Atlas: “Hatton just doesn’t know how to fight”

By Scott Gilfoid: ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas doesn’t appear to be too impressed with the fighting ability of Ricky Hatton, saying in an interview with David Tyler of Doghouse Boxing, “Hatton just doesn’t know how to fight, I hate to say that but obviously he didn’t learn from Mayweather how to fight.”

Atlas, one of the best boxing analysts in the business, is of course referring to Hatton’s second round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in May. In that fight, Hatton rushed out showing zero defense and was repeatedly dropped to the canvas in the opening round by Pacquiao.

Hatton has been training for months with Floyd Mayweather Sr., one of the best trainers in the sport, leading up to the Pacquiao fight on May 2nd. Hatton looked as if he had retained nothing of what Mayweather had been trying to teach him by rushing Pacquiao with his hands down by his sides in the opening moments of the bout.

“Hatton is the kind of guy that if you have some ability he will crack a little bit if you’re professional enough,” Atlas pointed out. I have to agree with Atlas. He is so right. Hatton had been taking punishment in his fights ever since Floyd Mayweather Jr. brutally exposed Hatton’s lack of defense by taking him out in the 10th round in December 2007.

Mayweather was astute enough to see that Hatton had a nasty habit of leaping when throwing left hooks and timed him when he tried to throw one of them against him, dropping Hatton with a short left hook of his own. Hatton was then stopped moments later by Mayweather. Juan Lazcano looked for the same thing in his fight with Hatton five months later in May 2008, hurting Hatton badly with a short left hook when Hatton tried to throw one of his badly telegraphed hooks.

The punch had Hatton badly hurt and holding on. Luckily for Hatton, the British referee stopped the action soon after, giving Hatton a time out to have his shoes tied. Hatton would then recover during the brief time out and make it out of the round without taking any additional punishment. Hatton eventually won the fight by a 12 round decision. However, his poor defense was exposed in the fight.

Atlas also pointed out that Hatton could be hit if you punched at the same time that he was throwing punches. Again, this was what Mayweather, Lazcano and Pacquiao took advantage of in their victories over Hatton, hitting him when he would drop his guard and try to land one of his big home run punch.