Ricky Hatton: I would have beaten Floyd Mayweather in 2005

Planet Sport writerStaff Writer15 June 2020
Hatton

Hatton

Could Ricky have defeated Mayweather or Pacquiao in his pomp?

British boxing legend Ricky Hatton has revealed his boozing “lifestyle” outside the ring was to blame for defeats to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao - however, the popular Mancunian believes if he had replicated his performance against Kostya Tszyu in 2005 then it could’ve been a different story. 

“Hitman” Hatton delivered the most famous win of his career to become world champion at 140-pounds but was later defeated by Mayweather in 2007 for the WBC welterweight title.
After notching up three wins on the bounce, Hatton - who had Floyd Mayweather Sr in his corner - was flattened into retirement for a first time by Pacquiao in 2009.

Hatton's farewell fight in 2012 ended in defeat

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hatton said: “I think I’d have done better against Mayweather and Pacquiao if I hadn’t burnt the candle at both ends.

“People always said to me, you keep getting away with it but one day your lifestyle will catch up to you. When it came to those two fights, I think it had caught up to me.”

"Against Kostya Tszyu, with a referee who let the fight flow at a distance and up close, I would have beaten anyone that night, including Floyd.
"I'm not saying I was a better fighter than Floyd. But the right tactics on the right night at the right time? Even the best can be beaten.
"If I fought him on that night, I think I might have beaten him."
On that famous win over Tszyu, he added: "They called that my Mount Everest. Once I reached the pinnacle where do you go?
"I won four world titles in two divisions. I fought Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Paulie Malignaggi, Jose Luis Castillo. I climbed Everest a few times.

 “That night against Tszyu, with a referee that when it was at a distance let the fight flow, when it was close would have let the fight flow, I think I would have beat anyone that night, including Floyd,” he concluded.
Hatton made a short-lived comeback after three years out with Vyacheslav Senchenko inflicting a stoppage defeat in 2012. The Briton called time on his career soon after and left the sport with a record of 45-3.

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