Only those who know what it is to be stripped of a long, undefeated record
with which your entire professional persona has become synonymous will
understand the doubt, the reassessment and self-searching that Ricky Hatton
will be grappling with today, tomorrow and, most likely, for weeks to come.
“It’s so important, so significant,” Sugar Ray Leonard said afterwards in
sympathy for the defeated Briton. “It’s almost as though we need a
psychiatrist. We need to come to terms with what happened. It really is the
worst.” Hatton’s acquaintance with “the worst” has already been a trying
one. He had a postfight party planned for the Hard Rock Café in Sunday
morning’s early hours, but was informed that he was required first at the
local hospital for a brain scan.
When you have soaked up punishment to the extent that he did, such medical
checks are regulation. And anyone who saw the telecast or witnessed the thud
as he went down after one minute and 35 seconds of the tenth round, would
agree first that the fists of Floyd Mayweather were infinitely the superior,
but also that Hatton’s health check should come long before the drowning of
sorrows.
Hatton insisted on giving his press conference first, although he was keeping
an ambulance and two servicemen waiting. In it, he remained absolutely true
to self and opted for comedy – “I was doing quite well until I slipped”. He
also exhibited evidence of memory loss (he could not recall a succession of
warnings from the referee) and he delivered a blinkered assessment of his
defeat, saying that Mayweather had taken his “one chance” when it came along.
One chance? Long before Hatton’s horizontal finish, Mayweather had proved that
chances aplenty were his and that he would welcome them merrily. It took a
little time to establish his superiority, but in the fourth round, he put
together three minutes of boxing that proved instantly that his much-lauded
skills were in a different class to those of his challenger.
Then, in the eighth round, he so dismantled Hatton that it twice seemed the
bout was over. For Hatton to have pushed his challenge through to the tenth
was testament to his tenacity and astonishing reserves of courage, but now
that his undefeated record is gone, we can reflect that Mayweather truly is
the pound-for-pound champion of the world and Hatton, sadly, a considerable
way off.
As Leonard said, when you are undefeated, the possibilities are endless;
Hatton’s star was so high before this bout that he had the likes of David
Beckham, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jol-ie coming through his dressing-room door
to wish him luck. One loss, though, and the perspective changes entirely.
Hatton was brutally exposed here as a boxer high on energy, but almost
completely bereft of a jab. After Leonard’s first loss, against Roberto
Duran, he came straight back in against the Panamanian and beat him. It is
extremely hard to envisage Hatton ever beating Mayweather, even if he were
to get a second chance.
For starters, Mayweather suggested after the bout that retirement was a likely
option. He has already retired twice before, so we should take this lightly,
but he is obviously a man who believes he has achieved enough in this game.
And while the Hatton camp will debate their next move for weeks and months,
they will surely consider that the welterweight division, which has some
mighty boxers beyond Mayweather, is not worth another visit.
Wherever he does box next, though, we can be sure that his deafening army of
followers will go, too. The crowd in the MGM Grand’s Garden Arena certainly
provided a blistering backdrop to the night. Unfortunately, they will be
remembered by many for their irrepressible booing of The Star-Spangled
Banner; it was one thing to howl derision at Mayweather as he made his
entrance, but quite another to register zero respect for the singing of the
host’s national anthem.
And, disappointingly for Hatton, the crowd factor failed to make the slightest
impact where he might have hoped. Mayweather was an athlete at the height of
his powers here, certainly too confident to allow the Mancunian majority to
work their way into his mind.
It was thus against a backdrop of their chanting that Mayweather got to work
and the “Hatton Wonderland” of which they sang took on increasingly mythical
status. Hatton competed equally for the first three rounds, roughing and
grappling as expected, but notably struggling to make his tempo tell with
target-hitting punches.
Unfortunately, he sat down after the third with a cut on his right eyebrow.
His cuts man did a brilliant job, but the fourth round demonstrated that
Mayweather would not require cuts to help him. Here, he suddenly started
locating his target, bamboozling Hatton by varying his shots, snapping
Hatton’s head back with combinations that he could neither read nor defend.
Never had an opponent exposed Hatton as so simple a target.
For Hatton, the response was to get close and grapple even more, but here
Mayweather had his measure, too. Mayweather had come ready to fight, inside
the clinch as well as out, and his hallmark defensive work ensured that he
would outsmart Hatton here, too.
After a series of warnings for hitting Mayweather on the back of the head,
Hatton was officially deducted a point in the sixth round when Mayweather
almost went through the ropes. The Hattons complained afterwards that Joe
Cortez, the referee, had not allowed him to fight, that Mayweather had been
allowed to use his forearms and that it is was impossible to avoid the
champion’s back because he was turning so much.
Yet, valid though this all was, no one could pretend that Cortez had
influenced the result. Where the deducted point did have an impact, though,
was in forcing Hatton to go chasing the bout, a tactic that played further
into Mayweather’s hands. The seventh round allowed Mayweather to start
finding his range again and, but for Hatton’s sheer cussedness, the eighth
would have finished it.
Twice here, Mayweather stripped his opponent down to nothing more than a
slow-moving punchbag and twice he went looking for the finish. As Mayweather
said afterwards: “He’s as tough as nails. A couple of times, I had him hurt
and thought, ‘Damn, he’s still coming’.” Indeed he was, although the contest
was already beyond him. Mayweather continued to pick him off in the ninth
and then, in the tenth, he released a weapon learnt in the amateurs back
home in Michigan, the “check hook”, an arcing counter-shot he threw in
response to Hatton’s own hook, which missed and left him open.
Mayweather’s connected so hard that Hatton went down, his head ricocheting off
the corner as he fell. He did follow the count by boxing on, but immediately
a left, right, left took his legs away from him again and Cortez had stopped
the bout before he even hit the canvas.
“I had a ball tonight,” Mayweather said afterwards, as if it was a party not a
boxing match that he had just come through. Significantly, there was not a
single mark on his face.
The statistics said even more about the astonishing exhibition he had just
staged. He landed twice as many punches; Hatton threw and missed so many
times that only 17 per cent of his punches connected, Mayweather’s success
rate was 39.
Most damning for Hatton was that, in ten rounds, only 11 jabs found their
target. If he is to return as a serious championship contender, he will
surely have to reassess the methods and the armoury he uses to dismantle boxers
of world class. Here in Vegas, he was exposed as the cliché that so irked
him, and the “brawler” stood no chance against a Mayweather of such class.
All this will be for Hatton to ponder; he has been a remarkable, magnetic
champion and a compelling storyline, his popularity will not go away and
neither, it seems, will he. Indeed, he seems even more the boy next door now
that he is no longer, officially, invincible.
“He was definitely the toughest competitor I’ve ever faced,” was how
Mayweather rated him. And he then ducked the open invitation to rub his
victim’s nose in the dirt, opting instead to hail his courage. “Ricky
Hatton’s a true champion,” he said, “we’re not going to disrespect him, not
here.” A massive bout like this has a tendency for reassessing the world
order. Hatton, we know for sure, is as limited as he is bold. And Mayweather
can not only fight like a champion, but he can behave like one too.
The final analysis
Mayweather
Punches thrown: 329
Punches connected: 129
Percentage: 39
Jabs thrown: 72
Jabs connected: 29
Percentage: 40
Power punches thrown: 257
Power punches connected: 100
Percentage: 39
Hatton
Punches thrown: 372
Punches connected: 63
Percentage: 17
Jabs thrown: 63
Jabs connected: 11
Percentage: 17
Power punches thrown: 309
Power punches connected: 52
Percentage: 17
— Scores at the end of round nine: Burt Clements 88-82 Mayweather Dave
Moretti 89-81 Mayweather Paul Smith 89-81 Mayweather
— Bout was stopped after one minute 35 seconds of round ten. Hatton was
deducted a point in round six for hitting behind the head.
— All three judges gave Hatton round five. Clements gave Hatton round
three. All other rounds were scored to Mayweather.
Great article! I have to say, the booing of our national anthem surprised many of us, and thought it was classless especially if you're guests to our country. But every country has their bad apples. It was also the loudest and most energetic crowd I've seen in a boxing event. In a way, it made it fun to watch. The British fans are very passionate about their own and about sports. And for others, once alcohol is inside your system your bound to do anything! While many of us(including me) took the booing as offensive in the beginning, it will probably be forgotten soon enough. There's always this love-hate relationship between our 2 countries, but in the end, majority of Americans still admire the British!
Celia, San Diego, CA, USA
I think most people know, or should know, that pre-fight trash-talking is part of the theatre and really shouldn't be taken too seriously. Some of Ali's phrases will live forever and boxing has carried on the tradition (although obviously nobody has come close to the master). When Naseem was giving it all the gob in his heyday, the press seemed to have a much better sense of humour. Maybe it's because it's an opponent that they suddenly got sensitive. And allow me to join the growing list of Englishmen who feel disgraced by the booing of the national anthem. It has been defended, unbelievably, by people using the Iraq war as an excuse.
Firstly, there are millions of Americans who feel strongly about the Iraq war, who hate their role in it, and it is their anthem too.
Secondly, the idiots that booed would have trouble finding America on a map, let alone Iraq, it's the same fools that disgrace this country at every opportunity, home and away.
chris, Worthing, England
A brave man to step up to the weight, , You lost to a great. No shame in that everyone else did to. . If you call it a day Ricky, thanks for the ride you are still A STAR.. Top man
Colin Cheshire
Colin, sTOCKPORT,
Great promotion, but not a classic fight. It turned out as expected by those who soberly evaluated the fight. The British fans displayed their great passion for their British hero and Hatton should have made you proud with his determination and will. Hatton has the guts of a true hero. I'd share a foxhole with him anytime.
As far as British fans booing the U.S. National Anthem... not a problem. Most here understood that passionate and mostly drunk fans are not indicitive of their nations people.
Guner, Washington DC, USA
Hatton must of thought he was fighting a ghost as so many of his punches missed- that shows you how good Mayweather is since we forget that Hatton is a fine World champion himself. Mayweather though is a legend before and even more now- he deserves to be considered one of the greats of boxing. The brutal honesty is that Hatton was too brave and took too many fierce shots that may come to haunt him next time he goes into the ring- I hope not though.
Hopefully Mayweather's comments after the fight will be remembered - he trulty respected Hatton and shamed those who thought he was just arrogant.
Pity about booing the US 'Stars and stripes' -so stupid.
Derek J. Pickard, Sawston, Cambridge, United Kingdom
English fans booing other countries national athems is nothing new, ever been to an international football match at whembley ? What irks even more is the continual patronising attituded displayed by the so called intelligent lefties in britain to all things american and america, all I have ever seen in America are people that love their countries, and other ethnic groups that buy into the american dream. In Britain all we ever get is cynism and a fragile tolerance of others while most brits are escaping the country to relocate.
Uche George, London, England
I'm an expat american and was a Hatton fan right up until the anthems. It reminded me that I love my country. After that there was only one choice. Sorry Ricky. You are maginficant.
Larry, Stratford upon Avon,
Hatton fought very bravely. Mayweather was discomforted for 7 rounds, and finally had to change the style that had worked for him against such great fighters as De La Hoya. He was forced to move and to become much more aggressive, and then he displayed the full extent of the talent of the greatest fighter in the world today.
Hatton should be given credit for pushing Mayweather to show us everything he had, and when he did we saw one of the best demolition jobs on display in many a year. Hatton should continue to fight - he won't face someone as good as Mayweather again.
Oz, NY, USA
Ricky did his best but he met a boxer at the very top of his game. Floyd was absolutely brilliant and he even was gracious in his words after the fight. The morons that booed the American national anthem should grow up and show a bit of respect.
Well done Mayweather and Hatton for putting on a show.
Josh, Brighton,
The press backed Hatton so much but the truth was evident if you could pick through Mayweather's arrogant ramblings. The key was the type of opposition Hatton had faced in his 38-0 (43-0 overeaching). Hatton had previously only faced one... two (being genereous) world class champions in his career, Mayweather on the other hand had dispatched well over 6 class opponents and in ther prime with a total of aguably 16 sanctioned championship fights compared to Hattons' 6.
Mayweather brought this point up in his post match interviews although this might have been intertwined with arrogant ' lifestyle flashy' speak, the media new this but chose to cover this up by trying to evoke 'empathy respect ' for Hatton's UNDEFEATED tag. Whilst the likes of David Haye tried to alighn himself with the missinfomed Brithish fans (maybe trying to acoust Hatton's fans to his own corner by joining the flag flying fantasy footbal brits), seasoned ex-professionals knew the deal and at 33/1 what a sweet deal!
Michael Sameke, London,
I leave the technical comments to true boxe experts...
My comments are:
DO not be surprised by Maywea behaviour after the fight (praising Hatton etc.) this is box before they offend each other (to build media interest and therefore the amount of money they ll earn) after they are friends (even when you loose you land a huge bonus)
DO not be surprised by supporters booing the Us anthem - they were only (indirectly) booing Mayweather.. We take sport more personally in th UK ...
marco, london,
Well done to Hatton, he tried his best but i think it was he rather who underestimated what a clever craftman his opponent is.The fight just proved what true boxing fans knew all along, Mayweather is a far superior fighter than Hatton, i could not believe senior, well respected journalist were caught up in hype and started predicting a Hatton. As much as he comes across all brash and flash, we all know it sells the fight and Hatton has made a fortune lets face it because he was fighting MAyweather.
Floyd proved he is Floyd "The Best Ever" Mayweather!!!
Manny, London,
Very well written article. That was definitely the most exciting boxing match ive seen in a long time. I thought Hatton was going to put up a little bit more of a fight, all that trash talking, and nothing to back it up with. He must have been listening to his fans all week, saying how good he was, and how he was going to dominate and severely underestimated Floyd. Ricky was supposedly really fast, but Mayweather made him look like he was fighting in glue, no contest whatsoever. Not to mention the complete classless booing of our national anthem, i was embarrassed for the country of England. Maybe when you guys get a real fighter who can actually compete against the best we have to offer you can try and fix your tarnished image.
frank, memphis, USA
You can't expect English chavs to behave any differently. They disgraced themselves - as usual.
James, Scotland,
To Malcolm - I truly hope that this is not some pathetic attempt to justify/excuse booing of the US anthem? Much as i despise what the US has done in Iraq and elsewhere, this was a sporting event - one of the biggest of this decade at that - and deserved an audience of equal class. Not booing other countries' anthems is a matter of culture at the most basic level.
Instead, we got a few thousand drunken buffoons ('minority' as the UK media always calls them) proving just why us Brits abroad are hated more than any other nation. It has little to do with Iraq, but a lot to do with the lack of basic manners of UK citizens when abroad.
It really is shameful that the two fighters who put so much honest graft and delivered a great spectacle have been overshaddowed by the actions of these cretins. Reading some of the other comments below, perhaps it's a shame those rodeo folk didn't venture into town...
Well done Mayweather - awesome performance and great humilty afterwards.
Mark, London,
When Hatton called out Mayweather after the Castillo fight I thought he was crazy - in his only other welterweight fight Hatton was pushed to the limit by Collazo who is not in the same league as Mayweather. Even so the media and promoters did a first rate job selling the Hatton concept. Those familar with Mayweather's incredible ability as both a great boxer and, just as importantly, fighter knew how this fight would turn out. The real factors that were ignorned by the hype were - a good big one will beat a good small one and exceptional class will beat graft and desire anytime. I hope for Hatton's sake that he does not consider a rematch with Floyd - he may make more money but he cannot beat Floyd. Forget about the ref favoring Mayweather, forget about thinking that if he fights him in England the result will be different. The fact is the Mayweather is the best pound for pound fighter not just today but for at least a generation - a true great.
Noel, Houston, TX
This was very predictable - except in self delusionland known as England. As for the booing of the national anthem by the travelling yobbos, no surprise there either. Americans should
know that, whatever history may bind the two nations, there is a store of resentment and envy for all things American in a large percentage of British people that would astonish them.
richard block, London, UK
The closest Mayweather has come to perfection since the Gatti fight. I also feel he carried himself with a lot more class than Hatton before and after the fight, as for the fans they were a disgrace and hindered Hatton throughout. As for the ref he was a little overeager but the hit hold hit hold tactics of the Tszyu fight were never going to be allowed in the States. Cotto, Mosley, Cintron, Williams, Margarito and even Judah will be praying to get Hatton next after being exposed as just blood and thunder.
Stephen McKenna , London ,
Mayweather did great, beautiful finish, not to mention the lead up. Unfortunate loss for Hatton but the best man won. Mayweather may be cocky but at least he showed humility compared to the gang of skin head hooligans who were in support of Hatton. The booing of the anthem was a disgrace, can you imagine if it was the other way round. And as for the person who wrote that the US is the most hated nation in the world, we are their allies twit, so whatever they do, the bloods on our hands too. Great fight.
Mr IS, Enfield, England
Another example of an English sportsman coming in second again.Football,rugby,Formula 1 and now boxing.
The sad thing it's always so predictable.
The hype put out by the media before these sporting contests is irresponsible.
alan maddox, wirral , england
He deserved it. Ricky didnt have a chance against Mayweather but as usual the media made him think that he could Mayweather.
Jessica , Coventry, UK
Hatton was outclassed. I was very disappointed pre-fight by the media or should I say British press disrespecting Floyd Mayweather in making Hatton the favourite and Sky's Coverage or presenters was biased in blatant favouritism to Hatton. This I think gave the British public a false sense that Hatton actually had a chance of beating Mayweather. I watched the fight and was amazed as Hatton was completely outthought and despite the Media saying that Hatton won all the exchanges pre-fight this was a 'bogus' claim. Hatton was behaving like a street brawler and Mayweathers taunts (pre-fight) clearly got the better of him. Hatton was too emotional and this clearly was one of the factors that he got knocked out and beat so easily. I was impressed by Mayweathers humility after the fight and disappointed by Hatton, he could not admit he got beaten by the better man. The British fans are great as they support their man and County but by 'booing' the US national anthem, that was a Disgrace. I hope we do not see that again.
Sulai, London, United Kingdom
Ricky was beaten, but you all forget he moved up a weight.As for being shamed for booing the American national anthem. This country is hated through out the world for , helping America murder thousands of innocent people. I am very impressed the way Floyd spoke after the fight, why cant he be like this before his fights.All I can say is congratulations to Floyd Mayweather
Malcolm, Huyton, Knowsley, England
Good job Mayweather, in and out of the ring! Shows that we are not the pompous, arrogant, baffoons most of the world makes us out to be..
I was at the MGM the afternoon before the fight and witness many rude, pushy, drunk, englishmen heckling other visitors...and to see they booed the national anthem and closed bars (informed of this from another article) because of their conduct is not surprising. Also, not smart, considering across town there was a major rodeo event going on with thousands of very patriotic american citizens.
Just goes to show....think before you do....learn manners...and never forget when you are the guests...
Sue, Prescott, AZ
Good job Mayweather, in and out of the ring! Shows that we are not the pompous, arrogant, baffoons most of the world makes us out to be..
I was at the MGM the afternoon of the fight and witnessed many rude, pushy, drunk, englishmen heckling other visitors...and to see they booed the national anthem and closed bars (informed of this from another article) because of their conduct is not surprising. Also, not smart, considering across town there was a major rodeo event going on with thousands of very patriotic american citizens.
Just goes to show....think before you do....learn manners...and never forget when you are the guests...
Sue, Prescott, AZ
Hatton was totally outclassed by a far superior fighter.
He really should retire now, I fear he won't, and that will be a shame.
It's all downhill from here.
Michael Rigby, Blackburn, England
Well wriiten, fair and honest report. Hatton fought THE best and in doing so exposed his own considerable shortcomings.
Paul, Munich, Germany
Out classed, out muscled. What more needs to be said
Tim C, Richmond, Victoria
Ricky Hatton is still my champion. I love Ricky!!!
Collette, Niagara Falls, NY
This was a great article. Everyone says Mayweather is loud obnoxious and arrogant, but not once did he bad mouth Ricky Hatton after the fight. He showed him respect and also told the truth and said he was the toughest fighter he ever faced. So this goes to show Mayweather does have a kind heart and isn't starstruck arrogant cocky or unkind! I hope all the individuals who badmouth him read this article.
Tammii, detroit, MI/USA