Can Hatton Start over If Pacquiao Beats Him on Saturday?
April 29th, 2009
By Chris Williams: Thus far, Ricky Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) has been badly beaten when he stepped it up against a prime opponent in Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 10th round TKO loss in December 2007.
However, should Hatton end up getting knocked out or soundly beaten by Pacquiao, he’s going to be finding himself in a similar situation that Oscar De La Hoya did after getting trounced by Pacquiao in an 8th round stoppage loss in December 2008.
As most people already know by now, De La Hoya opted to retire from boxing rather than try to start over and continue on knowing perhaps that there would be likely further beatings in the future against other opponents. Now, of course, Hatton probably doesn’t want to even consider having to face a career decision at this time just before a huge fight with Pacquiao, but the question still needs to be asked regardless.
What does Hatton do if he gets drilled into the canvas in a one-sided loss to Pacquiao? At 30, it would seem unlikely that he would want to continue on for long in the sport. He’s said previously that he has a three fight timeline with his career, with only two more fights to go after the Pacquiao fight.
Frankly, I think that’s a bunch of lip service on Hatton’s part, because I can see him fighting those fights and still want to continue fighting. That might change if Hatton is beaten badly by Pacquiao or if he’s beaten in all three of his next fights. That can happen too, because Hatton apparently wants to fight Juan Manuel Marquez next, and then Floyd Mayweather Jr. one final time.
That would almost certainly end up as a loss for Hatton, so what we could be looking at realistically is either Hatton losing two out of his next three fights or all three if things go like I expect them to. If I were Hatton, I’d forget about fighting Marquez next if I were to lose to Pacquiao.
That would be an insane move on Hatton’s part to go straight from a likely knockout loss at the hands of Pacquiao into an even harder fight against Marquez. Hatton will need to let his brain rest and recover from what will likely be a serious beating from Pacquiao.
When Hatton does come back, he needs to fight some weak-punching opponent like Paulie Malignaggi that he can beat up without getting hit hard. I imagine Malignaggi would jump at the chance to fight Hatton a second time. He wouldn’t win, but Malignaggi would probably love to get a good payday against Hatton.
It probably wouldn’t be interesting for Hatton to be going over old ground by fighting Malignaggi, but at least he wouldn’t present the same kind of threat that someone like Marquez would or one of the bottom 15 contenders. The main thing is that Hatton gets back in the ring, continues with his career, and faces someone that isn’t going to knock Hatton out.
Personally, I see Hatton’s career being in tatters if he loses to Pacquiao, and it probably won’t matter who he fights, because he will be more of an afterthought rather than a relevant fighter. Who would care whether he fights Mayweather or Marquez or not by this time in his career.
I think Hatton could undo some of the damage from a loss to Pacquiao, but it would take at least two to three years and at least eight to ten victories over top fighters to make boxing fans forget his loss to Pacquiao. Beating journeyman or weak punchers like Malignaggi won’t do it.
There will have to be some substance there for Hatton to make people forget a loss to Pacquiao. Hatton would have to go after the top of the light welterweight division and beat most of the top fighters to get his credibility back. I can’t see that happening or even him trying to make it happen.
This is why I feel that his fight against Pacquiao is really a fight with his career on the line. If he loses, it’s the end for him. He can keep fighting but he’ll be finished just the same.
Tags: 23 Responses to “Can Hatton Start over If Pacquiao Beats Him on Saturday?”
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I thought Pacman accidentally killed Hatton when the Brit laid on the mat for more than 3 minutes… KO in 2 rounds? This is a mismatch for Hatton….
Chris Williams made a fool out of the idiots above. Pac Man FTW!
Don’t underestimate Manny the Pac Man enjoy him while he lasts, he made a punching bag out of Hatton.. 3 knockouts in 2 rounds. 2 w/ the left and 1 with the right.! Manny is making history moving and gaining championship in six different weight classes… the May v. Marquez fight is a warm up for May Weather to fight Manny…
Hatton should think seriously about his health. That KO was brutal. The sound of the punch was so friggin’ loud. The dude was out for so long.
Life should come first, Hatton can always make money some other way.
Pacman knocks out the Hitman. Williams knocks out the morons above. Advice to Ricky: fire your trainer!
Manny Pacquiao!!! nuff said……………..
Hatton loses in second round, .. Pacquiao wins!
can chris williams ever be a professional journalist rather than a glorified forum troll??… eh… no!
hatton to win via TKO late on, it wont be easy but hatton wont be a walkover
Hatton to ko him in 5 th round body body haed
come on ricky im a brit but think pacquaio will edge it on points if ricky dosnt impose himself on the fight.ricky has the tools to do it but its weather he has the right plan to take into the fight.if he does get beat ricky will bounce back and have big future fights bcoz ov hiz massive following.come on ricky
hatton wont need 2 star over he’ll win with ease in a very one sided fight!!
I think he may consider it. He has 2 choices if he wants to carry on.
1 – carry on gettin fights with the biggest names. he will of took that step twice and twice been beaten, hed still make some big money and a fight v Marquez would still be massive.
2 – get back amongst the proper Lightwelters, Bradley, Holt, Torres, WITTER (please). Hes not faced any of these yet, they all claim to be the best. Prove them wrong.
But hes mentioned the word retire a few times in the last year or so, its clearly something under consideration.
I tihnk hes guna beat Pacquaio, i think hed beat Marquez and i think hed beat anybody in the world that claims to be a Light Welterweight.
Hatton makes too much money, and brings to many fans. They will always be behind him even in defeat. But it would leave him in no mans land.
It makes no sense for people to say that Hatton’s career will be in tatters if he gets beaten by such a dominant fighter as Pacquiao. Hatton’s only two losses will have been to what people are arguing are the two best pound for pound fighters. So, which is it? Comparing Hatton to De La Hoya is also disingenuous. De La Hoya lost 4 of his last 7 fights. He looked average against Forbes and did what he was supposed to do against a hopelessly outmatched Mayorga (and I really like De La Hoya). I agree with ScottD and laker89. If Hatton comes out fighting and gets beat by a better fighter, that will not diminish his drawing power. I think the fight will be more competitive than people are thinking. I think overall Pacquiao might have an edge, but if Hatton uses his size and power, he can definitely beat Pacquiao. As I have said before, Pacquiao is an exceptional fighter, but he is not invincible.
Similarly, I would ask what would happen to Pacquiao’s career if he is knocked out by Hatton? Similarly I would say, nothing. It wouldn’t take anything away from Pacquiao either to be beaten by a bigger stronger champion.
OK FINE LETS JUST WATCH THE FIGHT.
agree w/Scott D, hatton will continue to be a big draw despite if he loses, as long as it’s competetive and entertaining. his incredible fanbase with their “there’s only one ricky hatton” chant compelled me to see his last fight. hope he goes after marquez next. that would be amazing…
Should he lose, he is still able to compete at world level, I would think he would go after the unification fights and then retire.
But, regardless of whether he loses, he will still be a big draw for the likes of Marquez because his loyal fanbase will never leave him.
hatton can win this guys i just know he can, come on the hitman
Hattons career wont be over at all. If he loses he would still be highly ranked in the Light Welterweight division and could even get a shot at a world title straight after.
He would beat Bradley and if Witter or Devon wins the now vacant WBC title Hatton would beat both of them and get that title.
I find it amazing that you can believe that Hatton will take a pounding in the same way De La Hoya did. Hatton was well beaten by Mayweather who is by far the most talented fighter on the planet. If you believe Pac man is of the same class you are in dreamland. Oscar was mal-nourished when he fought Pac man, that was the reason he was beaten in such a manner. Manny’s ability makes him evens for the contest but only that, he is stepping in with a man who is unbeaten at 10st – this is a very close fight to call and is unlikley to end in a knock out. If so Hatton is faviorite to land it, if it goes the distance you fancy Manny for his speed and workrate. By no means will this be a repeat of de la Hoya.
they ave let him out again guys. “CHRIS WILLIAMS STRIKES AGAIN” u will b eating ur words come may 3 u twat
I don’t think that if he loses to Pacquiao his career will be over. Just like his loss to Mayweather, it would take a couple of fights to get public interest in him again outside of England, but losing to the consensus #1 pound for pound wouldn’t make Ricky irrelevant. The reason De La Hoya got sent into retirement is a) he was planning on retiring in December anyway, he had a 3 fight plan against Forbes, Mayweather, then a future opponent b) he was beaten so badly even though he was heavily favored and c) he felt his skills were shot. I think if Hatton loses, even by a landslide or knock out, I think he would just need a couple rebound fights then lock horns with a JMM who would be another year older I’m sure wouldn’t be as sharp as he has been.