For Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, the greatest moment of his boxing career was the night it all started 19 years ago this week – his 2005 fight against Kostya Tszyu.
As Hatton, 45, looks back on his career prior to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (June 6-9) in Canastota, Recent York, he rates the significance of beating Tszyu for his first world title as the highlight of his career .
Hatton was a figure of constant movement, darting in and out of range, landing merciless shots to Tszyu’s body at the Manchester Arena in England. At the end of the 11th round, trainer Johnny Lewis pulled the Australian-based Russian from the fight while he was sitting on a stool. Hatton was the IBF junior welterweight world champion, and his career was taken to another level with six of his next nine fights in the United States.
Despite entering the fight against Tszyu as an underdog in front of 22,000 hometown fans, Hatton dominated the more experienced Tszyu, who was ranked third in the pound-for-pound rankings at the time, behind Floyd Mayweather and Bernard Hopkins.
“People said if I beat Tszyu it would be one of the best wins ever by a British boxer,” Hatton told ESPN. “Looking back, I think it was my biggest victory and it opened the door for me to fight in the States. He was renowned all over the world, but I think people in America were saying who was that fat kid from Manchester who just kept Kostya Tszyu in his seat?
Living up to the expectations of his fans and in a fight that captured the imagination of more than just boxing fans in the UK – Tszyu was also a huge star in Australia at the time – Hatton put in a tireless and brilliant performance.
“When I came through, I had the WBU title, which wasn’t one of the top belts, and my defense was a little tender, so I was getting injured regularly,” Hatton said. “And that’s why a lot of people thought Tszyu would win.
“But it was self-belief. I didn’t stop believing and even when I fought Kostia Tszyu, Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather, I always believed that I would win.
After being stopped in two rounds by Pacquiao in May 2009, Hatton did not fight for three years, struggling with depression and drug and alcohol addiction.
Hatton also counts his losses to Mayweather (2007) and Pacquiao among his best moments, in part because they were two of the best fighters in the world.
“Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather were the most critical fighters, although I finished second, but they were the best in the business at the time,” Hatton said. “Then I struggled with those failures, but now I’m in a content place and I’m content to talk about them now.”
Fighting at home in Manchester is also critical to Hatton, and representing his hometown was one of his goals. Hatton particularly remembers three fights that had everything.
“Fight at the City of Manchester Stadium [against Juan Lazcano in 2008] he was up there. Fight with Paulie Malignaggi [2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas]and Noel and Liam Gallagher [of the band Oasis] wearing belts to the ring was also a large deal. I always wanted to be a world champion, support Manchester City and liked Oasis, and in my boxing career I fulfilled all these requirements.
“Stopping [Jose Luis] Castillo, a Mexican known for his body shots, with a body shot [in Round 4, in Las Vegas] was another good one. I beat him at his own game.”
Hatton will also be remembered as an extremely popular boxer on both sides of the Atlantic. His self-deprecating humor was the opposite of the vulgar bragging and trash-talking typical of pre-fight preparations. Before the Malignaggi fight, Hatton even entered the ring wearing a massive suit and a robe with the word “Fatman” written on the top of the hood, as a joke about his weight, which had been increasing between fights.
Hatton was an invigorating pressure fighter who produced several stunning KO victories. Against Carlos Maus in Sheffield, England in November 2005, Hatton found himself in a treacherous situation – a title unification fight with cuts on both eyes.
“I won the fight, but people started to worry about the cuts,” Hatton told ESPN. “My feet actually left the floor when I hit him with a left hook to finish [in Round 9, by KO]. If he had stood up after that shot, I would have fled the ring.
Hatton (45-3, 32 KO) ended his career with a knockout loss to Vyacheslav Senchenko in November 2012, returning three years after being stopped by Pacquiao.
Although Hatton won belts at junior welterweight and welterweight, perhaps his greatest achievement was his popularity and connection with his fans. When Hatton fought Mayweather, almost 20,000 fans traveled from the UK to Las Vegas.
“You dream of fighting in Las Vegas, but you don’t think it will ever come true,” Hatton said. “Well, in my case, yes. When I first laced up gloves, I grew up watching artists like Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali on video.
“I never would have thought that one day my name would be next to them in the Boxing Hall of Fame, never. Honestly, I can’t believe it. There aren’t many British players in the Hall of Fame, so to get inducted is just amazing.”
Hatton said he considered taking his own life amid alcohol and drug addiction after losing Pacquiao in 2009 and before his comeback in 2012, and that treatment had improved his mental health. Currently, he manages players and gives motivational speeches.
“I’m glad I didn’t take my own life when I was struggling because I would have missed out on a lot,” Hatton said.
In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
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