Boxing...2 points

[Idiot Wind]

1. Should Hatton retire?
2. Did anyone see the Danny Williams fight in Germany?

1. After the Lazcano fight I've heard a number of people stating that Hatton should retire. To make this call from that fight is ridiculous. Hatton was coming off the back of a big defeat, his first ever, and was, by his own admission, very nervous.

Add the fact that he missed a week of training 3 weeks before the fight due to a virus that left him so weak that he then didn't spar before the fight and it was always going to be tough.

Lazcano is a limited fighter, he has no knockout punch and isn't technically gifted. However, he is as strong as an ox and has never been put on the canvas in his 40+ fight career. Hatton impressed in the first few rounds and continued going for the knockout in later rounds. This led to him being tagged a couple of times and was certainly wobbled in the 8th.

But, let's be honest about it, he won at least 10 of the 12 rounds and never looked truly in danger. I think he sometimes tries to entertain too much and should box more, like the wonderful lesson he dished out to Ben Tackie.

I honestly can't see another light-welterwight beating him in the next 2 years - he's the best 10st boxer on the planet and will remain unbeaten at that weight.

In my opinion he should fight Paulie Malignaggi in November then have his re-match with Mayweather Jr and call it a day. Whilst Malignaggi looked awful against Lovemore N'Dou he's a tough customer who can take some serious punishment, evidenced in his brutal beating at the hands of welterweight Miguel Cotto. He doesn't have the tools to stop Hatton though.

With regards to a re-match with Mayweather Jr, I honestly don't see Hatton winning - even if they fought at a catch weight which they won't. Win lose or draw, Hatton can retire safe in the knowledge that he is one of the best light-welterweight boxers ever and lost twice to the greatest boxer of all time.

The critics really get to me with Hatton, he could have taken it easy after beating Tsyzu and remained at light-welterweight and retired undefeated. But he tried to beat the best, at the best's own weight. Yes he fell short but f*ck me he tried.


2. The Danny Williams fight last week was a disgrace. He beat some unknown German in Germany with a 7th round knockout. Pretty uneventful you say?

Williams had 3 points deducted for mysteriously vague offences and was forced to take 2 standing 8 counts for no reason. He was pushed to the canvas in one round and was given a count for that.

Out of the first 6 rounds, the German was awarded two 10-7 rounds and a 10-8 round and a 9-9 round that he clearly lost.

Williams was naturally fuming and realised that to win he had to knock the guy out. He went for it in the sixth and had him in all sorts of trouble. The bell rang for the end of the round after 90 seconds!!! Yep, 90 seconds!!!

In boxing, the experts always jest that to get a points victory in Germany you have to knock the opponent out but that was outrageous. I believe the BBBC are looking into it but I doubt much will happen.

[communistworkethic]

who cares, it's blokes knocking the shit out of each other, let them get on with it, just don't be daft enough to bet on it

[Tombwfc]

I think Ricky should pack it in, his legacy is only going to be damaged if he carries on. I like Malinaggi, but nobody is going to give a shit if Ricky beats him because Malinaggi is for the most part a nobody. He's got nothing to prove and even less to gain unless he can beat someone like Mayweather, Cotto or De La Hoya. He'd have no chance agains the first two (whatever the weight) and while i can see him beating De La Hoya, again i don't think anybody would be that interested if De La Hoya loses again to the Pretty Boy.

He clearly doesn't need the money, and while i have no doubt he could probably clear up everyone in the Lightwelterweight division again and prove that he is the best in that division, but i don't think he needs too.

[Idiot Wind]

I think Ricky should pack it in, his legacy is only going to be damaged if he carries on. I like Malinaggi, but nobody is going to give a shit if Ricky beats him because Malinaggi is for the most part a nobody. He's got nothing to prove and even less to gain unless he can beat someone like Mayweather, Cotto or De La Hoya. He'd have no chance agains the first two (whatever the weight) and while i can see him beating De La Hoya, again i don't think anybody would be that interested if De La Hoya loses again to the Pretty Boy.

He clearly doesn't need the money, and while i have no doubt he could probably clear up everyone in the Lightwelterweight division again and prove that he is the best in that division, but i don't think he needs too.

Not necessarily disagreeing with any of that. I think De la Hoya would beat Hatton too, purely due to the fact that De La Hoya is more like a super middleweight these days.

I agree that Hatton has nothing to prove, but Malignaggi is the only respected light-welterweight left out there and I'd like to see Hatton have one more go at Mayweather Jr, for his own sanity more than anything else.