By Chris Williams: I think Ricky Hatton is kidding himself if he comes back for one final fight, as if this will give him any kind of “closure” on his career. Unless that fighter is Manny Pacquiao, and Hatton somehow knocks him out, I don’t see the point of Hatton fighting one more time. Hatton might as well hang up the gloves now with his boxing reputation in tatters.
Look, if Hatton does fight one more time, it’s probably going to be against some flawed fighter like Michael Katsidis, and beating someone like that (which isn’t a guaranteed thing for a fighter like Hatton) will prove nothing to boxing fans.
Katsidis has been beaten twice in his last four fights to Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz. The only wins for Michael have come against a C class opponent and a faded Jesus Chavez. If you ask me, Hatton shouldn’t even bother if this is what he has in mind. Besides that, Hatton isn’t likely going to be able to change any one boxing fan’s mind about him as a fighter based on him beating a flawed opponent like Katsidis.
Like I said, if Hatton wants to change some minds, then he needs to fight Pacquiao or else stick around for another five to seven fights against talented opposition. Short of fighting Pacquiao, who will obviously never fight Hatton again, Hatton needs to go after the top light welterweights in the division one by one.
Hatton has been avoiding his responsibilities for too long in the weight class and needs to face fighters like Junior Witter, Timothy Bradley, Kendall Holt, Victor Ortiz and Ricardo Torres. I’d suggest that Hatton start with whoever is perceived as the weakest of the lot, maybe Ortiz or Torres.
If Hatton can get by one of them, then move on to the next best fighter, someone like Holt. If Hatton beats Holt, then Hatton should finish his career, win or lose, against Bradley. Forget about closure fights if Hatton loses to Bradley.
Final fights are pure garbage and are meaningless in my book, especially when the opponents are some handpicked shmuck that is easily beatable. I see those fights as a cheap rip off to the boxing public that has to shell out the cash to see the face.
If Hatton wants to go out with a bang, then by all means take on someone good like Bradley. Hatton needs to go ahead and take what will likely be another knockout loss like a man, and go out on his shield. Forget about fighting some handpicked fighter brought in just to make him look good in front of his British fans one more time.
I wouldn’t pay for that garbage. If Hatton wanted me to see him fight some bum, he’d have to pay me to watch it because I’d not lay out one penny to see this kind of manure. For me, fighting one more time actually takes away from Hatton’s legacy unless it’s against the best fighter in the light welterweight division. Anything short of that is a waste of Hatton’s time as well the boxing fans that pay to see him fight.
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