By Liam Fitzgerald: Ricky Hatton has now confirmed that he is going to fight again in 2010 and though many disagree with this choice, I think it’s great news for both Ricky and for the sport of boxing in general.
It is evident that the defeats to Mayweather and Pacquiao still rankle with Hatton and he doesn’t want his career to end with these two fights defining it. He should not be ashamed of these two losses as these two fighters were without doubt p4p number 1 when Hatton fought them and they just proved that he wasn’t quite on the top tier. However, he should be remembered as arguably the best light welterweight of his era with the great scalps of Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo as well as notable wins over top contenders Juan Urango and Paulie Malignaggi. Therefore, he deserves the opportunity to prove himself again and beat a real top quality fighter to enhance his legacy.
This man looks to be Juan Manuel Marquez, provided the Mexican chooses not to defend his WBO lightweight belt vs. Michael Katsidis. I would love to see this fight as both men do the boxing world a lot of credit. Both want to fight the best out there and though they may have fallen short, their attitude has won them many fans.
In this time when both Mayweather and Pacquiao are disappointing boxing fans by not agreeing to fight, this type of attitude is so refreshing. It’s why Marquez is loved by a great deal of people and so Hatton returning to boxing can only be positive in this aspect. Hatton has hinted at fighting Urango again but this would serve only as a sort of tune up for a bigger opponent and I for one am delighted to see a quality fighter looking to excite the public by taking on worthy opponents. This is in contrast to what Pacquiao is doing (and probably what Mayweather will do) in facing an opponent that in theory is his inferior.
Haton irked me before the Pacquiao fight when he said that a victory would install him as p4p number 1 as it simply doesn’t work like that. But he should be applauded for targeting someone that in all likelihood could beat him. The Marquez fight to me is 50-50 in terms of a winner depending on weight issues and would be great to see as a neutral. I would also like to see him potentially take on the WBA champion Amir Khan should he beat Marquez. It wouldn’t do his reputation any harm to beat a younger world champ, especially one from Britain who is threatening to steal his thunder.
Finally, Hatton’s return would also bring back his huge fan base. His fans are unique and create a great atmosphere in his big fights which shouldn’t be underestimated. Boxing has had plenty of negative headlines recently which could put off some casual fans but a big personality like Hatton can help to bring them back, which is a big plus for the sport.
Therefore, I am very happy to see Hatton back, provided he goes after Marquez and sets up a box office bout. He deserves a win over a highly ranked p4p fighter and as long as he gets into shape quick enough, I believe he would have a great chance against the Mexican legend. Then, he could do what he pleases and either retire or possibly look for a Khan. Either way, Hatton’s attitude and personality are just what boxing needs at the moment and his return is therefore beneficial for both his own state of mind and the sport in general.
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