Hatton vs. Senchenko: Should this be PPV?

By Boxing News - 10/25/2012 - Comments

Image: Hatton vs. Senchenko: Should this be PPV?By Scott Gilfoid: Ricky Hatton’s comeback fight against Vyacheslav Senchenko next month on November 24th will be available live for boxing fans on Primetime pay per view. Boxing fans will get their first glimpse of the 34-year-old Hatton since he was knocked cold by Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd, 2009.

That was 3 1/2 years ago and long enough ago to where it might not be a reasonable thing to ask boxing fans to have to pay to see Hatton fight, especially against a guy coming off of a 9th round knockout against the feather-fisted Paulie Malignaggi last April the way that Senchenko is. We just saw Malignaggi look horrible in barely beating a very average Pablo Cesar Cano last Saturday night in a controversial 12 round decision.

The fact that Senchenko couldn’t even beat an awful fighter like Malignaggi speaks volumes about how good Senchenko is, and that reflects on Hatton for selecting him for his comeback bout. Senchenko’s record and the fact that he was a former WBA 147 lb paper champion will fool boxing fans who don’t have a clue about the sport and will be impressed that a rusty Hatton will still be able to drill this guy into the canvas. No, it won’t be an impressive feat because Senchenko would have never been a champion if he hadn’t fought a beatable guy in Yuriy Nuzhnenko.

Okay, so I think the Hatton-Senchenko mismatch isn’t worthy of being on pay per view, and I wouldn’t pay a dime to see it. I don’t even see it as a main event type fight. It’s just a mismatch between an ex-paper champion and a fighter who hasn’t seen action for nearly 4 years. The sad thing is the Brits will eat this fight up, and likely crown Hatton as the best boxer that ever breathed once he beats Senchenko.

And Hatton has already his ducks lined up in a row with him then facing Malignaggi for the WBA title in early 2013, and then retiring immediately after. There’s no risk at all for Hatton because Malignaggi is just another paper champion like Senchenko was. It’s not as if Hatton will be fighting anyone good in his comeback like Thomas Dulorme, Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao or Devon Alexander.



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