By William Mackay: In a move that I think is utter waste of time, Ricky Hatton (44-1, 31 KOs) has taken on Floyd Mayweather Sr. as his new trainer, this after parting ways with his long-time trainer, Billy Graham shortly after Hatton’s rough time against Juan Lazcano in May. Mayweather Sr., the father of Floyd Mayweather Jr. who badly schooled Hatton last December before stopping him in the 10th round, is a trainer known for teaching defensive boxing skills to fighters. In some cases, like Oscar De La Hoya, the teachings don’t always appear to take, since he looks for the most part the same fighter he’s always looked before taking on Mayweather Sr.

Perhaps Mayweather Sr’s best pupil is Joan Guzman, a number #1 rated lightweight in the World Boxing Organization, and who looked like a Mayweather Jr. clone with his excellent boxing skills, especially in terms of his outstanding defensive. The fact that Hatton has decided to take on Mayweather Sr. at this late stage in the 29 year-old Hatton’s career seems to strike one as a move made out of desperation rather than just a basic need. After all, Hatton hasn’t looked good in quite some time, dating back to his 4th round stoppage over an undersized Jose Luis Castillo last year in June. Don’t get me wrong, I think Mayweather Sr. is a great trainer for someone just starting out in the boxing game, but for someone as old and as seemingly set in his ways like Hatton, it seems like trying to turn a fastball pitcher into a junk ball one.

It’s not really needed and it’s almost doomed for failure. Hatton has found success with his brawling style, and if you try and take that away from him, he’ll likely get carved up by the taller, longer-armed junior welterweights in the division. I see this as hurting Hatton more than helping him, and it’s something that I can’t see lasting for more than a couple of fights before he realizes that it’s not a good match-up for him. Right now, Mayweather Sr. will only be training Hatton for his upcoming fight against IBF light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi on November 22nd.

Beyond that, I suppose Hatton will make his decision based on how well he looks against the boxer Malignaggi. This is a fight that Hatton, the much more powerful fighter of the two, could probably win in his sleep, because Malignaggi has none of the power or aggression that Hatton will be bringing into the fight. If Hatton makes the mistake of trying to box with a boxer like Malignaggi, which I suspect he’ll be doing with his decision to take on Mayweather Sr. as a trainer, then I can see Malignaggi boxing circles around the crude, short-armed Hatton.

Even if Hatton could learn enough skills from Mayweather Sr. to be effective, it’s going to take years for them to become engrained with his own skills. The basic things he’ll learn in the next two months, I think, will just make him more mechanical, less instinctive against Malignaggi, and cause him to make the fight much closer than it would be if he just stuck to his brawling style of fighting.