11.12.07 – By Yero Moody, photo by Naoki Fukuda: How prophetic! No one could have given a more accurate prediction than the man himself, Mr. Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. He uttered this prophecy during his post-fight interview after his win over the then WBA welterweight champion Luis Collazo. He went on to elaborate and state that he needed a few more fights before he would be ready for a bout with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. He subsequently went back down to 140 lbs. and had two sucessful wins over Juan Urango and Jose Luis Castillo who was the only man who ever gave Mayweather trouble in the ring due to Mayweather’s injured shoulder, I might add. It was after his win over Castillo where he made what would prove to be a fatal mistake. He called out Mayweather and began his cheap talk. He didn’t think Mayweather would call his bluff as brutally as he did. A perfectly timed “check hook” as Mayweather called it, sent Hatton flying into the ring post and onto the canvas looking up at the Vegas lights..
Many who have read my previous articles know that I made no bones in stating that I felt Mayweather is simply the best boxer in the sport right now. I have stated time and time again that no one from 154lbs south has the skills to beat Mayweather and it is still true in this writer’s humble opinion. I’ve heard many so-called experts predict that the smothering pressure from Hatton would give Mayweather problems and I don’t say that in an arrogant manner, for I myself have been wrong before as well. Only twice, but who’s counting?
I predicted in my previous article that Ricky Hatton’s style and lack of defense was tailor made for Mayweather to pick him apart and knock him out. I was told I was crazy, that I hated Brits and I am in love with Mayweather. I am in love though but not with Mayweather but with boxing in its purest, most scientific and most fundamentally correct display and there is not a virtuoso so pure and concise as Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather!
As I collected my huge purse in Las Vegas from the many bets I’d won I was also saddened by how so few people really know boxing who claim to be hardcore fans and experts. As I watched the fight and listened to Harold Lederman’s round by round analysis I wondered was he watching the same fight I was watching. He had Ricky Hatton ahead after the sixth rd. and only down by one or two points going into the tenth rd. I had Floyd ahead seven rounds to two going into the tenth and what would be the final round. My dear friends you don’t win rounds by bullying, pushing and holding your opponents. You win by landing clean, effective punches and the harder the punch the more effective. Clearly, Mayweather landed the harder, cleaner shots throughout the fight. The one bright spot was the fact that all three of the judges had the fight being clearly dominated by Mayweather going into the tenth rd. One judge gave Hatton two rounds and the other two gave him one round.
Mayweather’s dominating performance over one of the top ten pound for pound fighters in the world should put an end to the naysayers and haters who once claimed that Mayweather is “cherrypicker”, a “runner” and doesn’t like to take risks. Unfortunately, it won’t. The Mayweather hater is a form of hater that is not capable of being objective when it comes to analyzing Mayweather or his performances. They have wired themselves to find something wrong with him no matter what. It wasn’t enough that immediately following his controversial win over Jose Castillo that he immediately gave him a rematch and silenced all doubters with a clear victory. It wasn’t enough that he went to a weight class that was clearly too big for him to take on Oscar De La Hoya. As sure as I’ve written this article its not going to be enough that he just beat a man that was supposed to have the style to beat him who happened to be an undefeated young champion in his prime. If those were track shoes Mayweather was wearing against Hatton I sure as hell want a pair!
The next big cry from Mayweather haters will be he needs to fight Miguel Cotto or he shouldn’t be considered the best. Please don’t get me wrong, as a fight fan I hope that he does fight Miguel Cotto but make no mistake about it he doesn’t need to fight Miguel Cotto to be the best. He’s already proven it time and time again. Cotto will be made to look like an amateur and he will be pummeled from post to post and knocked out! Cotto is a great fighter but so was De La hoya, Castillo, Hatton, Judah, Manfredy, Chavez, Gatti and Hernandez.
STOP THE HATE, MAYWEATHER’S GREAT!
Questions or comments: yero_m@yahoo.com