Ricky Hatton

Gents,

Rumours are starting to explode throughout the boxing world that Ricky Hatton is making a comeback against Pauli Malignaggi??


Hatton is yet to confirm this of course, but if he did make a comeback, how do you think he would get on?


Obviously, as we all know, his last outing was a 2 round blast away by the hands of Manny Pacquiao.


A former foe, a light puncher, and a current WBA World Champ, it seems a good choice of opponent for one last hurrah!


Im sure he wont want to be remembered for the defeat against the pacman, so this could be a viable rumour!!


Thoughts?

Really, really hope not Ricky has nothing to gain and plenty to lose from making a comeback and lets face fact he hardly leads the kind of lifestyle outside the ring that is conducive to either a few years out of action or making a comeback, whilst I agree someone of Paulie's punch power probably does not pose too much risk health wise you do have to wonder what is to be acheived, Ricky is unlikely to beat him any more impressively than last time so what is the point.

As an aside if this is true you wonder how much it is influenced by him losing his Sky contract, because if Ricky is negotiating with other TV companies you would have to think his hand is strengthened greatly if there is a chance he is going to become an active fighter again.

owen10ozzy wrote:Im always one to not buy into rumours too much, however this has gone from slight talk to seemingly nailed on over the past few weeks.

He has seemingly got his head into a good place now and his more hands on approach in the gym has got him into something approaching good shape.

Unlike some people who I have heard discuss his comeback I actually don't think he will have any trouble getting back into very good shape.

As for whether I want him to comeback im in two minds..

I would love to see him go out on a high yet I am not sure I want him to just come back for (lets be honest) a bit of non-event fight to then quickly disappear.

If he does come back...who does he get into his corner...and if the Paulie rumour is true it would signal that he will be returning as a Welterweight..where he never really looked to comfortable.

Although again I don't think that matters given the opponent in question.

Their is also the distinct chance that he comes back...wins and then sticks round too long and get's brutally exposed...

I can imagine the following happening...

Hatton fights Paulie at Welterweight....if he wins he gets the WBA title...

Then a big showdown with Amir Khan...Winner gets Mayweather at Wembley next summer!!

That would not be too bad!

I'm very much the same as you, it would be great to have Ricky back. The excitement it would bring in this country could breathe new life into British boxing, however does he still have it? His corner would be interesting, would have to think he'd go for Gallagher due to the Manchester connection.

Could the Malinaggi fight be held at the Etihad? I'd certainly be going if it was.

He would beat Paulie, let me say that first. But it's dangerous. agree that losing his Sky deal has influenced this. If Hatton can make 10-15 million in a couple of fights, it certainly makes it more likely he will get a TV deal for his stable to fill the undercards.

My worry is what does he do after Paulie? Khan at 147 would be huge in Britain but a big ask after 3 years off. And if he goes in against punchers he is in dange rof ended up pancaked again.

Like to see him stay retired as he shipped too many punches in his first career. Wasn't he getting dropped left, right and Chelsea in training for Manny? And had months of blackout after.

Do you guys think Hatton can make 147? He struggled to get down to 140 in his prime and doesn't look in shape whenever we see him, and even if he does he won't have the speed or the legs to keep up with malignaggi who looks a lot better since the move to 147

Hatton has bragging rights and if he fights malignaggi and gets stopped then it will reflect in his career of only losing to the 2 best fighters of his generation

This is great news. I really hope its true. This is just what boxing needs after a series of scandals. Hatton is a true British great unlike the thugs like Haye and Chisora.

He beat this guy before quite impressively if I remember correctly so common sense dictates he will beat him again. It a very savvy warm up fight to ease back into the game.

As long as his mind is clear and focused then Ive no doubt he will become world champion again.

Hatton will be fine at 147 now. That's not the issue, he's 33 and would have grown into that weight class anyway by now

IF he does come back and I don't want him too these are the sorts of fights he should look for and why, IMO

Malignaggi Win and belt
Brook - Very winnable and big domestic fight
Khan - likely lose at this stage but big money fight
Morales - at 140, in battle of the shot fighters. Big money, although i never want to see Morales fight again

Fighters he must avoid all for physical reasons

Matthysse - Would be brutal KO
Floyd - Brutal and dangerous sustained beatdown with same end as before

Any fighter who can war and has a chin. Hatton has had too many tough battles to war with any punchers at this stage

Gordy wrote:
As long as his mind is clear and focused then Ive no doubt he will become world champion again.

I equally have no doubt that were we to meet Salma Hayek would fall for me in a heartbeat, does not make it so.

i would have to disagree with him beating paulie, i dont beleive he would and could be disastrous for him not health wise but if paulie boxed him how he did to win the title. i just dont see it as a routine win, hes still fit and active and would have the tactics to beat hatton im sure. I would love to see ricky back to his old ways but i dont think we will see that again im sorry to say.

personally i dont think there's anything wrong with his punch resistance so i wouldnt fear for his safety against anyone really.

manny was hitting his peak around the time he faced hatton, and hatton allowed himself to be hit square on the jaw several times.

i'd watch it and cheer him on, but dont think he should come back. and i'm not interested about paulie as an opponents either.

beefyboi wrote:i would have to disagree with him beating paulie, i dont beleive he would and could be disastrous for him not health wise but if paulie boxed him how he did to win the title. i just dont see it as a routine win, hes still fit and active and would have the tactics to beat hatton im sure. I would love to see ricky back to his old ways but i dont think we will see that again im sorry to say.

Agreed that Hatton will never be the same, problem is 50,000 would still go see him in Manchester and he can make 10-15 mill. Not to mention the buzz on forums, and Boxing shows when he is in a fight.

I think he beats Paulie, as he can literally walk through his punches - but beyond that, he is waiting to be exposed as a badly faded fighter.

Hatton v Pac II - wonder if Hatton would be looking for that?

Why does useless...stinking Paulie get so many big fights!!!

Don't mind him coming back but please anybody else!!!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Why does useless...stinking Paulie get so many big fights!!!

Name recognition, willingness to travel, no punch and a big mouth to sell the fight would be my guesses.

Then let him take on Axl Rose.....

id love him against marquez.
yes i see marquez winning but id love to see it.

If he is targetting a comeback, its not a bad fight for him take. I dont actually think he has all that much to lose unless he goes down the Holyfield/Jones Jr route of desacrating his acheivements. If he loses its just another ill advised comeback that will most likely be forgotton about and ignored. If he wins, great.

I would reserve any judgement of how he fares beyond that until watching him in action although I would be prepared to bet heaviy that he will not ever recapture the kind of form he had in his peak years. Ive never felt 147 suited his style either and three years out of the ring with the kind of lifestyle he leads would see a serious drop if fitness that I think would take the best part of year to shake off.

With so many question marks over what kind of condition Hatton would be in and how the lay off affected him I woud not be overly confident of him beating Malignaggi. Would be interesting to see how the bookies see the margin, but its a fight Id stay clear of.

I'd be surprised If a la DelaHoya-Pacman he could get down to 140-147 anymore....without it hurting him gid style after his time out the game...

He's too small for 154....and his power is negligible at 147 anyway!!!

Think it's a bad idea.......but like Holy it's in his blood and maybe he finds it easier to live through the eyes of Hatton the fighter than to be his real self and confront every day life...

Hard to let go especially if you have low self-esteem!!

Which is his real problem!!

Seanusarrilius wrote:He would beat Paulie, let me say that first. But it's dangerous. agree that losing his Sky deal has influenced this. If Hatton can make 10-15 million in a couple of fights, it certainly makes it more likely he will get a TV deal for his stable to fill the undercards.

My worry is what does he do after Paulie? Khan at 147 would be huge in Britain but a big ask after 3 years off. And if he goes in against punchers he is in dange rof ended up pancaked again.

Like to see him stay retired as he shipped too many punches in his first career. Wasn't he getting dropped left, right and Chelsea in training for Manny? And had months of blackout after.

I doubt he would beat Paulie now. Jabba the Hatton just will not have it anymore. The mind may be there but the body is everywhere.

I have a lot of time for ricky....He was a top p4per who had no right to be....a real overachiever...Exciting too..

We could do with more Hattons in Boxing...

Gordy wrote:This is great news. I really hope its true. This is just what boxing needs after a series of scandals. Hatton is a true British great unlike the thugs like Haye and Chisora.

*cough*

Bit of a low blow Mate!!!

Never fails to amaze me how some Brits trash their heroes!!

Pretty sad..

Sounds like a direct response to being dropped by Sky, I wonder where he'd want to televise a comeback.

Well, holding Hatton up as a bastion of morality in the boxing world...

Just not sure addiction is something to poke fun at!!

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:Well, holding Hatton up as a bastion of morality in the boxing world...

He wasn't a boxer when he was doing lines. You may as well have a dig as Bruno and all other ex boxers who found it hard to adjust after they hung up their gloves.

Low blow indeed.

I can't believe so many think that Ricky can come back

He retired and then went off the rails damaging his already damaged body even more. Styles like his don't normally end in long careers and should stay away from the ring

He was brilliant vs malignaggi in the first fight, he kept on him and looked very sharp. I can't see him being anywhere bes this best. He won't be able to keep up the pace, won't have the same power and won't cut the distance as easily

I'm not sure Mandrake was having a dig at Hatton think it was the fact that there was an inference in a previous post that Hatton in someway represented the sport better than Haye or Chisora or in someway represented a better time in the sport, suspect the picture was posted to suggest this might not exactly be the case, that would be my guess anyway.

I buy that.....But think posting a picture of someone in a tragic low state like that is a bit harsh.....

hope this isnt true.... some guys risk their health on the comeback trail because they need the money. Ricky doesn't, truss is on the mark about his self esteem.

If Hatton comes back I'll be betting heavily against him pretty much whoever he is against, the man will be an accident waiting to happen. He won't be able to get back to 140 which mean he'll be at 147 where he already struggled as he couldn't bully people there as easily.

The guys who can go on longer in boxing and take breaks without losing much of their game are the technical and smart fighters like Mayweather, Hopkins and Marquez. They use ability and ring smarts and rely less on the stuff that fades with age. Hatton will be a disaster if he comes back. His ring smarts are limited as it is, he wont have the size advantages he was used to at 140, another asset of his was his stamina which will be gone and I can see him being a pressure fighter unable to cut off the ring to get close and if he does get inside he won't have the joy he used to at 140 in his peak anyway.

KingMonkey wrote:Sounds like a direct response to being dropped by Sky, I wonder where he'd want to televise a comeback.

Channel 5 on the undercard of Fury vs David Tua


No.........but in all seriousness.......probably on Primetime?? Wouldnt be boxnation id presume due to Warren.