
Matthew Goldstein, Boxing Talk
I would want to see Ricky Hatton fight again but I would be very careful. Even against Juan Lazcano, Hatton was getting rocked. If he even gets wobbled ever again I would call it quits.
Chris Ackerman, Doghouse Boxing
That's up to Ricky and his team. He got whooped by Floyd and starched by Pacquaio... neither of those mean the end of the world and neither do the two combined, in my opinion. They are the only two official losses on his record and he put up a couple wins in between. Why would he retire? He got destroyed by, and went corpse-stiff after, a left hook. Big deal. This isn't a case like Roy Jones Jr. who has shown he is not the same guy in fight after fight. Fight on until it’s obviously dangerous or clear that the sport has passed you by. I think we should let Hatton figure that out for himself and after one or two more fights the answer will come to him.
TP Walker, Eastside Boxing
I think he should continue to fight. I am very reluctant to say a fighter should retire especially when they have the desire to continue. I also think he should either do a better job of staying closer to his fight weight when he isn't boxing and/or possibly abandon 140 and campaign exclusively at 147. There are many good matches that he can make at 147. If you recall he was nearly skeletal for the weigh in against Pac. That's not an excuse but it is an actuality.
Ramon Aranda, 411mania
Ricky should give his fans what they want and have a farewell fight against a beatable opponent. Outside of that, Hatton has no business fighting on anymore. He's showing plenty of signs that he's in decline and the brutal KO at the hands of Pacquiao should have convinced him to hang 'em up. Plus his weight issue is getting out of hand.
Brandon Estrict, Doghouse Boxing
Hatton's got a ton of money and has taken a ton of punishment. I don't think he should fight anymore, but if he feels he has a few more, more power to him.
Tony Penecale Jr, Fight News Unlimited
My biggest concern for Ricky Hatton is how he lets his body get out of shape between fights and then has to work extra hard to get his weight down. Ricky should still be allowed to fight. While his knockout was shockingly brutal, I've seen other fighters (Simon Brown, Roy Jones Jr, Amir Khan, etc) suffer brutal knockouts and come back to compete on a championship level. Before Ricky embarks on a comeback, I would like to see his go through a full battery of neurological tests.
Jim Amato, DM Boxing
If Hatton can maintain 140 lbs. he should continue. I believe he can still be a factor at that weight.
Springs Toledo, The Sweet Science
Hatton would be best advised to fight a beatable, non-banger in the second or third tier and then call it a career in the ring. Someday he'll be old and old fighters deserve the comfort of retiring on a win. But he should not fight anyone who can hurt him, because his chin has become a tea cup.
Ronan Keenan, The Sweet Science
As long as Hatton passes the medicals, I see no reason why he can't fight if he wants to. I don't think any fighter should continue to fight after two bad knockouts, but it's his prerogative.
Don Stewart, Reading Eagle
Yes, but he should plot his comeback carefully and stay at 140 pounds. If moved right, he can work his way into one more significant fight. He's still popular and still can be fun to watch. How many times did Arturo Gatti work his way back after a big loss? He might be done as a pound-for-pound contender, but he can still be an attraction.
Michel Joseph, Boxing Talk
Ricky Hatton should do what he wants to do, and it's not my place to tell him to do what I think he should do. It's pretty clear that his best days are behind him, and in much the same way that it happened to Erik Morales, Hatton's durability, and aggressiveness are fading fast. I don't see the point in continuing - he may win a sanctioning belt possibly, but he's not ever going to be the world's best welterweight or even junior welterweight - Timothy Bradley outboxes him all day at this point. He's made plenty of money, and got a beautiful family (parents, son, and girlfriend), and he's earned the right to be the local legend in the pub for the rest of his life - he's got nothing left to prove. Whatever he decides to do, I wish him health first, and peace of mind second.
Paul H. Burbridge, Eastside Boxing
Ricky Hatton has been a great attraction in boxing and one of my favorite people in the sport. He’s a wonderful person who got the most out of his talent and he’s only been beaten by the absolute best. Having said all that I believe that his life style has definitely caught up with him and he’s now pushing it by continuing to fight. I respect his decision to continue on because he can still beat some credible guys but his chin is now starting to fail him much in the same way that Julio Cesar Chavez’s chin failed him later in his career. Hatton is a practitioner of the hardest style to be successful at and that’s “the bull”. To be the bull you have to take shots and wear your man down by breaking his spirit. It’s a young man’s style and one that does not lend itself to a long shelf life. That’s why you rarely see a fighter of this style successful after the age of 32. I’d like to see Ricky go out on a high note but there are a lot of dangerous fighters in his weight range that would be highly motivated to add his name to their resume so it will take some very careful matchmaking to do that.
Continuing is possible but very dangerous and I’d rather see him give his fans a “thanks for the memories” fight at Wembley against a decent name guy rather than take on one of the young guns like Bradley or Ortiz or even Khan for that matter.
Hatton has had one of the more successful careers and he needs to accept that he has nothing more to prove.
David Greisman, BoxingScene
I say about Ricky Hatton what I said about Jermain Taylor -- he should continue to fight, but not against the highest tier of opponents. Fortunately for Hatton, the top fighters at 140 aren't all dangerous to him, unlike the top fighters at 168 (for Taylor).
Igor Frank, Burbank Times
Ricky Hatton only lost to two best fighters in the world. Despite suffering a devastating knock out at the hands of Manny Pacquiao, he is still young and capable of beating most junior welterweights. There are quite a few very intriguing match ups out there for Ricky Hatton, so if he feels like he can still fight, he should do it.
Charles White, Eastside Boxing
I personally feel that it is up to the fighter to decide when it is time to call it quits. Hatton could still put on a few good fights against the right opponents, and make some more money in the sport for his eventual retirement. But again, it is up to him.
Frank Gonzalez Jr, BraggingRightsCorner
Why not? Being undefeated only means you never fought the toughest fighters. Hatton is exciting to watch and if he still has the desire and the physical tools, why not? He was never an A class fighter but he's a good athletic pressure fighter and since there's no real ranking system that decides who fights who, Ricky's promoter will find some good match ups for him.
(Thanks to the experts for sharing their thoughts. - Marshall N. B., marx7204@lycos.com)
***
No comments:
Post a Comment