Jimbo 175 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 The "super-fight" between Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather will go ahead on 8 December after contracts were signed, according to Hatton's father Ray. Hatton, who will step up a division from light welterweight for the fight, will receive a career-best purse. "The contract provided what we wanted and we are officially signed up," said Ray, "and our lawyers have told us that the Mayweather camp have also signed. "Now we are just waiting for the date and venue to be made official." The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is favourite to host the contest, where Hatton could expect a travelling support in excess of the 10,000 who saw him beat Jose Luis Castillo in the city in June. Mayweather came out of a short-lived retirement to take the fight, and has already begun the hype. He said: "I don't know who is the pound-for-pound number two in the world, but there is no fighter in the world like me. "Hatton is in for a rude awakening when we meet and he is in for a shock if he thinks I'm like any fighter he has ever faced. I'm in the business of blood, sweat and tears." However, Hatton's trainer Billy Graham says his fighter will have no difficulties in moving up from his natural division, despite struggling to victory in his only fight at that weight of his career against Luis Collazo. "The fight against Collazo was taken reluctantly and without proper time to prepare," Graham told BBC Sport, "but this time we have plenty of notice. "We will do things differently, have a lot more time to get it right, and it won't be a problem at all. "Ricky set out to be the undisputed champion of the world and he did that, and did it against a living legend in Kostya Tszyu. "But this fight, between the best pound-for-pound fighters out there who are both at their peak, is the ultimate fight in boxing." The welterweight division requires fighters to weigh in between 141 and 147 lbs, while the light welterweight classification is 136 to 140 lbs. Hatton has fought in the welterweight division on numerous occasions, but his last two fights - against Juan Urango and Jose Luis Castillo - have both been at the lighter weight. Mayweather has also fought at different weights, stepping up to light middleweight for his most recent bout against Oscar de la Hoya. "I've always said Ricky wasn't a welterweight and I wasn't interested in going back up to that division unless it was [against] Floyd because he's not such a big guy," added Graham. "I don't think Floyd's any bigger than Ricky, whereas a lot of the welterweights are." Hatton has admitted that a fight with Mayweather would be the highlight of his glittering career. Floyd is a great fighter but if he thinks I'm going to turn up and just lie back and take what he has got to dish out then he has got another thing coming Ricky Hatton "Just getting in the ring with him will be the greatest day of my life, other than when my son was born," Hatton told the Daily Express last week. "Floyd is the one I want more than anybody else. "Floyd is a great fighter but if he thinks I'm going to turn up and just lie back and take what he has got to dish out then he has got another thing coming." Meanwhile, Mayweather's adviser Leonard Ellerbe said Hatton deserved praise for taking the fight. "I never thought he would do it, but Ricky Hatton deserves credit for stepping up to the plate," he told USA Today. "He asked for it and now he's going to get it. Floyd is extremely excited. He wants to show Hatton that he's never fought at this level before. "He's going to show him what it's like to step in the ring with the best fighter." De la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions is understood to be taking charge of the arrangements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark 0 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Class, Mayweather will win like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 Class, Mayweather will win like. Mayweather on points for me, but you never know, no one gave Lloyd Honeyghan a chance against Don Curry, but he shocked the world, lets hope Ricky can do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Hatton, nobody has hit Mayweather before the way Hatton can for me like .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Hatton, nobody has hit Mayweather before the way Hatton can for me like .. Floyd knows better than to let Ricky get that close to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hatton, nobody has hit Mayweather before the way Hatton can for me like .. Floyd knows better than to let Ricky get that close to him. thtas bollocks...he will habe no choice reallly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hatton, nobody has hit Mayweather before the way Hatton can for me like .. Floyd knows better than to let Ricky get that close to him. thtas bollocks...he will habe no choice reallly Why the funk will he have no choice? Mayweather knows Hatton is at his best up close to him so he can deliver those body shots. He's not going to allow it now is he? He's obviously going to come up with a tactical plan, to avoid such instances occurring as often as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 mayweather the better boxer, hattons a fucking fit bastard and will close him down and try to get in with his famous body blows and i think he could just about do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 mayweather the better boxer, hattons a fucking fit bastard and will close him down and try to get in with his famous body blows and i think he could just about do it. Ricky's fitness has been in doubt now I'd say ever since Kostya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 he'll be prepared for this one Jonny. he'll have to be. otherwise he'll be made to look stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 22747 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 i think he's better when he's the underdog too. no one expected him to beat kostya tszyu. he'll go down as a legend if he beats mayweather. he's up there with roy jones junior and mike tyson as the best fighters of the last 10-20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I think Mayweather will win too but I'd love to see Hatton pull off a shock and beat him. He should probably retire if he somehow manages to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 i think he's better when he's the underdog too. no one expected him to beat kostya tszyu. he'll go down as a legend if he beats mayweather. he's up there with roy jones junior and mike tyson as the best fighters of the last 10-20 years. what he said ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I'd stick Lennox Lewis in as one of the best fighters of the last 20 years too btw. Tyson at his peak would have probably beaten him at his peak but Lewis was the best heavyweight for absolutely years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted August 2, 2007 Author Share Posted August 2, 2007 I'd stick Lennox Lewis in as one of the best fighters of the last 20 years too btw. Tyson at his peak would have probably beaten him at his peak but Lewis was the best heavyweight for absolutely years. Agreed, Tyson was fantastic at his peak, but his peak was pretty short, Lewis dominated the division for longer and was a better all-round fighter, but I'd put Holyfield up their also, both deserve to be mentioned with the greats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I'd stick Lennox Lewis in as one of the best fighters of the last 20 years too btw. Tyson at his peak would have probably beaten him at his peak but Lewis was the best heavyweight for absolutely years. Agreed, Tyson was fantastic at his peak, but his peak was pretty short, Lewis dominated the division for longer and was a better all-round fighter, but I'd put Holyfield up their also, both deserve to be mentioned with the greats. Aye, good shout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 considering holyfield graduated from 1 or 2 weight divisions below his final weight division, he has to be considered. lewis was up against some pretty bad fighters and often (when unmotivated) struggled. was top boy for a few years however... roy jones for me was an all time great. superb fighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted August 2, 2007 Author Share Posted August 2, 2007 considering holyfield graduated from 1 or 2 weight divisions below his final weight division, he has to be considered. lewis was up against some pretty bad fighters and often (when unmotivated) struggled. was top boy for a few years however... roy jones for me was an all time great. superb fighter. I know what you mean about Lewis, as good as I think he was I don't think he reached his physical potential, as for his oposition, I think its a bit unfair, apart from Riddick Bowe, he boxed and beat every top heavyweight of his era, although you could argue the quality of heavyweights weren't that great at that time in comparision to other eras, but even so he beat Holyfield, Tyson, Ruddock, Klitchko, thats not a bad CV in my mind, but I would have LOVED to have seen him fight Bowe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol 0 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hatton in the 6th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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