By Scott Gilfoid: EBU welterweight champion Matthew Hatton (41-4-2, 16 KO’s) has decided to risk all and go after unbeaten knockout artist Saul Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KO’s) next instead of going after easier targets like WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko or Junior Witter. The contracts for the Alvarez fight will reportedly be signed in the new few days. The bout will be taking place on March 5th.
In the end, Hatton, 29, may have wished he had chosen the safer targets because he has little if any chance of beating a slugger like Alvarez. Hatton is going to another scalp for Alvarez’s growing resume.
In an article at express.co.uk, Hatton said “I get totally fed up reading about fighters who are always saying they will do this and that and then, when the chance comes along to make an impact and take on one of the big boys, they turn it down. I’ve never turned down a fight yet and, although I know full well how good Alvarez is, this is the right time for me. I have proven myself at European level and now it is time to move up to world class. Alvarez is definitely world class, so I have to prove I belong there, too.”
I almost feel sorry for Hatton. The guy is clearly deluded about his own talent and he needs to come down to earth and get a wakeup call. Hatton has been facing weak European fodder ever since he got his backside handed to him by Craig Watson in May 2008 in an embarrassingly one-sided 12 round decision loss. Since then, Hatton has won eight of nine fights against mediocre opposition like Ben Tackie, Roberto Belge, Yuriy Nuzhnenko, Gianluca Branco, Mikheil Khutsishvili, Ernesto Zepeda, Ted Bami and Scott Woolford.
Those guys are mediocre 2nd tier fighters, and look at Hatton getting excited about these empty wins. Instead of going after Alvarez or talking about wanting to fight for a title, Hatton should instead try and prove he can beat a decent top contender like Jesus Soto Karass or Luis Carlos Abregu. Those guys would be a good test and if Hatton beat one or both of them, then, yeah, put him in with Senchenko or Alvarez. But you put Hatton in with Alvarez and Hatton is going to get destroyed.
Hatton has been matched too soft and it seems like it’s planted some ideas in his head where he thinks actually good. Believe me, Hatton is mediocre and will be exposed by Alvarez.
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