By Michael Collins: Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson feels that former two division world champion Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KO’s) should take his time getting back to the top of the sport rather than rushing headlong into a fight that could lead to Hatton getting knocked out once again. Hatton is coming off of a three year retirement to face former WBA World welterweight champion Vyachslav Senchenko next month on November 24th in Manchester, England.
Tyson said the the Telegraph.co.uk “My main advice for Ricky would b to take it very easy, you don’t go in over your head to prove you’re tough…Take comfortable fights and build your confidence back up.”
Depending on how you is either an incredibly tough first first of Hatton’s comeback or a really easy one. I’m in the camp of those who see this as a super soft opponent for Hatton because Senchenko never actually beat anyone that I even remotely consider a good fighter. He went life and death with Yuriy Nuzhnenko and was trounced by the feather-fisted Paulie Malignaggi. That tells me all I need to know about Senchenko’s talent.
If Hatton can’t beat this guy then he absolutely should return to retirement because it’s going to be all downhill from here if Hatton looks to fight someone that’s actually any good in the welterweight or light welterweight division.
I see Hatton taking an easy win over Senchenko and then letting the victory go to his head by looking to take on someone like Kell Brook after that. If Hatton takes on someone like Amir Khan then I can see him doing a lot better because Khan’s fragile chin gives Hatton a good chance of winning this fight, especially now that Khan was recently knocked out. But if Hatton faces a good light welterweight or welterweight like Marcos Maidana, Lucas Matthysse, Danny Garcia or Andre Berto, then he’ll likely get knocked out cold like he was against Manny Pacquiao.
Those guys can all punch and they won’t waste time with Hatton. The guy is incredibly easy to hit because of his reckless fighting style, and those are fighters that you can’t use that style against because of their power. If Hatton fights any one of them then his comeback will be short and brutal. Hatton will be okay if he sticks to the weaker guys, but if he steps it up I see him getting smacked down in a heartbeat.