Half-Mayweather-Hatton Preview, Half-Mini-Mailbag


	<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N3245.BoDog/B2561294;abr=!ie;sz=740x125;ord=[timestamp]?"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N3245.BoDog/B2561294;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=740x125;ord=[timestamp]?"><IMG SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N3245.BoDog/B2561294;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=740x125;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=740 HEIGHT=125 ALT="Click Here!"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

Half-Mayweather-Hatton Preview, Half-Mini-Mailbag

By Coyote Duran (Dec 5, 2007) Doghouse Boxing

For those of us who always wondered ‘What if?...’, our questions finally get answered this Saturday when World Welterweight Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., 38-0 (24), defends the gold against World Junior Welterweight Champion Ricky Hatton, 43-0 (31). Even if it is two years too late.

Mayweather and Hatton have traveled the same road in those two years but never passed in traffic once during the journey. Although ring veterans for years, this particular trip started at junior welterweight beginning, for

both fighters, in June of 2005 when Hatton made then-Undisputed 140-Pound Champion Kostya Tszyu quit on his stool in 11 and 21 days later, Mayweather drove Arturo Gatti to capitulation, taking the WBC super lightweight belt in the process.

At the time, a Hatton-Mayweather fight would’ve been a natural nightcap for a division that was heading for its own bedtime in the wake of Hatton-Tszyu but after Mayweather’s decimation of Gatti, he made his move to 147 while Hatton, without necessity, annexed Carlos Maussa’s WBA belt in his next fight. Little was bandied about regarding Hatton making a defense against Mayweather but not much of a stink was made from the Mayweather camp for a move to the welters was seemingly irresistible. Hatton merely shrugged his shoulders, sniffed around 147 for about 36 minutes against then-WBA titlist Luis Collazo, and then returned to defend his crown against Juan Urango and Jose Luis Castillo. Along the way, Hatton showed inconsistency, punctuated by a return to old form. Whether or not it becomes a learning experience for ‘The Hitman’ remains to be seen.

In returning to his old form against Castillo last June, Hatton revisited the formula that made his championship-winning effort against Tszyu possible with his love of pressure and Mexican-style bodypunching. Since such a definitive victory was Hatton’s last outing, it stands to reason that his competitive frame of mind is still intact; bolstered by the anticipation

of his newest challenge in Mayweather. But Mayweather today is far the fighter that Castillo is, obviously.

Mayweather is quite the conundrum and not in the way that a Mike Tyson was or is. A mild case, figuratively, of identity disassociation, Mayweather is many fighters in one. In one instance, he’s the swaggering thug. In another, he’s an affable, smiling gentleman with a yen for dancing across a reality show floor into the hearts of couch-bound housewives who know bupkis about Our Sport. In another, an introspective young man who fills the void his father never did by surrounding himself with those who couldn’t care less but hold all of his belts anyway. In the end, Floyd Mayweather Jr. can only be one physical entity and that entity has to face Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on December 8.

We know what to expect on Saturday night because we know what Mayweather brings to each fight and that’s a virtuosity that is either appreciated or vilified, depending on the fan you might be. That same virtuosity takes Mayweather over the top to varying degrees because he’s caught between trying to prove something not only to his observers but himself. On one hand, he’s an aggressive, slicing mauler as seen against Phillip N’dou and Arturo Gatti and on the other, he’s an underappreciated, methodical, tactician against a Carlos Baldomir. Against N’dou and Gatti, he’s a wasted talent. Against former Undisputed Champion Baldomir, he’s seen as a crashing bore. In the end, he’s a needy personality who craves putting asses in seats, wondering why he’s not the marketable draw he believes he is while believing even more that he’s the second coming of Ray Robinson. Sometimes one is inclined to feel sorry for him. Other times, one wonders if he or she even cares.

Against Hatton, we know what we want to see and that’s an anti-venom to Hatton’s pressure; bringing out a more aggressive challenger. Mayweather is a natural counter to an inside fighter and is excellent when cornered. At a distance, Mayweather can dictate the pace with anyone, negating almost any strategy. Hatton is no one’s parade through Central Park but Mayweather, in his inimitable manner, doesn’t care and won’t come fight night. He’ll just keep believing he’s The Greatest Of All Time and, like a five-star general who strolls through the sparsest populated section of a third-world country, he’ll pick and choose weaknesses to exploit and go home a winner.

Or so he thinks.

Although, not readily apparent to the untrained eye, Ricky Hatton also believes in himself, possessing a calm, relaxed aura that, relative to Floyd Mayweather Jr., goes back to a provincial, humble upbringing that couldn’t contrast further from what the seemingly hardened Welterweight Champion dealt with as a youth. Such an upbringing gives Hatton an impenetrable center that created the foundation of the fighter Hatton ultimately became. And that’s the fighter we need on Saturday night.

We’d all love to see an all-out brawl when Mayweather and Hatton meet but the reality of it all predicts a 12-round stick-and-move clinic by Mayweather with as many clinches as possible, courtesy of Hatton. We wanted a Fight of the Year in Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya. It had the makings on paper. We didn’t get one. Odds are, we won’t get one this time. Truth be told, realism sometimes stings and boxing realists expectations are clear. When Mayweather-Hatton concludes, unless he breaks paradigm and slices Hatton to a stoppage, 12 rounds will most likely have elapsed with Floyd Mayweather taking his World Championship back home via decision while Hatton, despite losing, toys with the thought of facing De La Hoya or returns to the junior welterweight ranks to rightfully reign. Whatever Ricky Hatton decides, in losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr., the sobering truth that the welterweight division just isn’t his high tea will have to be one more learning experience he’ll have to steep in the plentiful cup which has become his career.

…And now, a mini-mailbag featuring ‘Random Howlings’ readers with Howlings of their very own. I present to you their unedited e-mails in their unedited entirety and I’m damned pleased to have them. Read on, kids!

Albert quotes and responds…

“We can’t degrade a champion’s status because he might not be taking on the best challenges in his weight class. If he won the belt, he won the belt and that’s it,”

to be considered the best one must face the best, at the end of the day a fighter like shane mosley or oscar de la hoya will get more respect than the undefeated mayweather, for one there will be many questions to be answered. with mayweather a whole lot of what ifs, with a guy like oscar and shane not so many since they faced the best fighters in their era. i give sweat pea 10times more respect than floyd at least sweat pea took more risks unlike this mayweather clown.

LOL @ 'Sweat Pea'.........

I do agree with you, Albert. And since Floyd Mayweather Jr. hasn't seriously taken on the best or most deserving fighters in any given division since Jose Luis Castillo since 2002, he's deserving of the heat most fans give him. But it's his cleverness that makes his fight choices for him and that's one of the reasons 'Pretty Boy' is undefeated to this day. Sure, he fought Oscar De La Hoya for a paper belt and now, he's defending the true welterweight championship against World Junior Welterweight Champion Ricky Hatton this Saturday but these two men still stand as the least of all evils Mayweather had or has to deal with. If Mayweather is truly confident that he's the man to beat at welterweight, he would've faced Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Paul Williams or Luis Collazo without a second thought.

But he didn't. Nonetheless, it still doesn't make Mayweather any less the linear champ in a literal sense as it does take away the vital ingredients of what he considers to be the recipe of a career legacy. Odds are, post-Hatton, Mayweather still won't take on the likes of Cotto, Williams or Margarito but might still look in the direction of Shane Mosley who, after dropping a loss to Cotto, now seems very vulnerable to PBF. Sucks, huh? And if all else fails, there's always Zab Judah to fall back on.

And thank YOU for reading and your input, my man!

Robert adds his two cents…

Hey man, I'm a Chicago native exiled to south Texas. but I remember John Drury, Joel Daley, Fahey Flynn, John Coleman and the rest of the WLS channel seven gang, I even remember that Avila dude who is now on the network being there! When you talk about Bill Kurtis I remember him being along side of Walter Jacobsen, Brent Musburger was there too as was his mentor was Bruce Roberts on WBBM channel 2! It's sad to see those old-time newsmen leaving but that day awaits us all. Loved your boxing article as I usually do, but I beg to differ with all of the Floyd Mayweather critics, I don't see Floyd taking on Paul Williams unless forced to do so, but I do see him fighting and beating Cotto next! Floyd isn't as dum as we all think he is and everytime we think that someone is going o beat him he fools us all and shocks the world, and then we still deny him his just due! We still say he fought the wrong guys, everybody seems to have made him boxing's 'whipping boy'! I believe that Ricky Hatton will come into this fight with a lot of dynamite in his hands and desire to whip PBF, but as a boxing trainer myself just looking at what little training footage that's available to an outsider Hatton IS the one whois underestimating Floyd! Hatton belittled Floyds mitts routine that he works to perfection with his Uncle Roger, Hatton also belittled Floyd jumping rope which is excellent for speed, power and reflexes. Floyd is working his mind game on Hatton still, the direct approach didn't work so why not convince Ricky how fragile he is? Like it was said on another website how he doesn't allow filming of his sparring sessions but he allows filming of visits to his physical therapists office where he gets treatments for his back and hands! Hatton's weight lifting routine is troubling for a trainer like myself who isn't against fighters lifting weights, but believes that it should be done moderately! What is leg pressing 1100 pounds going to help Ricky Hatton do in the ring? His thighs will tighten up after about the 3rd or 4th round of the fight , just like he tightened up during the Collazo fight after lifting really heavy weights during the training camp for that fight. Sometimes fighters get into the ring and don't feel like themselves or feel drained this is one of the reasons why, they lifted too much or too heavy! My fighters lift 2 sometimes 3 days a week but moderate weight for speed and muscular endurance, so they lift no more than half their weight in most cases with many repetitions as fast as they can. They leg press twice their weigh at most for may repetitons and do tuck jumps in between sets to work the fast twitch muscles in the legs! IMO Shane Mosley exposed Miguel Cotto's weaknesses that include not liking it to the body (who does) and being a sucker for a right hand, Shane was also able to make Cotto retreat from the 9th round on during their fight!

Robert, man, that really took me back and dated us both at the same time! And 'that Avila dude' is indeed Jim Avila who is doing quite well for himself these days as a Senior Law and Justice Correspondent for ABC News. A top shelf anchor among many of our many here who have jumped to the big time such as Bill Kurtis (now at A&E), the now-mustache-less Lester Holt (MSNBC/NBC) and Tamron Hall (MSNBC) who really put the 'fox' in 'Fox News In The Morning.'

No, Floyd Mayweather Jr. certainly isn't dumb. He's crafty and that's one of the qualities that has gotten him where he is today.

Do I think he can beat Cotto. Woof...man, the jury's still out on that one. It's difficult for me to say anything on that one because Mayweather has YET to face a genuine hungry welterweight contender. I've got no reference or template to speak of. As for Hatton's strength training, that's arbitrary at best. We've learned from (and this might be a terrible example) James Toney's work with 'Zipper' Sable that pushing weight around ain't gonna make you a supreme boxer; it's only gonna make you some supreme pain over the long haul. Ricky Hatton has to focus on not forgetting what makes him effective and that's pressure, pressure, pressure and a great body attack. And forget using Jose Luis Castillo as a template. 'El Temible' of June '07 is not the 'El Temible' of five years ago. For Hatton to press the issue that he did what Mayweather couldn't against Castillo is moot. Strength and history notwithstanding, Mayweather's risk is relatively small in facing Hatton because control is almost always greater than strength.

Mayweather won't face Paul Williams because the WBC won't make another alpha-beltholder his mandatory and The Ring Magazine doesn't enforce mandatories so the issue of Floyd being forced to face Williams just isn't there. That being said, I see Mayweather vacating the World Welterweight Championship before looking at any of the real threats at 147.

Say, do you remember John Coleman singing 'I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Has Gone' during the weather? Man, that cat was a card, wasn't he?

“OFF BASE DURAN”, says Brian

What’s happening Coyote?

Just wanted to comment on what you said about Emanuel Stewards comment regarding lil Floyd. I could be wrong but I don’t think he said as a champion but P4P champion is what I at least thought I heard. Personally I think if Floyd beats Hatton which he should, and he doesn’t retire but takes on a lesser fighter and not Cotto then I think he should drop to #2 on that list. I am all for a fighter having a break but lets face it Floyd hasn’t exactly been fighting murders row the last few years, good fighters yes but not world beaters. Chop chop Corley, Shamba Mitchell, and an old Oscar is not exactly what I call impressive. The fact he is taking on Hatton is a good thing for boxing and his legacy so I do give him props and I think Hatton will be a lot tougher fight than Floyd expects but I admire his skill so much I think Floyd can adjust and pull the win out. If Floyd takes on Miguel Cotto, and tops off his career with beating Hatton, Cotto, and maybe either Paul Williams or Antonio M then I think his claim for best fighter ever is a strong one. If Floyd can go thru those guys and still carry a 0 in his loss column then it’s a safe bet the guy has to be top 4 of all time. Have a great day sir and thanks for the good read!

Brian!

Hey, Brian! Actually, Steward did refer to being the champion at 147 when he asked Max Kellerman of his opinion on who would be champ if Mayweather didn't face Miguel Cotto, should PBF defeat Ricky Hatton this Saturday. Kudos to 'Mad Max' for standing his ground. It must eat away a little bit each day to not mention 'The Ring Magazine' during his HBO telecasts, however. LOL!

Brian, I agree entirely with your assessment. Mayweather isn't my top P4P pick, incidentally, but what good are P4P lists other than fodder for discussion and amusement? It's a lot like those stupid 'hot chick' chat lines that you see advertised on some basic cable channel at about 2:30 in the morning. Or pro wrestling. 'For entertainment purposes only.' P4P, I've got Manny Pacquiao doing time there.

I'll never say that the outcome of Mayweather-Hatton is a foregone conclusion but I see a Mayweather win. Not easy, but savvy. Floyd will use Hatton's best weapons against him, knowing when to tie up 'The Hitman' and fire off the ropes. With Hatton, it's 'damned if you do, damned if you don't.' If he chooses distance against Floyd, he's gonna get tagged. If we see the old 'tackle and squeeze' out of Hatton, he'll get nothing done and Mayweather will peck his way out. Hatton has nothing to lose but his zero and Mayweather, I believe, will do his best to finesse his way out. Do I think it'll be an exciting fight. Jeez, I hope so, but I'm not holding my breath.

Honestly, even if, Floyd took on and beat Hatton, Cotto, Margarito and/or Williams, the thought of him being the best fighter ever is still a stretch and a half. It should be even in his eyes; but ego is blinding. I like watching Mayweather fight. I really do and if there is a purer boxer in the game today, I'd love to know who he is but if he thinks, he was or ever will be seen as better than the Sugar Rays Robinson and Leonard, Hank Armstrong, Roberto Duran, Muhammad Ali or Benny Leonard, then another Leonard by the name of Ellerbe has been feeding Floyd too much of his own bathwater.

Hey, you're welcome, my man and thank YOU for reading and responding!

Questions or comments,
e-mail Coyote at: artofthepaw@yahoo.com
Visit Coyote at: myspace.com/coyote_duran