By Daniel “stick” Ciminera: With just under two weeks to go until the 140lbs fight between two men at completely opposite ends of the boxing spectrum, the old slugger v the young technician. Yet, it would seem that nobody cares that this fight is taking place. I believe this is simply due to the fact that Hatton lost to Mayweather and then didn’t come back and knock out Lazcano as we thought he could/should in the UK.
I’m sure I’m not the only one excited about this fight, I can’t be?!!?! It’s got class written all over it. Hatton at a turning point in his career having lost to Mayweather and then a slower than usual, quiet affair against Lazcano, is needing a win and a big win at that to have any chance of a few more fights to end on a high as Joe Calzaghe has just done. And Paulie Malignaggi, the young up and comer, after his first major scalp in the division having suffered a setback against the fighting genius that is Cotto, and even in that defeat proving his heart, chin and skill as a boxer and setting himself up for the big time and a very decent future in the sport despite his glaringly obvious lack of power.
For those not in the know, Hatton has made a career out of upsetting the odds and mauling some of the best in the division like Castillo, Collazo and Tzsyu on his way to 45-1. He fights in what for most would be a suicidal form of boxing, ambling forward and throwing punches from every angle HARD! His trademark body shots are legendary in the boxing world and I shudder to think of the affects they have on his opponents internals. He has been long criticized though, for not possessing much in the way of defensive skills, usually opting to simply use his face to block punches as he walks through them on his way to work on the inside, the affects of this style are evident to see on his face as he looks more and more like a British bulldog with every fight. He wins less by skill usually, and more using raw animal aggression, which in one of the most active and dangerous divisions in boxing is frankly testament to his power, heart and chin.
Malignaggi on the other hand, is as much for the purist as Hatton isn’t, preferring to use a very stiff jab and box clever to compensate for his evident lack of power with just 5 knockouts in 26 fights. He hasn’t fought anywhere near the calibre of opponent as Hatton has, but he is at the stage in his career where having narrowly lost out to one of the best, and gone on to win a title, he needs to win and win convincingly against Hatton to progress in his career.
If he loses, its possible he is reaching the top of his game already and is being limited by his lack of power in a division of big hitters. If he wins, he has the world at his feet, but he will have to fight only the biggest hitters and names in the game to be able to get the big drawer fights as his own lack of power may start to make the viewing public less than excited about a “Malignaggi fight” in itself, needing a big co-star to attract both crowds, and money. This could become hard unless he has a very busy next 5 years because names like Hatton and Pacquiao are going to start disappearing due to retirement. And fighters like Miguel Cotto to whom he lost are courting the higher weight divisions.
This should be a very good exciting fight, a real clash of the styles and as Oscar De La Hoya said that makes for “drama”. Being a Hatton fan, I think he will take it, but only because I think he is back on top form now after his defeat and his animal like stamina and aggression will just be too much for Malignaggi. 2 weeks before the fight he has already been out in Nevada for a month in his new training camp with his new trainer, working on many new things and also improving his already tremendous stamina, this can only mean one thing, he is planning on a very very relentless fight. That said, Malignaggi is perfectly capable of winning this fight. He has a very good jab and as he proved by fighting Miguel Cotto, he isn’t phased by a big hitter and can take a punch and go the distance against the best. If he can use the jab to keep Hatton at a distance and control the pace of the fight, then I see him taking an impressive points decision. If not, Hatton’s work rate and disregard for his own face will win the day.
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