Mayweather Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton

[MC]

Ricky Hatton wants a shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr., considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. It looks like he might get his wish.

Mayweather said Tuesday he will come out of retirement to put Hatton in his place.

"I was retired but I'll sign to fight Hatton right now. I've tried to let the things he said about me slide by, but now he's 'dissing' me on national TV and I want to shut him up. I've never wanted to hurt an opponent like I do Hatton.

"Ricky Hatton cannot fight. He throws one punch at a time and then holds. Hatton is the most overrated fighter of the last 25 years."

Hatton's one-punch knockout win Saturday night over Jose Luis Castillo to retain his world junior welterweight championship just might have been the breakthrough the British fighter needed to convince fans outside his native country that he is the real thing at 140 pounds.

Like Mayweather, Hatton is undefeated. Unlike Mayweather, he fights in a wild, all-out style that should prove popular as he continues his campaign in the United States.

"There was more action in the four rounds of this fight than Floyd showed in his entire career," Hatton said.

Mayweather announced his retirement after beating Oscar De La Hoya last month.

Hatton's father, Ray, said that his son is ready to face Mayweather -- anywhere.

"We're up for the fight, you've got to be up for a fight like that," Ray Hatton told Radio Five Live in the United Kingdom. "But it doesn't always end with the two fighters. There tends to be a few people getting in between.

"Ricky is chomping at the bit. I've spoken to him a little bit before all this came out and he said it's a no-brainer. It's a definite yes."

"Ricky will fight him anywhere -- that's the difference between him and Floyd, who wants it on home turf."

Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather's manager, said a fight could happen in the fall.

"Hatton's trying to promote himself off Floyd's name and he [Mayweather] will kick his butt. Floyd told me he wants to get the deal on," Ellerbe said, according to the Guardian newspaper. "Hatton [insulted] Floyd [on television]. But that's OK, he's had his opportunity to talk. Now all he has to do is to sign a contract and we can get this done. We can have it this year, in the fall. We don't need to wait."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2918039&campaign=rss&source=BOXINGHeadlines

While this might not be as big as the Mayweather Jr. - De La Hoya fight, this will prove to be an interesting fight.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Boxing is going down hill, nobody cares anymore. It just can't seem to compete with MMA.

 

[frsrblch]

Boxing is going down hill, nobody cares anymore. It just can't seem to compete with MMA.

Not unless it can grossly change the rules in it's favour so that MMA has to fight almost entirely on boxing's terms.

 

[F-Man]

i too am a very big MMA fan but if this does happen i will buy it. i hope hatton knocks floyd out and makes him retire for good. i have respect for floyds skill, hes no doubt the best there is right now in boxing, not fighting, but i just hate how he acts.

 

[Synth]

Pride and UFC has destroyed boxing... end of story.

 

[F-Man]

and ufc destroyed pride...those bastards. i will never forgive them..but i'll keep buying the ppv's

 

[MC]

Pride and UFC has destroyed boxing... end of story.

Boxing has been in a decline before UFC and Pride Fighting Championship became popular. However, Boxing is far from a dieing sport, it's just not as televised as it used to be. The decline is usually attributed to how unorganized professional boxing is and the amount of mob involvement (probably not as bad as it used to be).

I'm hoping that Hatton's aggressive fighting style will be more than enough to knock Mayweather Jr. out. Mayweather Jr. might have speed, but he lacks power. Hatton has a balance of both, so who knows.

 

[F-Man]

boxing will never die, it has too much history. mma is new and if you start counting it history when ufc started, its only been here for 14 years, boxings been around for hundreds. boxings in a bad spot right now, but a new star will come. a big heavyweight who knocks everyone out will come sooner or later and boxing will be back. mma is new and is just now hitting its spotlight, it will too have its lowpoints, it happens to everything. boxing will never die, and this is coming from one of the bgigest mma fans youll ever meet, ask zeonix.