By Sean McDaniel: In an interview at the Mirror, Billy Graham, the former trainer of Ricky Hatton, had a lot of positive things to say about his former fighter. “Ricky was the complete package. A fighter like Ricky Hatton comes along cone in a lifetime. Khan will never be able to match him.”

Graham trained Hatton through his entire boxing career until the two separated after Hatton’s fight with Juan Lazcano in 2008.

Graham was the one that molded Hatton into an all out attacking fighter who rolled over most of his opponents, including Kostya Tszyu, until being defeated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. by a 10th round stoppage in 2007. Graham thinks that WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan won’t be able to achieve the same kind of fame and notoriety that Hatton has accomplished during his career, saying “However good Khan is, he will never be as big as Ricky.

What made Ricky so special was not just his exciting style and his great wins. It was the way he appealed to everyone.” Graham seems to be touching on Hatton’s personal charm. There’s no question that Hatton has a great deal of charisma, and seems to have the golden touch with making fans like him as a person and not just a fighter.

Besides that, Hatton has a huge sense of humor and is comfortable talking in front of huge groups of people. If Hatton wasn’t a boxer, he could have been a standup comedian because he’s funny and natural on stage. Khan is shyer, and not quite as relaxed in front of big crowds like Hatton. Another thing that boxing fans like about Hatton is his modesty. He’s never been one to brag, and is the first one to point out his own weaknesses.

Graham says “No one else could attract the crowds he [Hatton] did, and take so many fans over to American to watch him fight. It was unbelievable.” Khan may end up being a huge star like Hatton some day, but it will take wins over top fighters like Marcos Maidana, Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander and Kendall Holt for that to happen.

Even that might not be enough for Khan to become as popular as Hatton. Khan still might need a fight against a major star like Hatton or Floyd Mayweather Jr. to become the same kind of star that Hatton currently is. Right now, fans are wondering whether Khan will fight his Maidana. This is the kind of fight that Hatton would have likely had no second thoughts about taking. Hopefully, Khan takes the fight and then continues to move forward with his career so that he can become as big as Hatton someday.

As for who would have won had Hatton fought Khan in Ricky’s peak, I think Hatton would be too strong for Khan and would have likely been too tough for him. Freddie Roach, Khan’s trainer, would have designed a style of movement for a fight against Hatton, but I don’t think that would be good enough for Khan to beat him. Hatton would have caught up to Khan at some point in the fight, and unless Khan’s chin was able to stand up to the big punches from Hatton, he would be stopped by Ricky.