By William Mackay: Ricky Hatton is sticking by former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye’s side despite his humiliating one-sided 12 round decision loss against IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko last July.

However, Hatton’s confidence in Haye seems to go a little overboard with his estimation of Haye’s talent. Hatton thinks that Haye’s loss was just due to an off night and feels that Haye would beat Wladimir if the two fighters were to get it on one more time.

Unfortunately, Haye won’t get that chance because no one wants to see Wladimir fight Haye again because of the one-sided nature of their fight. And Haye hasn’t shown much interest in staying busy to make a Wladimir rematch an appealing one.

Hatton said to the Telegraph.co.uk “He [Haye] had a bad night against Wladimir in the summer and I honestly believe that if he fought Wladimir again he could beat him. Wladimir and Vitali have similar styles and David will have learnt from the first fight. David Haye had to come back.”

That sounds nice in theory but Haye had more than an off night against Wladimir. He just looked too small and not skilled enough. No matter what Haye did in the Wladimir fight, he didn’t have the size or the agility to move around.

I don’t see this as the result of his so-called toe injury because Haye has never moved as well as Wladimir. I think carries around too much muscle on his upper body and it makes him less smooth when he moves. Wladimir easily out-maneuvered Haye in this fight and left him very few openings. Vitali will be even more of a problem for Haye because of his iron chin.

Even if Haye does land some of his bombs right on the button, he won’t be able to hurt Vitali. But I see Haye paying the price each time he looks to land something, and with his weak chin and questionable stamina, he won’t last long if he comes to try and make it a fight.